Dispersed camping · Colorado
What the White River National Forest actually allows for dispersed camping — how far off a road you may drive, which roads that applies to, and the closure orders that override it. Every figure below is sourced; the primary documents are linked at the bottom.
| Rule | This forest | |
|---|---|---|
| How far off the road you may drive | 300 ft | from the road centerline |
| Where that applies | Along any designated open road | |
| Distance to keep from water | 100 ft | guidance |
| Stay limit | 14 days | per the forest order |
The corridor applies to the whole designated road system, minus the exceptions the MVUM prints. This is the most permissive pattern.
Blanket rule: 'Motor vehicle use off of designated roads and trails for the purpose of dispersed camping is permitted for up to 300 feet from the centerline of the road or trail (both sides of the road or trail), where not specifically prohibited, unsafe, or causing resource damage' (official WRNF MVUM legend, verified from a mirrored copy of an older edition; current 2026 MVUM PDFs are image-only). Corroborated by the current official camping page: site must be 'no more than 300' from the centerline of the road.' The legend also has a dot symbol for route-specific corridors keyed to a Dispersed Camping Table. Locally overridden by designated-sites-only orders (Homestake/Piney roads, Maroon Valley, parts of Aspen RD).
Dot symbol along a designated road/trail = limited cross-country motor vehicle use within a specific distance of that route solely for dispersed camping (see Dispersed Camping Table); a separate Seasonal and Special Designation Table covers seasonal dates.
Order WRNF 2022-06 (eff. 2022-04-07 to 2028-12-31, Eagle-Holy Cross & Dillon RDs): within 300 ft of listed NFSRs in Eagle and Summit Counties, camping limited to 7 days per 30 within a 20-mile radius, May 21/Jun 21-Sep 1, incl. NFSR 701 Piney designated sites. Homestake Valley: since 2024-08-12, camping along Homestake (NFSR 703) and Missouri (NFSR 704) roads limited to 48 numbered designated dispersed sites, 7-day limit, metal fire rings only. Order WRNF-2022-03 (to 2027-11-15): Maroon Bells Scenic Area/Maroon Valley camping prohibited outside developed sites. Order 2025-07 (2025-09-01 to 2028-12-31): camping prohibited in Described Areas of Aspen RD.
Stay limit is an enforceable order verified verbatim (WRNF 2024-01, in effect 2024-01-01 to 2027-12-31): 'Camping within the White River National Forest for more than 14-days with in any continuous 30-day period is prohibited; this begins on the first day of occupancy' — forest-wide; the order text contains NO 20-mile relocation radius (that figure appears only on the forest's camping webpage). Water setback: official camping page says choose a site 'at least 100' from any body of water' — guidance phrasing; no forest-wide enforceable water-setback order found. Corridor caveat: 2026 MVUMs have no extractable text; legend quoted from a mirrored older official WRNF MVUM and consistent with the current camping page.
Open the map for Colorado — forest roads, boundaries and closures are on the map; scored campsite locations are built for Wyoming and Idaho so far.
Confidence in this summary: high. Forest orders change mid-season and districts differ — this is a research summary, not legal advice. Check the sources above before you drive out.