BLM black canyon | Wild Camping
United States
Details
- Verified:
- 6 months ago
- GPS:
- 38.53234, -107.71714
- Altitude:
- 2396.0 masl
- Website:
- None
- Contributor:
-
cam&lolo
Amenities
- Electricity:
- No
- Wifi:
- No
- Kitchen:
- No
- Restaurant:
- No
- Showers:
- No
- Water:
- No
- Toilets:
- No
- Big Rig Friendly:
- No
- Tent Friendly:
- Yes
- Pet Friendly:
- Yes
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Description
iOverlander cannot verify if wild camping is permitted at this location. It is your responsibility to verify local laws or obtain consent before staying the night.
BLM land just outside of Black Canyon on the Gunnison South Rim. It's 1.7 miles south on CO-347 from the national park entrance, past 2 cattle guards. Turn right onto a dirt road just past the second cattle guard (coming from the national park). No amenities, but lots of good flat spots for tents if high clearance and 4x4. This area seems to be used mainly for ATVs and dirtbikes.
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Latest Check-Ins
It snowed a few days ago and it’s super muddy, so we pulled our van into the very first nook right off the road without any issues. No Verizon. Super close to the national park. Sign saying that camping is allowed here. Pick up some trash if you have time!
Report Check-InWent a ways in off the highway. Turned right after the main big area and took another couple rights. Ended up with a sunset view but still also overlooking the highway into the park. Must be a party spot though, the last POSs left trash including a vomit-covered sweater scattered everywhere. Cleaned it up for the next guy.
Report Check-InStayed at the spot directly right of the entrance. The road is bad and I didn’t want to destroy my suspension.
The spot was nice, kinda on a slope so I felt like I was sliding in my tent lol. I am right next to the road so it gets loud. Great view and you can hear foxes scream all night.
Report Check-InGood location outside of the park. Stayed to the right like others said since we didn't have 4x4. It took a while to find a large enough spot for 2 cars but finally found one. Relatively level and big fire ring. Someone even left firewood for us to use. Yellow jackets everywhere - it's the only negative. They didn't sting, just annoying.
Report Check-InOne of my favorite free spots! 7 minute drive to the south rim visitor center. No 4x4 needed if you stay close to the entrance and stay out of the ruts. Might be bad in a storm but there are still a few east access sites close to the entrance regardless of weather. If you drive in a little further you have shade coverage, quiet, and privacy. A little tricky to find a perfectly flat spot, but they are there!
Report Check-InGreat spot right outside the NP! Stayed in a spot near the entrance. 4X4 high clearance recommended to access any sites beyond the ones next to the road. Quiet, shaded, and safe! Will definitely stay here again.
Report Check-InThe road coming in is in really rough shape. I was unwilling to risk it in my 2WD Sprinter. Ruts are deep. Plenty of room by the entrance and very quiet at night. Traffic noise starts early as people are headed up to the Park.
Report Check-InAmazing spot to spend the night! Arrived on a Sunday around 4 pm and there were 3 other trailers and a van. We didn’t drive in far and stayed near the entrance of the road. Plenty of shade from trees and watching the sunset was beautiful here. No amenities besides man made fire pits. Such an amazing find outside the NP.
Report Check-Ingreat spot outside of the South Black Canyon rim. you take a paved road to this location. I had very little, if any T-Mobile service.
Report Check-InArrived at sunset, good amount of people up front but skim down the deeper you go, clutch place if it's late. A lot of piles of trash, crappy :( could be just cause of independence day.
Report Check-InAt the entrance and bigger lot.. Go straight if your car has higher clearance and/or you know how to drive in rutted roads. It’s not too bad if you follow the path and don’t in the ruts. go right if you want better roads and have a more normal car. The roads still aren’t perfect but they are significantly better
Report Check-InNice place to stay near Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. After reading others comments, I stayed closer to the front due to getting there after dark. Little to no road noise. Some Verizon service.
Report Check-InNice spot. Stock tires and clearance on our Ford Transit AWD. Stayed towards the front and right of the area (flatter, easier terrain). Could definitely have gone in a bit further but it was raining on and off and the mud seemed to get pretty thick there.
A fantastic spot for visiting the South Rim. Couldn’t get any better.
Report Check-InRough road, but made it in with a low clearance Honda Element.
Hammock friendly spots available
Report Check-InStayed 1 night. Had no issue. We just entered the area, turned right and parked there. Road is tough!
Report Check-InVery cool quite spot, do NOT take a low vehicle up here you will not make it past the main rock lot, a lot of ruts, SUV’s only really. My 2wd 4 runner worked fine, great great view. WATCH OUT FOR LITTLE CACTI OUCH!
Some fire pits are in camping spots some don’t, suggest going to the right once you pass the rock lot and stay going right and you’ll see it open up to e good view point to camp! Enjoy
Wow! Place was excellent! I did get a front spot, showed up around 3, hardly anyone was here.
The road would definitely be difficult when wet, but it hadn’t rained here for several days.
We walked the 2 roads that left the entrance. The one towards the left - heading west - the road was decent and would be passable in low clearance and 2wd. The other road (heading straight south) was EXTREMELY rutted and big pot holes. Would definitely require high clearance and/or 4wd.
There were lots of sites though, majority of people were tent camping.
If you have a trailer or large RV, I’d only recommend camping near the entrance or just a little bit down the West road.
Report Check-InI went to the location but the few sites looked like people who had been living there for a while. One has a trailer of stuff with them the other was just kinda shady looking. The road was too wet and I almost got stuck about 100 feet in so I probably would not rely on this place at sunset next time I will plan accordingly to go somewhere else. Looks nice if it hadn’t of been so “full” and the road not wet
Report Check-InAs described by the previous posters. I’ve been raining today so it’s quite muddy and I stayed up in the high flat area if you go down the road road good luck. No services there’s a camper up on top the hill in the best place that’s been there long time nobody’s in it is it a Bandan car so it’s real shady but it’s free BLM camping I have a great view see my pics
Report Check-InI got turned around here in my 21-foot Promaster 2 wheel drive van. I tried the rutted trail which was okay till we met a mass of chocolate pudding on the trail. I backed out no problem.
I then noticed the right hand trail before the signboard. That was a rocky hard packed trail easily driven in the Promaster but not suitable for a big rig. We were alone and had our pick of camps. Beautiful spots among the pine trees. A little daytime traffic noise from the road to the park but with some Verizon cell coverage this place is easy to like.
July 2022. Friday night and no one around.
Lots of spots if you are willing to have neighbors, standard BLM 14 day camping rules. Please practice LNT principles and take care of areas like these on the edge of National Parks so they can stay open and be enjoyable for years to come.
Some spots accessible by 2wd and larger rigs. More options with more clearance. Watch for mud
Report Check-InAs described. When you enter there is a sign and the road splits into a "Y". The road on the right is heavily rutted would not advise without high clearance, 2wd ok when no rain. If you can make it past the ruts lots of great spots to camp up top.
Road to the left is Rocky but 2wd friendly, however narrow with all the trees so if you have a tall vehicle it will be a tight squeeze.
2 sites right at the entrance flat and easy access. We got a spot on the left road just past the sign and managed to wedge our 170 Sprinter in no problem.
Highly suggest grabbing a spot during daylight hours, saw an RV almost get its roof ripped off and a minivan almost do the same with their front bumper.
Spotty 1 bar on tmobile, 3 bars 4g on visible with we boost.
Report Check-Indecent amount of people here on a Monday night. I prefer isolated places but this one is certainly convenient as I'll be explored the National park tomorrow.
there's tons of space for people to camp.
Report Check-InSo close to the national park! We arrived late at night & still found a spot, though it was definitely quite full. Bumpy road, but navigated it in an old Subaru Forester just fine. Watch out for the cacti and fire ants!Definitely recommend!
Report Check-InBusy spot. Lots of different places to tuck into. 4wd required to get to the dither spots or after a heavy rainfall
Report Check-InGreat sunsets, kind of popular place, good for a night. I had to drive down a ways to find a spot.
Report Check-Ina lot of spots, few easy spots right next to the entrance, with shade, after that you will need 4x4. the sites have shade, very lovely. 2 bar of verizon. overall a great option for few day stay while visiting black canyon.
Report Check-InMost spots are tent/van size not very level. A couple of 25' spots; not very level. Cell coverage varies across the spots, not much more than 2 bars (tmobile for me)
Report Check-InI’m in a mini van and couldn’t make it much further past the front of the lot. The road is too rough and rocky for a low car. Really not doable with a small car unless you get the very first spot in the lot tucked between the trees or if you want to stay out in the open in the lot.
Report Check-InBLM land right outside the NP like the other posts said. We visited while there was snow on the ground and it made the area pretty muddy. We parked our van right off the paved road on this site after almost getting stuck in the mud a few dozen feet back. Lots of areas to park though especially if you have 4WD or it’s not muddy. Barely any cars going by on the main road and only about 5 min to the NP which is great. Solid t mobile service.
Report Check-InGood views, secluded. Some shade. Verizon has 1 bar of 4G. Not crowded right now.
Report Check-InNice flat land. Seems to be quite crowded, but you can find more spaces down the road. BEWARE OF CACTI! If you go onto the green part, lots of small, invisible cacti on the ground. There are plenty of firepits, fires allowed, but you need to bring your own wood.
Report Check-InPerfect for staying right outside Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. On dirt road on BLM land less than 10 minutes to park entrance. Nice, secluded spots with shade and fire pits farther back in. Some have great views overlooking Montrose. Can get windy and if it rains expect nearly impassible dirt roads. Watch out for the small cactus!
Report Check-Ina lot or nice spots whith view, fireplaces. The access road is a bit rough but we manage to get far from the paved road to reach a quiet place with our van 2wd.
Report Check-InGreat spots, good paved road for most of the drive, only last portion dirt road, 2WD doable. Full Verizon LTE service, decent AT&T.
Report Check-InBeautiful secluded campsites. Road is really rutted farther down. Lots of flowers and sage brush this time of year. Fills up on weekends so get in early. Car accessible.
Report Check-InWe have a Sprinter 2wd van and the past weather has been dry. When we pulled off the pavement we investigated going straight or going hard right. (this was from the northern entrance off the paved road). The straight road was really rutted out. Passible but a bit tricky. Once past that part it wasn't bad and the spots were nice. However, we took the road to the right which wasn't on our maps but was way nicer. It's still a bit rough but not too bad, manageable without 4x4. I'd recommend this way if the first spots by the paved road are taken or if you want to get away from the road noise. Be careful of cacti! My Verizon 4G was in and out but usually in.
Report Check-InA few nice spots for RV trailers right at the turn in, however if you go deeper in with a 4x4 there are tons of nice spots on the hill overlooking Montrose. I was able to get 0.8-2 mBps with T-Mobile further in. Do be careful as the other poster said when it seems like it's going to rain, all the roads are rutted out from when people drove on them when it was muddy.
Report Check-InA few spots just off the road, bring something to level your rig. If high clearance and 4x4, there are many more spots through an oft-flooded area near the entrance. Caution entering if rain is in the forecast, you may not be able to leave!
Report Check-InBLM land just outside of Black Canyon on the Gunnison South Rim. It's 1.7 miles south on CO-347 from the national park entrance, past 2 cattle guards. Turn right onto a dirt road just past the second cattle guard (coming from the national park). No amenities, but lots of good flat spots for tents. This area seems to be used mainly for ATVs and dirtbikes. The campground host at the National Park
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