BURNING BEAR CAMPGROUND

For Coloradans who cherish the serene beauty of our majestic mountains and seek a peaceful escape into the wilderness, Burning Bear Campground offers an unparalleled experience. Nestled at an elevation of 9,813 feet within the Pike and San Isabel National Forest, this hidden gem near Grant provides a tranquil haven away from the bustling crowds. It's the perfect destination for those looking to immerse themselves in nature, enjoy cooler summer temperatures, and have direct access to some of Colorado's most breathtaking trails.

Burning Bear Campground is renowned for its intimate and quiet atmosphere, making it ideal for campers who prioritize relaxation and a genuine connection with the outdoors. Unlike larger, more commercial campgrounds, Burning Bear maintains a cozy charm that allows for a more personal and undisturbed experience. Whether you're pitching a tent under the stars or bringing your travel trailer, you'll find spacious and well-maintained sites that offer plenty of room to unwind. Our commitment is to provide a clean, accessible, and truly restorative camping environment where the sounds of nature are your primary soundtrack, and the stunning Colorado landscape is your backdrop. It's a place where you can truly disconnect from the everyday and rediscover the magic of our incredible state.

Burning Bear Campground is ideally located on Geneva Road, near Grant, CO 80448, USA. This prime position places it along the scenic Guanella Pass Scenic Byway, a renowned route for its stunning vistas and access to high-alpine environments. For those of us coming from Denver or other Front Range communities, the drive is a relatively straightforward and incredibly picturesque journey, heading south on US Highway 285 towards Fairplay, and then turning north onto Park County Road 62 (Guanella Pass Road) at the town of Grant. The campground is approximately 5 miles north on the right.

The accessibility of this location is a key draw for local Coloradans. It allows for a relatively easy weekend trip without extended travel times, maximizing your time enjoying the mountains. Despite its convenient access, the campground feels wonderfully remote and quiet, as noted by many visitors, being set back off the main road. The elevated location ensures cooler temperatures during the warm summer months, offering a refreshing respite from the heat of lower elevations.

Furthermore, the proximity to the town of Grant, though small, provides a last-minute stop for some basic supplies, including firewood, before you truly immerse yourself in the wilderness. However, it's always wise to bring most of your provisions with you. The real treasure of this location lies in its immediate access to world-class hiking and biking trails, which are literally steps away from your campsite. This combination of convenient accessibility and deep immersion in the natural beauty of the Pike National Forest makes Burning Bear Campground an exceptional choice for any Colorado outdoor enthusiast.

Services Offered:

• 13 campsites accommodating RV, trailer (up to 30 feet), and tent camping.
• Spacious and generally level campsites.
• Vault toilets, which are regularly cleaned and well-maintained.
• Potable drinking water available (via a hand pump; availability may be seasonal, usually not available after Labor Day weekend).
• Picnic tables at each campsite.
• Fire rings with grates at each campsite (always check for current fire restrictions).
• On-site camp host during peak season, who may have firewood for sale.
• Trash receptacles for waste disposal.
• Designated parking for up to two vehicles or one RV per campsite (additional parking available for a fee).
• Reservations available through Recreation.gov (recommended, especially for weekends and holidays).

Features / Highlights:

• Small, quiet, and peaceful campground, offering a tranquil escape from crowds.
• Located at a high elevation (9,813 feet), ensuring cooler temperatures during summer.
• Direct access to popular hiking and mountain biking trails:
  • Burning Bear Trail (starts just across the road, excellent for hiking and biking).
  • Abyss Trail (accessible via a short walk south from the campground, leading into Mount Evans Wilderness; check USFS registration if entering wilderness).
• Stunning natural setting nestled in a valley on the way to Guanella Pass.
• Opportunities for wildlife viewing, including potential sightings of bighorn sheep, elk, deer, moose, marmot, pika, and even bear.
• Proximity to Mount Bierstadt (a "14er") via Guanella Pass Road, offering challenging hikes and amazing views.
• Campsites are spacious with good separation, offering a sense of privacy.
• Well-maintained facilities, including very clean vault toilets.
• Provides a true immersion in the wilderness experience with limited distractions.
• Cell service can be limited (T-Mobile users reported zero, AT&T users reported some data service), encouraging a digital detox.

Contact Information:

Address: Geneva Rd, Grant, CO 80448, USA

Phone: (303) 275-5610

Mobile Phone: +1 303-275-5610

For us Coloradans, the mountains are an integral part of our identity, and Burning Bear Campground offers a quintessential high-country experience that is perfectly suited for locals. Its charm lies in its small, quiet, and unspoiled nature, providing the true escape into the Rockies that many of us seek without the overwhelming crowds found at larger, more commercialized sites.

The accessibility is a major benefit; a relatively short and scenic drive from Denver and other Front Range cities means we can easily pack up for a quick weekend getaway without wasting precious time on long journeys. The elevation provides a welcome relief from the summer heat of the urban areas, offering genuinely cool mountain air for comfortable camping, which is a significant advantage during our warmer months.

Perhaps the biggest draw for local adventurers is the immediate access to incredible trails. Having the Burning Bear Trail and the Abyss Trailhead literally steps from your campsite is a dream come true for hikers, mountain bikers, and nature photographers. We value being able to step out of our tent or RV and directly onto a challenging or leisurely path, exploring the stunning alpine scenery and potentially spotting local wildlife like moose or bighorn sheep. This direct connection to the wilderness is what makes Colorado camping truly special.

The community feedback consistently highlights the spaciousness of the sites, the cleanliness of the facilities, and the overall peaceful ambiance. For Coloradans who appreciate a respectful outdoor environment and prioritize quiet enjoyment over extensive amenities or constant connectivity (given the limited cell service), Burning Bear Campground is an ideal match. It encourages a genuine digital detox and allows us to fully immerse ourselves in the natural beauty that defines our state, making it a beloved local secret for those in the know. It’s truly a gem for experiencing the authentic Colorado mountain camping experience.

BURNING BEAR CAMPGROUND

Geneva Rd, Grant, CO 80448, USA