This is an AWESOME public campground and best of all, it's donation only (aka FREE!). We were there…read morein a high clearance vehicle on May 31, 2014. The entire campground was dry and snow-free. A car can get up the road from Ohio City, but it is a bit rocky for the last 1-2 miles. Trailheads for Mill Lake and about 3-4 other trails that head up to Lamphier Lake, Fairview Peak, and even Henry Lake and passes that lead further up and beyond into the Gunnison Natl Forest are located steps from the campsites. I tried to label pics of the campground and each campsite (there are 6). If you drive past the trailhead parking area, there is a bridge that crosses Gold Creek and we noted some campers over there for one night in a smaller area. They were in a Subaru and it was pretty muddy, but they made it in and out w/no problem. Thanks to volunteers who keep this campground tip-top! There is one vault toilet, and I suppose you could filter creek water, but be prepared with supplies if you camp up here. Looks like horses use some of the trails, but a sign said "no horses in campground". TONS of snow was still on the ground. We tried to get to Mill Lake, but the trail was buried in 3-4 feet in late May. We postholed for awhile, but turned around as it was getting late, never making the lake. The next day, boyfriend summitted Fairview Peak and reportedl that Mill Lake was still all frozen, anyway, of course.

Had an amazing drive up here! Some photos are from the top and some photos are on the way up there…read more It was absolutely amazing. I suggest bringing an old Starbucks cup to urinate into because the bathrooms are absolutely atrocious. I was gagging just stepping in the door. Also, wouldn't plan on being able to read any of the warning signs or road sign. Since for some reason, everyone in their mother puts bumper stickers on them. lol

Great spot to stop in and check out the views or simply relax. There's picnic tables in various…read morespots and even grills to use for a quick lunch or dinner. Bathrooms are provided as well.

This is my second visit to Barr Camp. Once when spent the night and summited pikes peak and today…read moreto snowshoe up and back down Barr camp is a special place and anyone with a bit of adventure should visit and than bag pikes

Okay, truth be told, I wish it were a bit dressed up - maybe a lot dressed up. That said, I've…read moreveered off the trail and stopped at the camp located 6.5 miles up Barr Trail several times, but never had the gumption to overnight. Regardless, it gets five stars for being the rare trail outpost staffed for lodging purposes and a welcome waypoint for the mountain weary. It should probably get another five stars for being open year-round and through the deep snow months. Folks on the 25-mile trek appreciate all that it is.

Great hosts, great campground, clean shower, laundry, toilets with running water…read more Awesome location ,close to Buena Vista, Cottonwood Pass, Mt princeton hotsprings and Independence pass. Fourth year we stopped here, coming from Rocky Mt Natl Park, Crested Butte, or Aspen. Showers are only 1$ for 6 min, I can not understand why anybody would complain about that. Definitely will be back

My husband and I stayed at this campground in July 2020. We regularly camp across the county using…read moreour travel trailer. This is one of the best run and maintained campgrounds we've stayed at. The bathrooms are impeccably clean. Seriously the nicest and cleanest bathrooms we've ever seen at a campground. The staff is kind and very helpful. We had a problem with the electricity in our camper when we arrived and one of their employees came immediately to help us. Very kind. The campground is 5 minutes north of Buena Vista- a cute small town. Be sure to visit the newly-constructed "new downtown" that looks right out of a magazine--charming. Excellent whitewater rafting in the area. About half an hour south of Leadville. This area doesn't have your stereotypical mountain scenery but it is nestled in a wide valley between mountains. Morning and evenings are especially nice. I recommend staying here.

These guys were amazing. From the time we arrived until we walked out the door they were great…read more Greater as soon as we walked in the door and treated like family. Our guide Alexis was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. We were very fortunate to have some great snow. When we come back we will definitely be booking with these guys!

We had such a great experience. We called the night before to see if we can go snowmobiling and Tez…read morecalled us back early morning and was very helpful since the beginning we knew we made the right choice. Our tour guide was Shep which was another great experience our first time Snowmobiling he gave us all the safety instructions was very helpful answering all questions and took us on a beautiful tour through the beautiful mountains definitely recommend this place and definitely coming back.

Beautiful views and landscape. Very scenic. Great sunset. This is site P48. Site B28 looks great…read moretoo.

Nice upgrade from the KOA days. Nicely laid our campground with outstanding views of the Collegiate…read morePeaks as well as access to the Chaffee County trail system. We stayed here when it was a KOA a few years ago and the amenities have definitely improved since then. The office has an espresso bar, laundry room, recreation room with a large TV and a full sized pool table as well as an outdoor dog wash station (free!) and a large propane fire pit with a seating area. The main bathrooms attached to the office are newly renovated and kept clean. Our pull thru site was spacious (front to back) and included a picnic table, fire pit and full hook ups. Some of the smaller RV sites were set against a scenic hill of boulders although these were water/electric only. The staff were friendly, attentive, and unobtrusive. Setting was quiet and scenic, near US 24 but not near enough for traffic noise. This is the nicest RV park in the Buena Vista area. We camped at BV Overlook in a Travel Trailer.

As home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, this place is absolutely worth checking out. We…read morecame over Memorial Day weekend and we had been hearing rumblings in town that this is typically one of their busiest seasons of the year so we were really nervous we would have to wait in long lines, it would be crowded, and we wouldn't be able to enjoy our hike up the sand dunes. It was actually totally chill, it took maybe 15 minutes to get situated and pay for our park pass, drive to the dunes, and find parking but nothing outrageous. I will say the park rangers here are not friendly and fairly rude if I'm being honest. The dunes themselves were super fun, we had never been to anything with this much sand before so it was a blast sledding down the hills! All of the visitors were really nice and friendly to one another which is always great to see. We specifically rented a 4x4 jeep so we could go on the Medano Pass Primitive Road and probably only made it about 5 miles. THIS was actually crowded and unruly as it's one lane and you have to park on the side every now and then to let cars from the opposite direction come through. It was bumpy, not scenic at all, and rather annoying having to stop so frequently so we ended up ditching it and leaving to go to the visitor center instead. If I were to redo this part, I would have just rented a cheaper car that wasn't a 4x4 and saved loads of gas. Because the park is open 24/7, we were especially excited to come back at night though and see the dunes. We returned around 10:30pm and although there were some really annoying people blasting music in the dunes parking lot that ruined the ambiance, the stars were absolutely magnificent. Since it's a certified International Dark Sky Park,they were absolutely stunning and radiating from the night sky. We got so lucky it was a clear night so we could see them so well! That was the highlight of our trip for sure.

A truly remarkable landscape that must be experienced. These are the tallest sand dunes in North…read moreAmerica. Yes, in Colorful Colorado!!! My first trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park was in February of this year. It completely exceeded my expectations. No, it's not classic Colorado. Yes, I visited in the off season (more people should do this!) Minimal crowds meant having most of the park to myself. I rented a sandboard in Alamosa and sandboarded down the dunes. Only $20 at Kristi Mountain Sports! Talk about a thrilling experience! Totally recommend doing this if you're craving an adventure. All you have to be cautious of are the weather conditions, specifically wind. I watched the forecast like a hawk and tailored my visit accordingly. The two popular hikes to experience the dunes are High Dune and Star Dune, with the latter being the tallest. Now you know I'm a hiker and that I grew up near the ocean...but hiking on sand??? Not for the faint of heart! I made it up to High Dune and ran out of water and decided it was best to head back. Incredible views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. At a few points I was completely surrounded by dunes and that was a feeling I never thought I'd experience! Visiting at sunrise the following morning was spectacular. I was the only one in the trailhead parking lot! The pink skies over the dunes and mountains was a special combination. I hiked the Dunes Overlook Trail afterwards and I'd recommend it since you get to see the park from a higher vantage point. I also saw 25 deer on trail, no I'm not exaggerating! This was the adventure of a lifetime. Go play in Colorado's sandbox, you'll be surprised how much you enjoy it! Can't wait to come back!

As a time tested avid outdoorswoman and veteran granola girl, I don't always gravitate to state…read moreparks. It's just too easy to prefer high mountain summits, national parks and forests or private land. But Colorado State Parks are like none other. Many landmarks and places that make up the state parks of Colorado, had they been found in other parts of the country might have been designated national parks by leaders of yore. That's just the outsized grandeur of Colorado. I'll even venture: it makes other western states squirm with envy. All of Colorado is like an unofficial national park. It is, without debate, the best non-coastal state in the nation. Mueller and so many other places are a testament to that.

Fabulous park. Well maintained trails. Good workout as most of the park is hilly. It's a must to…read moreget adjusted to the altitude if you live at a lower elevation. Great visitor center with knowledgeable rangers. Staying in a cabin and it is really nice. No WiFi and no tv. If you need that it's best to stay home. Dogs / domestics are not allowed on these trails to protect the abundant wildlife. And face it most people do not clean up after their dogs or let them off leash to chase wildlife. Not cool. I used to hike this park all the time living in Woodland Park. I've seen deer, elk, turkeys, owls, and I think it was a minx cat.

Lovely little spot with a great little gift shop, close to town, quiet and everyone was so…read morefriendly! We had a wonderful stay! Very clean and very nice atmosphere! Would be a great base camp for 14'ner hike days! We'll be back

Beautiful spot with mountain vistas. The 2 rooms in the clubhouse are very comfy, with great,…read morecomfortable beds, and good and very quiet fans. Only downside is that the 2 rooms available are not self-contained and you need to use a shared toilet/shower, which at times has competition from those staying in RV's and camping. The staff is super friendly, and very helpful.

Really run down and sketchy. Stay at Fort Walmart before stopping here (and we have never stayed…read morein a Walmart parking lot). As others have noted, sites are on top of each other and the park seems to cater to families with little camping experience. Seriously, if nothing else is available, stay in a motel.

Two stars! One for very friendly staff, and the second for convenient location. I for sure would…read morenot choose to pay to stay here ever again. The tent campsites are right on top of each other. Our picnic table was right next to our neighbor site's picnic table; you can share a meal with your stranger neighbor if you wish. The stall doors in the bathroom are comically short; they were cut to about knee height when sitting on the toilet so that your junk is at risk of exposure while you're sitting on the toilet. The campground is also RIGHT off the highway so you go to sleep to loud traffic noise and wake up to it, too. It also backs right up to a residential area, so you can look at the back of folks' houses and hear their dogs bark through night. There were roosters to wake you up in the morning, too (ngl I kinda liked that part). My husband and I are avid hikers and campers, so we've seen a lot of campgrounds. This is my least favorite, right after one of the KAOs in Virginia. During our stay, I playfully dubbed this place "the trailer park of campgrounds," and before you come after me, I grew up in a trailer park (so I would know!). If you need a convenient place to stay, it will do. It's a place to sleep. But if you're wanting privacy, space, and quiet (you know, the things people go tent camping for), then you'll want to go elsewhere.