Class A Boondocking in Leadville

[RvNaut]

1st off... my rig is not 200k or 100k or 50k or even 25k.. it is 18 years old and I got a good deal... I have gotten a fair amount of rejection from some in this crowd and I want to be sure people know my class a costs less than many of the vans and sprinters out there that get welcomed with open arms. There is a lesson about judging here. I have my min emergency fund and my SS check.. that's it... I am as close to the edge as any of us.. so please.. do not see my class a and think I have money....

(now to the point.... ) I have been out on the road since January and have done well to locate nice Booning sites in Q, Lake H, Parhump, Coconino, Kaibab, Grand Canyon Kaibab NF, APache NF etc... as summer approaches I am headed to Winter Park CO for an event and then hope to hang out in Leadville in July/August/Sept. My "toad" is a folding eBike, so when I have to I unpack it and explore potential roads for a site...

Now what would be awesome is to get some pointers on potential Forest Roads that I should look down in the Leadville area... any ideas?

 

[maki2]

In these situations YouTube can be a great guide. I have not been there to camp but with keywords in a YouTube search I immediately found a place for you to go including the name of the forest service road. Between YouTube and satellite views on the mapping apps finding sites before you arrive will be a lot easier.

Here is the link to at least one Leadville dispersed area you can easily get your rig into. Following some of the YouTube channels of dispersed campers with larger rigs is a good idea and they won't be pulling snob comments and looks on your setup.

By the way it was nice meeting you at the Q pirate camp and I might have a tiny trailer and much prefer small but I have lots of friends in larger RVs.. ..Karin

 

[Carla618]

Now what would be awesome is to get some pointers on potential Forest Roads that I should look down in the Leadville area... any ideas?

This person found a beautiful spot (read the comments to find it):



This woman has at least three videos on dispersed camping in (or near) Leadville



Here is one on Weston Pass near Leadville:



This couple does much free camping in Colorado (search their channel for "dispersed"):

 

[RvNaut]

AWESOME... thank you all!

 

[bullfrog]

Many times areas get crowded after videos post but many nearby areas are overlooked, so do some exploring after you get there.

 

[RvNaut]

Weekend #2 was worse... much worse.... and the culprit was once again the ATV crowd.. one person drove up into the middle of about 20 blm campers and proceeded to do 3 donuts sending up a massive cloud of dust that wafted over one poor sots camp...

I am so dissappointed in the lack of common courtesy I see from my fellow humans..

and yes seeking out alternative locations...

cheers..

 

[bullfrog]

Nothing new about people being stupid, I’m surprised you haven’t had to deal with these kind of problems more often to the point you should expect them when around people. Few places are left on public land that are not crowded and plagued with the problem of too many people in my opinion. Look on the bright side, now you have some idea of how a new cowboy on the trail ridding drag felt herding cattle! How about adopting a new knick name like “Dusty” LOL!!! Be sure to wear a bandanna while cleaning your solar panels! Sorry just couldn’t resist!

 

[RvNaut]

I like it!!.. will let that roll around the head a bit... the rig needs a name... lmao.. calling it Dusty would be appropriate...

I very much expect the atv idiocy in Q and Pahrump.. somehow I was thinking NFs wouldn't be as bad...

I do not mind people.. ( ok .. most people) I think the solutiuon is to assign areas for those that wish to vroom vroom and those that wish to not be inundated with the noise pollution..

 

[bullfrog]

Those areas already exist and have proven not large enough as in The California dunes and Moab Utah. Same as trying to limit where and when RVers use generators in primitive areas there is no good solution except to stay away from those areas or join in! Lol!!!

 

[maki2]

You have to move every couple of weeks anyway. When the going gets tough just get going...

 

[Todd]

We're camped south of Leadville at the foot of Mt. Antero. Plenty of open spots here - dozens. We moved here after 2 weeks at BLM east of Mt. Shavano. Lots of spots there, too. A few weekenders show up, but no noisy ATVs and I barely hear generators. Buena Vista and Salida are easy access to all shopping needs. Come on down!

 

[AmargosaWayne]

NF and BLM areas close to even small cities can be crowded in spots where they congregate on holidays and weekends, and with the Great Resignation, many more people are having seven day weekends. These are areas where you might see RVs with no one around durng the week, it's their weekend place.

From their POV you are in their space. Ain't Right, but you can't fix it, nor can you fight it.

PUGSE - "Pick Up and Go Somewhere Else", and mark the area with DNR, "Do Not Return".

 

[RvNaut]

south of Leadville at the foot of Mt. Antero.

Got a NF road number? Would me beast of a class A make it there? What is your elevation?.. THANX

 

[RvNaut]

You have to move every couple of weeks anyway.

Sometime.. if anyone is paying attention.. which they do not... for the most part.

 

[Bkwithlove]

We're camped south of Leadville at the foot of Mt. Antero. Plenty of open spots here - dozens. We moved here after 2 weeks at BLM east of Mt. Shavano. Lots of spots there, too. A few weekenders show up, but no noisy ATVs and I barely hear generators. Buena Vista and Salida are easy access to all shopping needs. Come on down!

Hey Todd- any chance you could say if there was any/strength of Verizon signal in those areas you stayed? Long shot but thought I’d ask!

 

[Todd]

Got a NF road number? Would me beast of a class A make it there? What is your elevation?.. THANX

Off US 285, take Chaffee County road 270. It'll become NF 272, which splits several times. I believe 272 and 274 have class A spots. On the way in, there is an information post to park if you want to look around before committing. Elevation 8000.

 

[Todd]

Hey Todd- any chance you could say if there was any/strength of Verizon signal in those areas you stayed? Long shot but thought I’d ask!

Verizon is at least 1 bar, sometimes 2 at both locations (Shavano and Antero).

 

[user 16179]

Weekend #2 was worse... much worse.... and the culprit was once again the ATV crowd.. one person drove up into the middle of about 20 blm campers and proceeded to do 3 donuts sending up a massive cloud of dust that wafted over one poor sots camp...

I am so dissappointed in the lack of common courtesy I see from my fellow humans..

and yes seeking out alternative locations...

cheers..

Only one person? You're lucky. A lot of times those bastards run in packs. A few things you can do are to find a spot away from the road, the dust they create as they fly by doesn't travel too awful far. The most effective thing I have found is to park on a short dead end road. They can't get up too much speed and what's the fun in that.

You will find that the trashiest areas are fairly close to metro areas and attract the OHV and shooter crowds. The shooters leave their brass, plastic shells and targets....the ohv crowd leave everything close to trash.

 

[RvNaut]

Off US 285, take Chaffee County road 270. It'll become NF 272, which splits several times. I believe 272 and 274 have class A spots. On the way in, there is an information post to park if you want to look around before committing. Elevation 8000.

Thank you... !!

 

[frater secessus]

Now what would be awesome is to get some pointers on potential Forest Roads that I should look down in the Leadville area... any ideas?

Google maps with the sat view turned on can be helpful here. Sometimes the bird will catch other Class A in a spot so you know you could fit.

When I was in Leadville last the Class A tended to congregate nearest the gravel roads (camping area entrances) and the smaller rigs went further into the boonies.