Bootleg
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in Colorado · dark sky in Colorado
Amenities & rules
| Dark sky | 9.9 miles from Browns Canyon National Monument, a certified International Dark Sky Park |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Pike-San Isabel National Forests |
| Rules | The following restrictions apply to this campground: Maximum 8 persons per site: 2 tents and 2 vehicles. No vehicle access. Dogs must be leashed at all times. No discharge of firearms or fireworks. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 38.7155° N, 106.1961° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireWillow
38 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedO'Brien 2 Broadcast Rx
47 mi from the campground · 267 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 9.1 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Colorado Kayak Supply ↗ | 9.5 mi |
| RV sales & service | Holiday RV ↗ | 15.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Bootleg Campground - Toiyabe National Forest, CA
Worth a stop
- 2.1 miChalk Lake Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 8.3 mi
Trails nearby
- 0.5 miNarrow Gauge ↗2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2 miCascade Creek Trail0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.3 miMt. Princeton2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.2 miLittle Browns Creek4.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.5 miWagon Loop1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.5 miBrowns Creek ↗6.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Browns Canyon National Monument begins about 6.3 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 6.3 miBrowns Canyon National Monument ↗National Monument · Bureau of Land Management · 21,709 acres
- 14.9 miCollegiate Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 165,874 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Gas Creek SchoolBuilding · Nathrop · 5.9 mi
- Maxwell Park SchoolBuilding · Buena Vista · 6.2 mi
- Bridge over Arkansas RiverStructure · Buena Vista · 8.4 mi
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Bootleg?
No. Bootleg is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
Is Bootleg open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
Is Bootleg good for stargazing?
Browns Canyon National Monument, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 9.9 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.
Source: DarkSky International
What if Bootleg is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Mount Princeton (1.4 mi, partly first-come), Chalk Lake (2 mi, partly first-come), and Cascade (Colorado) (2.6 mi, partly first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby