Hwy 125 Roadside Camps ~ Routt National Forest

Boondocking in the National Forests is nearly always an option when traveling and some of the best spots can actually be found just off the paved highway where allowed. This is especially true if the paved highway follows a river or stream that is popular with anglers. Camping at a fly fishing honey hole is like a dream come true and the shorter the distance from the tent, the better! Location is the key for seasonal hunters too, which means that many of roadside dispersed camping spots are not occupied till autumn. As long as there is a bare patch on the ground with a stone fire ring and there are no official signs that say no camping allowed, an empty roadside campsite in a National Forest is fair game.

Several seasonal roadside dispersed campsites can be found along Highway 215 and Highway 230 in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests of Colorado and Wyoming. This entire region is a prime fall season hunting ground and it is an angler's paradise, so plenty of convenient little campsites can be found throughout the forested mountains, even on the roadside. Modern pack it in-pack it out rules apply and portable toilet devices are required for groups where there are no facilities. If you have an RV camper or trailer, the rules are covered and you will be safe from bears at night. Dispersed camping information is available at the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest website, but stopping by a local ranger station will provide many more options. The roadside boondocking spots certainly fit into the overall picture, so be sure to keep them in mind when passing through!