Easy, Kid Friendly Backpacking Trips near Denver
If you are itching to bring your kids on a backpacking trip, but don’t want to commit to long mile days or sketchy terrain, then this list of Kid Friendly Hike-In Campsites near Denver will be perfect for you!
Backpacking does not have to be miles and miles into the backcountry in order to “count”! Get out on the trails with your kids and make those memories, wherever your starting point is! Just be sure that you are adhering to Leave No Trace:
- Plan & Prepare
- Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Others
Sawmill Campground at White Ranch
Sawmill Campground is a great option for a first backpacking trip with kids! The campground is just outside of Golden and only about 1.1 miles from the parking lot along a well maintained trail and service road. You could bike in, hike in, or even pull an all terrain wagon up to the campground, if you wanted to.
There are tons of amenities, which is one thing that makes this trail a great beginner option! There are pit toilets at the campground and they happen to have been some of the cleanest pit toilets I have seen in the state of Colorado! There are also tent pads, picnic tables, bear boxes for food storage, and trash cans! There is no water source, sadly, so the extra weight you save not having to bring a bear canister or pack out your own trash will be spent on carrying extra water.
There are 10 campsites, all fairly well spaced out. Campsites 11-14 are East facing, and you can see the lights from the Denver Metro area all night long, as well as the sun when it first rises. This is a beautiful site to see, but it did make it super bright for us all night long and then heated up the tent by 5:30am when we camped at site #12.
More information on this campground and to make a reservation, check out Jeffco.us.
Goose Creek Trail in Lost Creek Wilderness
One of the true primitive backcountry areas on the list, Goose Creek is often recommended for beginner backpackers or families looking to get out with young kids - and for good reason!
It is beautiful and remote, but a fairly easy hike to some breathtaking campsites. The trail is roughly 12 miles out and back, with camping opportunities as soon as 1 mile in, so a great pick-your-own-adventure option with determining how far you want to get out. There are self-issues permits at the trailhead, so no need to make reservations or plan in advance, but get there early! It is a popular destination so parking fills up quickly, and you will have more of a chance to get a spot closer in on the trail. Each time we have been to this location we have seen tons of other families with young kids to preteens.
There are absolutely no amenities out here, and no designated camping spots so you must adhere to the wilderness guidelines when setting up camp. Be sure that your campsite is 100 feet from any water source AND 100 feet from the trail. Campfires are permitted, so long as there is not a fire ban in the area, but you should be sure to drown them out completely with water from the creek until it is cool to the touch. Or consider skipping the campfire altogether!
Check out current trail conditions and more information on Alltrails.
Frazer Meadow in Golden Gate State Park
The primitive, backcountry camping sites in Golden Gate State Park have several routes to choose from in order to get to Frazer Meadow, so you can sort of build-your-own-adventure depending on how easy or difficult you’d like to make the hike in. The campsites are designated sites with permits and reservations required and there is only an early season stream as a water source. If you are going after June, I would recommend bringing in all of your water that you will need. There are, however, tent pads and bear boxes for you to utilize at the campsites, which is nice!
We hiked along the Frazer Meadow via Horseshoe and Mule Deer Loop, which was 4 miles round trip (just under 2 miles to the campsite) and nearly 1,000 ft of elevation. This would be one of the more challenging routes to Frazer Meadow due to the elevation gain, however choosing a more gradual route like Frazer Meadow via Mule Deer Trail with only 633 ft of gain, might be an easier option.
Golden Gate State Park is about an hour-an hour and a half outside of Denver and known for its gorgeous Aspen groves and common wildlife sightings.
Make reservations and check out more information at cpw.state.co.us.
Idylease Campground in Reynolds Park
Similar to Sawmill Campground, this easy hike-in campground is also managed by Jeffco Open Space and has tons of amenities! Pit toilets, trash cans, tent pads and bear boxes at the campground make for an easy overnight experience with young kiddos.
This campground is only about 0.5 miles from the parking lot, making this option a very low commitment and low barrier to entry to getting out on an overnight backpacking trip with kids.
There is no water source at the campground, although there is a year-round creek by the parking lot, so you should still be carrying in all the water your family will need.
Make reservations and check out more information at Jeffco.us.
Horsetooth Mountain Open Space Backcountry Sites
Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space is managed by Larmier County and has 3 backcountry sites to chose from. They are $25 per night, tent only campsites that are anywhere from around 1.5 to 2 miles in, making it a great close to town option for overnights with littles. There is not a water source present at any point in the year, so you should be packing in all of the water your family will need.
There are no amenities at these backcountry sites aside from a picnic table. There are flat spots for a tent, but no tent pad, trash cans or bathrooms so please remember to follow Leave No Trace and pack out all trash and waste.
Reservations can be made at LarimerCamping.com
Lost Lake via Hessie Trail
This is a very popular day hike - and for good reason! It is close to Boulder and also borders Indian Peaks Wilderness, which is known for its gorgeous peaks and beautiful backpacking trails. The hike up to Lost Lake is ~2 miles one way with about 830 ft of elevation gain. The terrain is moderate with the incline and loose rocks along the way, but totally doable for little legs or ride-alongs in the carrier.
The campsites are all First Come First Serve and are designated sites around the outside of the alpine lake. There are no amenities at these backcountry campsites, so you are on your own. With this being so close to town and a very popular destination, there has been an increase in the amount of trash left behind and human waste not properly buried. Let’s do our part so our kiddos can benefit from these spaces for many years to come!
Check out current trail conditions for Lost Lake on AllTrails.
