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© Copyright 2008, Mountain Kids
Magazine, LLC

Summer 2008
Gunnison/Crested Butte Colorado Family
Activity Guide

Features

Camping—Gunnison Country Style
by Tricia Kubisiak



If you’re a local resident or a visiting tourist, camping is a fun-filled adventure for the entire family. You don’t have to drive far to find a great camping site. Whether you’ve got an RV or you’re pitching tent, there’s a place for you. Boat camping is also very popular at Blue Mesa Reservoir. Kids love camping, even teenagers!

We love the smell of breakfast cooking in the cool mornings, the sounds of the zippered windows and doors opening and closing, the day filled with activities, and the settling down period around the campfire at night.

Tent campers will need: a tent, sleeping bags, pillows, cooking stove and utensils, layered clothing for temperature changes, rain gear, firewood, trash bags, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen. You must bring your own “light” as well such as a propane lantern, flashlights, and headlamps. Plan your menu and pack food accordingly. You can camp close, but still seem so far away. If you forget something, you can purchase it nearby or even go home and get it!

Inflatable mattresses are excellent for putting under sleeping bags, and there are many types of pads and cots to make sleeping more comfortable. Most sites have picnic tables, but no chairs, so bring some portable chairs.

You can get pretty extravagant with camping equipment, but have just as much fun with the basics. Binoculars and butterfly nets are a must have! Fishing equipment, hiking accessories, swimsuits, canoes, and equipment needed for recreational fun should be packed as well, depending upon what your daytime activity plans are.

Sometimes the rules of a campground seem overwhelming, but they’re good rules and they’re reasonable. For example: “Don’t feed wildlife”. Human food is bad for wildlife and can make them sick or even kill them. Their temperament can change so they’re not afraid of humans, and they can become aggressive, endanger campers, and eventually be destroyed by officials.

Some campgrounds provide a tent pad. They’re great because they’re level and free of tree roots and rocks. They minimize environmental impact as well, so please use them.

Campground fires are strictly regulated. Please be aware of fire restrictions in your area. Read the posted rules and abide by them; You’ll still have a blast while not imposing on the environment, nearby campers, and wildlife.

Suggested camping areas around Gunnison and Crested Butte:

Lost Lake – our favorite. It’s about 45 minutes from Crested Butte, and has abundant wildflowers, many recreational opportunities, and incredible views of East Beckwith Mountain. Camp sites are well spaced and very private. Be sure to hike the 2 mile loop on Three Lakes Trail. You’ll pass two lakes, a waterfall, and some interesting rock formations. There are only 11 sites, and it fills every weekend during the summer. You can not make reservations here, so get there early for the weekend, or try a weekday.

From Crested Butte, take Whiterock Ave. west to Co. Rd. 12. Travel over the top of Kebler Pass and continue for approximately 16 miles. Turn Left onto FR706, and drive for 2.3 miles to the campground.

Mosca – Situated on the shore of the 86 acre Spring Creek Reservoir, this campground has extraordinary views. At 10,000 ft. elevation, the nights can be cool, so be prepared. There are picnic tables, water faucets, fire grates, vault toilets, and firewood for sale. Even with these amenities, you are truly getting away from it all. You can not make reservations here, and the weekends fill up during the busy summer weeks. Anglers can find trout in the lake and in the stream, motorless boats are welcome on the lake, and there is good mountain biking in the area. Jeeping and riding on ATVs are a popular pastime in this area. From Gunnison, take Hwy 135 North for 10 miles to Almont. Turn right on FR742 through Taylor Canyon. Approximately 7 miles up the road, turn left on FR744. Drive 12 miles, (10 miles are dirt) to the entrance of the campground on your right.

There are so many places to camp and so many ways to do it, whether you’re in a tent, a pop-up, an RV, or a boat. For more suggestions on camping, visit www.nps.gov/cure

On the home page, click the word Gunnison on the Colorado Field Office map. Then click on Recreation Information. Under Camping, click on campgrounds map, and campgrounds information table to find detailed information of elevation and amenities. Another good online resource is provided by the US Forest Service at www.fs.fed.us. On the home page, search By State and choose Colorado.

Click on Gunnison National Forest. Scroll down and on the lower right hand side under Links, click on Recreational Facility Analysis Information. Under Recreation, click on Campgrounds. Click on Gunnison on the map. A detailed list of US Forest Service campgrounds will appear. An excellent book to use as a camping resource is “Colorado Campgrounds, 100 Best and all the Rest” by Gil Folsom.

Be prepared. Leave no trace. And have an experience your children will remember well into their adulthood!

Camping with the Kids
Give each child their own disposable camera. They can take pictures and make a scrapbook of the experience when they get home.

Bring board games to play in the tent/camper in case of bad weather.

Get some fun flashlights for the kids. Some flashlights have different lenses that make shadow pictures, such as a picture of a dolphin, on the walls.

Have the kids gather their own sticks for melting marshmallows for their smores. They can also help gather firewood and participate in other camping chores.

In case the nights are cool, bring warm hats for them to wear while sleeping.