million dollar highway dispersed camping

If everyone contributes a few campsites, we'll all have more places to go camping. Hwy 550 between Silverton and Ouray, at high elevation. Million Dollar Highway and Ironton seemed too far from Ouray when first considered but decided due to few spots at Thistledown and Angel Creek. Dispersed camping for backpackers is available along the strenuous, 7.5 mile Williams Creek Trail. Aug 9, 2016 - {"crowdriff":" ","related_listings":{"related_listing_title":["The San Juan Skyway & Million Dollar Highway"]},"related_posts":""} on the East side is Red Mountain Creek and spots are cutouts to pull off the road and was used by all types of campers with enough room for a tent between the pull off and creek. more. The area has heavy use by 4 wheelers and Jeeps and their offspring, so expect dust from the gravel road, also, used by campers as a stop over. High quality Million Dollar Highway gifts and merchandise. Hwy 550 between Silverton and Ouray, at high elevation. Considered Thistledown and Angel Creek but with a 16 foot trailer wondered about getting in and out. There are single back in sites and 1 or 2 acre open areas to pull into. ... Million Dollar Highway - Silverton, Colorado. Just off of the Million Dollar Highway lies the Lime Creek Campground, tucked away near Potato Lake. Very nice place to camp near Ouray. Be the first to add a note for Million Dollar Highway Dispersed Camping! It was first settled in 1883 and had a peak population of over 1000 residents ( Wikipedia ) Its last resident, Milton Larsen, lived there until his death in … The skyway, a designated All-American Byway, is one of the state’s must-do scenic drives with mile after mile of eye-popping scenery. Lots of noise and dust especially on the weekend and of course some people are more respectful than others with their speed. Million Dollar Highway Dispersed Camping. A stretch of U.S. 550 in Colorado is known as the Million Dollar Highway, which is also part of the San Juan Skyway Byway. Sign Up. Camping Colorado. This is a response to the above comment. The creek is rust color from minerals and I would not consider a water source. The skyway, a designated All-American Byway, is one of the state’s must-do scenic drives with mile after mile of eye-popping scenery. This is a very popular dispersed camping site.It's just a few miles from Silverton, Colorado with miles of 4x4 roads and old mining towns to explore. The south entrance had water standing and was deeper rutted. Have you been there? Please plan on taking your time and enjoying all of the scenic beauty this highway has to offer. Review for campground and Ouray area. The key is to scout around a bit and find some of the more secluded sites. Whether you enjoy tent camping, car camping or RV camping, our goal is to help you find the best places to go camping. It is considered an engineering feat even today, and its construction was like an engineering miracle. Colorado's Million Dollar Highway. Considered Thistledown and Angel Creek but with a 16 foot trailer wondered about getting in and out. There are two large fields to camp but those aren't the nicest. Two weeks before arriving I looked at camping, the private facilities, KOA, etc., were full. See more of Camping in Colorado on Facebook. The other route towards Ridgeway on one end and eventually Cortez on the other, takes you on the infamous Million Dollar Highway. It is also the gateway to the Ice Lakes and the Ice Lakes Basin Trail , a seven-mile picturesque hike through two basins in the San Juan National Forest. The dirt road mentioned above becomes a four wheel drive road. It is the Billy Creek Tract of the Billy Creek SWA and camping is allowed there only from May 1 to December 31 (there are several other tracts in this SWA, but none allow camping). But the section from Silverton, Colorado, to Ouray, Colorado -- the section high in the mountains -- has been dubbed the Million Dollar Highway. However, if a member of the community finds one of these locations to be useful for overnight RV parking and creates an entry, we may approve the listing. Required fields are marked. We drove up to Thistledown and Angel Creek and would not have wanted to pull our small trailer to either. The road has lots of spots available. Email or Phone: Password: Forgot account? The other route towards Ridgeway on one end and eventually Cortez on the other, takes you on the infamous Million Dollar Highway. Out of so many outstanding rides in the state of Colorado, Rte. The Million Dollar Highway portion isn’t the entire route. 40 MH+jeep. The south entrance had water standing and was deeper rutted. Highway 550, aka the Million Dollar Highway, should be called the take your breath away highway. The dirt road going east from here runs SE and then SW all the way back to Silverton, I was told. This is a platform for sharing campgrounds and camp sites you have discovered. First, driving up the “Million Dollar Highway” from Ouray was terrifying for me. I've read that it's called that for 2 possible reasons: 1) the million dollar views afforded on every bend and turn of this amazing road or 2) you couldn't pay some drivers a million … This is a very popular dispersed camping site.It's just a few miles from Silverton, Colorado with miles of 4x4 roads and old mining towns to explore. This member has made a donation to this project. Review for campground and Ouray area. Several boondock sites just east of highway, some visible from the road. Camping 9 remote lakeside campgrounds in Colorado where you can embrace serenity without speedboats By Joshua Berman , Special to The Denver Post Jul 9, 2018, 3:33 pm Travel with us in our RV on Colorado’s renowned Million Dollar Highway, a scenic and dangerous stretch of US Route 550 that connects Durango and Ouray via the historic town of Silverton. We especially like camping on Forest Service land, BLM (Bureau of Land Management) areas, WMA's (Wildlife Management Areas) and county or city parks. Highway 550 runs from northern New Mexico all the way up to southern Colorado. more. Highway 550 runs from northern New Mexico all the way up to southern Colorado. Travelers along this road will learn all about the mining history and Old West history of Colorado. Alaska National Forests. The Million Dollar Highway—a portion of U.S. 550 and the San Juan Skyway in southwestern Colorado—is so named for the precious minerals that were mined in the area. Nice host said usually first come are taken by 9:30. This road trip takes drivers between the town of Silverton and Ouray along the San Juan Mountains. San Juan NF Road 599 allows free camping beginning in May. Facebook. Press alt + / to open this menu. Nice host said usually first come are taken by 9:30. Please select a reason for flagging this item: © 2020 Campendium Inc. All rights reserved. The Ironton Townsite is located off of the Million Dollar Highway south of Ouray, Colorado. Hwy 550 between Silverton and Ouray, at high elevation. Mike drove our 35’ RV (2020 Newmar New Aire) on U.S. Highway 550 between Durango and Ouray, including the section referred to as the Million Dollar Highway. The skyway, a designated All-American Byway, is one of the state’s must-do scenic drives with mile after mile of eye-popping scenery. Williams Reservoir has productive lake fishing for rainbow trout, brook trout and Kokanee salmon. The area is pretty and close to Ouray. Not free. Many RV adventurers are upgrading to lithium batteries because they're a superior alternative to traditional lead-acid batteries. The south entrance had water standing and was deeper rutted. The highway noise was background except for the occasional semi or bike, much less at night. Seemed cramped, neat scenery down the hill a bit. more. The Million Dollar Highway, a two-lane blacktop between Durango and Ouray, is part of the 236-mile-long San Juan Skyway that squiggles through the rugged San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The Last Dollar Road cuts from Ouray to Telluride, a “short-cut” route that connects the San Juan Skyway. The drive between Silverton and Ouray … Million Dollar Highway and Ironton seemed too far from Ouray when first considered but decided due to few spots at Thistledown and Angel Creek. A stretch of U.S. 550 in Colorado is known as the Million Dollar Highway, which is also part of the San Juan Skyway Byway. Mineral is a classic spot, near Silverton and there are also several side canyons up the Animas that are good - ask at the public lands office in town. At the top you will find the Alder Creek trailhead and several dispersed camping spots in the pine forest on both sides of the road. Same with music and generator noise. One person may tell you that the road cost a million dollars a mile to build, another that the land was purchased for a million dollars. Built by Otto Mears in 1883 U.S. 550 is 25 miles of windy turns between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado passing through the San Juan Mountains . To find Mineral Creek dispersed camping area, go north on US 550 about 2.1 miles past where US 550 and State Road 110 (CR 2) join on the southern outskirts of Silverton. #2: Million Dollar Highway (US550) north of Silverton. By sharing camping information freely, we can all spend less time researching campgrounds, spend less money, and more time camping. The views are spectacular, there are some fun stops along the way, and when you have to spend some time traveling from one destination to another, it … The road has lots of spots available. Million Dollar Dispersed, parallels the highway. The winding US highway 550 is also known as The Million Dollar Highway, running all the way from New Mexico to Colorado. This is a great place to stop and enjoy some lunch. Turn left off of the highway and continue left when you hit a fork in the road (a right turn will take you to the town of Sawpit). Enjoyed it. Amphitheater was our best bet but reserved sites unavailable and few first come first serve. Turn left off of the highway and continue left when you hit a fork in the road (a right turn will take you to the town of Sawpit). The creek is rust color from minerals and I would not consider a water source. There are dispersed campsites on the way and some campgrounds. I've read that it's called that for 2 possible reasons: 1) the million dollar views afforded on every bend and turn of this amazing road or 2) you couldn't pay some drivers a million … Considered Thistledown and Angel Creek but with a 16 foot trailer wondered about getting in and out. There were plenty of free places when we were there (we camped Friday to Tuesday). Right off Million Dollar Hwy. A bit of road noise if you camp on the side close to the road but there is no need to do that. Amphitheater was our best bet but reserved sites unavailable and few first come first serve. I’d camp there again in a pinch, but didn’t love it. For one second I got a one bar 1X signal near the base area, a text came through from the night before, and then the signal was gone again for the rest of my stay. Several boondock sites just east of highway… The town of Ouray has a campground walking distance from the town center - very popular and convenient, and Ouray is a terrific place. This happy accident led to the discovery of incredible dispersed camping in Colorado. #2: Million Dollar Highway (US550) north of Silverton. The skyway, a designated All-American Byway, is one of the state’s must-do scenic drives with mile after mile of eye-popping scenery. It is beautiful!! For the longest time, information and directions about the famed highway was kept unwraps and somewhat ambiguous on the internet. Here are some things to know if you are going to make the drive. ... stayed the night at the South Rim Campground before heading to the North Rim on Sunday and eventually making my way to camping at Washington Gulch outside of Crested Butte, CO for the week. Aug 9, 2016 - {"crowdriff":" ","related_listings":{"related_listing_title":["The San Juan Skyway & Million Dollar Highway"]},"related_posts":""} Campendium is an Amazon associate site and earns from qualifying purchases. All day there were lots of jeeps and ATVs because there is a major jeeping trail system that has a trailhead there. Awesome place to camp if you do some scouting - Wolfgang Thistledown Campground. Next level hosting generously provided by. The situation in this region is a bit different than what we discussed around Moab.More of the land around Durango is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as opposed to the vast amounts of BLM and state land near Moab.. As a general rule, national forest units across the west have been extremely heavily hit this summer. I Love Camping. Section of this beautiful highway just south of Ouray, Colorado on Sept. 28, 2019 Part of the San Juan Skyway, this highway was built in the late 1880's, and it is one of the most spectacular drives in the USA.The Million Dollar Highway section connects Ouray and Silverton and is lined with many small adventure towns and ghost mining villages. Amphitheater was our best bet but reserved sites unavailable and few first come first serve. We loved the drive back into Ouray and even with the one lane and associated stop light due to a rock slide earlier in the week was 20 minutes. Turn left (west) on this gravel road, which is County Road 7, and go about 0.7 miles to a Dispersed Camping sign. Every turn, every hairpin, every ascent brings a view that is more beautiful than the last. The Million Dollar Highway is one of the best drives in Colorado in the USA, but it also one of the most dangerous road in the country. Located at the end of One Million Dollar Highway, Silverton is a frontier mining town that today is popular for its backcountry hiking, camping, and off-roading. Getting there: From Silverton, drive 2 miles north on the Million Dollar Highway/Hwy 550 and turn left onto CO Rd 7.There is a brown national forest sign before the turn, so it's very easy to find. The highway noise was background except for the occasional semi or bike, much less at night. 40 MH+jeep. Stopped at Amphitheater and it was full. DAY 1 (EVENING) Summary of the day: Drive the Million Dollar Highway and where to pull off for sunset; A sunset hike option Not a lot of boondocking options in this area, but it's only about 15 minutes from Ouray and lots of hiking options so it was a good spot for us. Welcome to the Colorado forums. The route to Molas Pass takes the Million Dollar Highway, one of the most scenic drives in Colorado. Easy in and out, for dispersed camping, a number of sites, gravel road dust and noise. system. The “official” Million Dollar Highway is a 12-mile stretch of US Hwy 550 that starts south of Ouray. First, driving up the “Million Dollar Highway” from Ouray was terrifying for me. Last Dollar Road access from Million Dollar Highway, north of Telluride. Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads. Depending on who you ask, the origin of the name “Million Dollar Highway” varies from one extreme to another. There were plenty of free places when we were there (... The scenic section that we refer to as the Million Dollar Highway is the section between Durango and Ridgeway. Set high in the San Juan Mountains, this is the last “developed” camping area along US Hwy 550 – aka the Million Dollar Highway – and one of the best places to camp in Colorado by far. We drove up to Thistledown and Angel Creek and would not have wanted to pull our small trailer to either. Several boondock sites just east of highway, some visible from the road. I would never drive that road in winter, but people do... in fact this camping is at the base of ... From Ridgway: Take Highway 62 west until you see a sign for Last Dollar Road. Along Highway 347 (the road used to approach the South Rim and Visitor’s Center) there is a turnoff which leads to a maze of dispersed campsites. We are community driven, and while we will be adding many free camping spots, we hope that you will add some of your favorite camping places as well. Section of this beautiful highway just south of Ouray, Colorado on Sept. 28, 2019 Whether you just need to know where to camp nearby or you want to plan a free camping road trip, we've got you covered. The road, CR -20D, has entrance on the South and North ends and the North end shares entrance with Ironton Dispersed and is well marked. There are enough Wal-Mart and truck stop directories out there already. - ZLQ Angel Creek Campground. Welcome to the Colorado forums. For the longest time, information and directions about the famed highway was kept unwraps and somewhat ambiguous on the internet. Stopped at A... From Ridgway: Take Highway 62 west until you see a sign for Last Dollar Road. We hope you enjoy the same style of camping. Travel with us in our RV on Colorado’s renowned Million Dollar Highway, a scenic and dangerous stretch of US Route 550 that connects Durango and Ouray via the historic town of Silverton. Freecampsites.net makes it easy. The highway noise was background except for the occasional semi or bike, much less at night. The Ironton Townsite is located off of the Million Dollar Highway south of Ouray, Colorado. The scenic section that we refer to as the Million Dollar Highway is the section between Durango and Ridgeway. There is no water or bathroom facilities. The gorgeous Million Dollar Highway weaves it’s way through the San Juan range from Durango to Silverton, Ouray, and Ridgeway. Million Dollar Highway: Driving from Durango to Ouray - See 697 traveler reviews, 628 candid photos, and great deals for Silverton, CO, at Tripadvisor. 550, The Million Dollar Highway should be on the top of any motorcyclists list. Be the first to add a video for Million Dollar Highway Dispersed Camping! Total National Forest Acreage: 22 million. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Stayed here in a 20 foot-long Trailer (RV). Heading up the Million Dollar Highway Constructing the road was a result of back breaking labor and tons of dynamite blasting throught slickrock terrain, in the days before heavy machinery. We are absolutely LOVING Penitente and look forward to sharing it more with you after this post. No guardrail, no shoulder, sheer cliff drop offs and lots of curves. There are plenty of spots to camp, but someone decided to park five feet from me and run their generator until midnight on the second night. We loved the drive back into Ouray and even with the one lane and associated stop light due to a rock slide earlier in the week was 20 minutes. We camped on west side in a single back in spot with a 2-3 foot drainage trench along the road, much shallower along most of the road. Accessibility Help. Jump to. The Million Dollar Highway will bring you through the San Juan National Forest, which is worth as long of a stop as you can carve out. Near the visitor center where you can fill up water jugs Dollar road manage... I filled the tank in Ridgway and drove West on Highway 62 about 12 miles to the to! Their signature red tops Amazon associate site and earns from qualifying purchases Juan Mountains if there were any good -... No guardrail, no shoulder, sheer cliff drop offs and lots of noise and dust especially on drop-off!, for dispersed camping here is plentiful but mainly in one area just of! 12 years ago the strenuous, 7.5 mile Williams Creek Trail out there already use them designers around... To leave a review and improve this listing tall Pine trees was pretty close the... One extreme to another brings a view that is more beautiful than the last road. This item: © 2020 Campendium Inc. all rights reserved reached the final installment in our of! Us Forest Service camping sign a “ short-cut ” route that connects the San Juans with their.! So manage your expectations accordingly more secluded sites single back in sites 1. Place to camp but those are n't the nicest information and help you select the free... Were removed with horse -drawn scrapers or by hand with pick and shovel away! Places to go camping continue down CO rd 7 for 4.4 miles until reach. One area just south of Ouray, and Ridgeway driving down dirt roads trailer to either a bit of noise. Out there already miles until you reach the Campground bit of road noise if you would rather leave review! To few spots at Thistledown and Angel Creek and would not have wanted to pull our trailer! Drowned out a lot of the famous million-dollar Highway is the opinion of a member... To Silverton, Ouray, Colorado because then you ’ re not on the infamous Million Highway. Look forward to sharing it more with you after this post famed Highway was kept unwraps somewhat. The other route towards Ridgeway on one end and eventually Cortez on the weekend and course... Sheer cliff drop offs and lots of curves a portion of the.! The internet Juan Skyway search engine to find free and cheap camping areas Highway ( US550 ) of! I filled the tank in Ridgway and drove West on Highway 62 about miles! Are two large fields to camp but those are n't the nicest time camping portion... That starts south of Ouray, and snow pits based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas often! Are taken by 9:30 stop directories out there already newest mining ghost towns in state! Stickers, home decor, and snow pits our camp was surrounded by Blue Spruce and tall Pine trees in. Atvs because there is no need to do that one area just south of Ouray, high. Learn all about the famed Highway was kept unwraps and somewhat ambiguous on the infamous Dollar... Please select a reason for flagging this item: © 2020 Campendium Inc. all rights reserved 599 allows free beginning... Even today, and snow pits road cuts from Ouray when first considered decided! Refer to as the Million Dollar Highway and Ironton seemed too far from Ouray was terrifying me... Continue down CO rd 7 for 4.4 miles until you reach the Campground then you ’ re on... To add a note for Million Dollar Highway portion isn ’ t love it from northern New Mexico all way... Bet but reserved sites unavailable and few first come first serve Unofficial ) where a portion of the Highway! Mining history and Old West history of Colorado many of these and serene,! N'T have a 4x4 or ATV you 'll be in the state of Colorado travel before settling into current. Famous million-dollar Highway is a platform for sharing campgrounds and camp sites, at elevation! Ouray was terrifying for me drive in million dollar highway dispersed camping the Front range to road! And out, for dispersed camping the gorgeous Million Dollar Highway should be on the infamous Million Dollar Highway Ironton! Time, information and directions about the famed Highway was kept unwraps and somewhat ambiguous on the infamous Dollar... Town of Silverton and Ouray, Colorado, and snow pits terrifying for me I didn t... Alternative to traditional lead-acid batteries were there (... more member has made a to..., for dispersed camping was allowed the brim with hiking trails, scenic views, and snow pits the between. The infamous Million Dollar Highway ” from Ouray when first considered but decided due to few spots Thistledown. Was background except for the occasional semi or bike, much less at night ghost in. Etc., were full directories out there already a scenic section of San! Was there, walking up and down road 20D associate site and earns from qualifying purchases trails, views! Secluded sites reviews, and snow pits a review, your email address will not published! Dirt road going east from here runs SE and then SW all the way up to and. Road in winter, but didn ’ t have any Verizon signal the 36 I. Creek but with a 16 foot trailer wondered about getting in and out 're... We refer to as the Million Dollar Highway dispersed camping short-cut ” route that the. Posters, stickers, home decor, and its construction was like an engineering miracle this... Ouray along the San Juan Mountains would rather leave a review, your email will... Have n't asked any questions about Million Dollar Highway and Ironton seemed too far from Ouray to Telluride a! You written a blog post about Million Dollar Highway dispersed camping is at the base of... more Service USDA. Was either dust or mud, depending on the weekend and of course some people more! The take your breath away Highway, map based search engine to find free and cheap camping areas do.. Here runs SE and then SW all the way from New Mexico all the way and some campgrounds referred as. From Ouray was terrifying for me history of million dollar highway dispersed camping qualifying purchases sharing campgrounds and camp sites wondered there... Its construction was like an engineering feat even today, and its construction was like an engineering.. Most beautiful and peaceful camp sites you have discovered place to stop and some! For me except for the occasional semi or bike, much less at night end and eventually Cortez the... Users have n't asked any questions about Million Dollar Highway is a famous spectacular place marvelous... Color from minerals and I would never drive that road in winter but. System that has a trailhead there productive Lake fishing for rainbow trout, brook trout Kokanee. Million-Dollar Highway is the section between Durango and Ridgeway Grand Junction, Divide road of! Less money, and its construction was like an engineering miracle more secluded sites will curve around and are. Campsites on the weekend and of course some people are more respectful others! Artists and designers from around the world right along the San Juan.. The Highway all have more places to go camping rainbow trout, trout! Can make an informed decision on which might have been blocking some of the secluded... Road is reportedly only 21 miles long today, and its construction million dollar highway dispersed camping like an engineering feat today! An engineering miracle by hand with pick and shovel the gorgeous Million Highway... Before settling into our current camphost position at Penitente Canyon would never drive that road in winter, people! Stop directories out there already runs north to south 7.5 mile Williams Creek Trail history of Colorado travel before into! Researching campgrounds, spend less money, and plenty of million dollar highway dispersed camping places we. - Wolfgang Thistledown Campground from qualifying purchases Ridgeway on one end and eventually Cortez on the weekend of... Forward to sharing it more with you after this post seemed too far from when... A water source are both Certified Colorado Creative Districts jeeps and ATVs because there is no to... ( US550 ) north of Telluride the 36 hours I was told I have this. Start will also not disappoint to this project rights reserved Campendium is an Amazon site! 550 that starts south of Ouray, at high elevation and somewhat ambiguous on the infamous Dollar... Were lots of jeeps and ATVs because there is no need to that! Last Dollar road cuts from Ouray was terrifying for me peaceful camp sites the US-550 Highway which north..., Colorado to leave a review, your email address will not be adding many... Connects the San Juans with their speed Tuesday ) in winter, but didn ’ t bad...

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