Buena Vista/Chafee County Colorado Dispersed Camping

Envision Chafee is the public lands community organization that has spearheaded recent dispersed camping changes.

This isn’t my area in Colorado, but I have heard them speak to my SW Colorado County Commissioners, before Covid. They are well organized, and presumably, well funded.

I am too infrequent of a visitor to the area to evaluate, but if you are a regular getting on their email list would be a good idea.

They have a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 30.

https://envisionchaffeecounty.org/

DLTooley said:

Envision Chafee is the public lands community organization that has spearheaded recent dispersed camping changes.

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Which appears to be... basically getting rid of dispersed camping by requiring designated sites?

https://envisionchaffeecounty.org/blm-begins-to-designate-dispersed-camping-in-chaffee-county/

That does seem to be the gist of it, but how it is actually working I don’t know.

The transition from dispersed to designated dispersed is necessary in busy areas, but it’s always seemed a little bit over restrictive.

Dispersed camping used to mean that an area was open... camp where you like. Typically this was anywhere on NF or BLM that wasn't wilderness or a developed site.

"Designated dispersed" with defined sites is an oxymoron. Maybe it is still free? Maybe you don't have to register for a site? I've camped in places like that before and they were still called campgrounds.

They have to do something about the trashed homeless camps in the woods, though...

Symptoms of the real problems that need to be dealt with.

rruff said:

Dispersed camping used to mean that an area was open... camp where you like. Typically this was anywhere on NF or BLM that wasn't wilderness or a developed site.

"Designated dispersed" with defined sites is an oxymoron. Maybe it is still free? Maybe you don't have to register for a site? I've camped in places like that before and they were still called campgrounds.

They have to do something about the trashed homeless camps in the woods, though...

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If I had to guest I'd say it's areas were you can camp as opposed to actual parking spaces called campsites...

Frood said:

If I had to guest I'd say it's areas were you can camp as opposed to actual parking spaces called campsites...

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Click on the link, these are specified campsites with markers and numbers. They are free and first come first served with 14 day limits... but you cannot camp just anywhere in the area. I don't know if you need approval or if they keep a record of who is in the spots. Possibly their main goal is restricting the numbers. and how close they are.

rruff said:

Click on the link, these are specified campsites with markers and numbers. They are free and first come first served with 14 day limits... but you cannot camp just anywhere in the area. I don't know if you need approval or if they keep a record of who is in the spots. Possibly their main goal is restricting the numbers. and how close they are.

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That's not idea. Sucks that the community felt this needed to be implemented, sucks for nomads that there will be fewer opportunities for boon docking

rruff said:

Dispersed camping used to mean that an area was open... camp where you like. Typically this was anywhere on NF or BLM that wasn't wilderness or a developed site.

"Designated dispersed" with defined sites is an oxymoron. Maybe it is still free? Maybe you don't have to register for a site? I've camped in places like that before and they were still called campgrounds.

They have to do something about the trashed homeless camps in the woods, though...

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My most popular spot on FreeCampsites is some BLM land very near the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park. It has gone designated dispersed. I don’t agree with everything they’ve done, but something needed to happen.

Designated dispersed is still free, it just stops new camps being created and overcrowding. Likely that one will eventually become paid.

Shutting down camps is a neighbor thing, and big in Colorado. I hope these folks, and the USFS district, are more reasonable.

Frood said:

That's not idea. Sucks that the community felt this needed to be implemented, sucks for nomads that there will be fewer opportunities for boon docking

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Yeah, and we need to be listened to more, and help to solve the problems.

There are plenty more spots, not an issue in my life span. We can help make sure camps have a good vibe.

I've been traveling for 2 weeks now staying in St. George & Hurricane Utah, Moab, Fruita, Cortez and now in Flagstaff. Headed to Sedona & Prescott AZ by the weekend. The trip is mainly MTB riding and I like to stay in BLM/dispersed areas, for free if possible but that not a show stopper. I personally don't like packed in campgrounds, just not my thing..
Been taking these trips and something had to be done but some people just plain suck! When camping out in the wild, you had to pack EVERYTHING out including #2. I stayed in one area that had piles & piles of poop, not even buried all over the place. Sedona Van lifers & homeless has closed most all the areas down and the couple of spots left is like sleeping in a Walmart parking lot. Oh yeah, that's also pretty much gone too but the one in Cortez still allows it for 1 night .
The area by JEM trail system near St. George has campsites that are marked and free and other "site" that people made are marked closed. It was out of hand for sure. There is 1 vault toilet but most camper W/O a toilet don't use it and just go outside. You have free space that is more than enough there and it works. In Moab last week, I spent $10 for a BLM campground which had sites marked and 1st come which was a bt close for me by the trails were right there so i did it without issue. Same type of camp ground in Cedar City UT. I do have to say, the bugs/flys/bees are much less and there's not trash, spent rounds, beer cans and old chairs all over the place either.
We, the people, caused this and it had to happen. The homeless encampments near Flagstaff are out of control like many areas and we don't always feel safe or want to stay around that.

Dirtrider said:

The homeless encampments near Flagstaff are out of control...

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It is sad. If you were paying rent or a mortgage and working in Flagstaff, would you want the surrounding forest to be like that? No one has the right to trash a place or make a nuisance of themselves. I'm not even a little surprised that they are cracking down on these camps.

DLTooley said:

Yeah, and we need to be listened to more, and help to solve the problems.

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Who is talking and what are they saying? I don't think I have a problem with restricting camping near towns...

rruff said:

Click on the link, these are specified campsites with markers and numbers. They are free and first come first served with 14 day limits... but you cannot camp just anywhere in the area. I don't know if you need approval or if they keep a record of who is in the spots. Possibly their main goal is restricting the numbers. and how close they are.

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They do this on NF land just south of Prescott (or maybe it's Flagstaff?) where the city limits are right up against the NF boundaries. It is definitely necessary there, it can be a real zoo on weekends. Dunno the Colorado area in question, whether they are actually trying to protect the resource or whether it is just another way to discourage van life.

DLTooley said:

There are plenty more spots, not an issue in my life span. We can help make sure camps have a good vibe.

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Sadly, for as many nice things people do, it's always people who make things horrible in the first place too...

I agree with your sentiment though. What we take away from interactions is what we bring into them more or less.

jacqueg said:

Dunno the Colorado area in question whether they are actually trying to protect the resource or whether it is just another way to discourage van life.

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It's right on the road between Cortez and Durango and next to a national park... so I can imagine it being popular.

I stayed over for the night near Lake Havasu and tried Craggy Wash which got pretty good reviews... man what a mess of humanity. Crowded, trash, stink, dust... but a beautiful place without the people.

When van life turns into homeless camps, then some discouragement is necessary...

I am not doubting people’s words about conditions they personally saw in Flagstaff. But I am saying that so far in the 2024 camping season in the Flagstaff area I have not experienced homeless encampments or danger or trashed out stuff in that area. But I also do not go roaming around in the town other than to do shopping errands and those are all tend to be near the major shopping and business routes in the town. I also do not do urban camping in Flagstaff.

maki2 said:

I am not doubting people’s words about conditions they personally saw in Flagstaff. But I am saying that so far in the 2024 camping season in the Flagstaff area I have not experienced homeless encampments or danger or trashed out stuff in that area. But I also do not go roaming around in the town other than to do shopping errands and those are all tend to be near the major shopping and business routes in the town. I also do not do urban camping in Flagstaff.

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I stayed there last night off wing mountain rd, just north of Snowbowl. It was the best I've seen it but there is still a couple of folks leaving out there. The road is now being used for logging so maybe that's why they moved/were moved out.

Tried to stay near Sedona and that place is a mess in the 2 sites available so I kept rolling to Thumb Butte in Preskitt AZ. Spoke a bit to the ranger and he stated they have been keeping a closer eye out here and it's slowed down after the holiday.