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Hard to BookNational Forest

Burning Bear Campground

Pike and San Isabel National Forests, PSICC, Colorado

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As of October 2026, Burning Bear Campground is a campground in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Colorado with 7 campsites. Burning Bear Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

  • PermitSnag checks Burning Bear Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
  • Burning Bear Campground is located at 39.5139° N, 105.7100° W.
people allowed on each site
8

Burning Bear Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Stay and booking rules

  • Taxes apply
  • Maximum consecutive stay: 14 consecutive days

Published by Recreation.gov for Burning Bear Campground, read on September 30, 2026.

Campsites at Burning Bear Campground

  • Standard 7

What an RV fits

  • 24 ft1 site
  • 28 ft1 site
  • 30 ft3 sites
  • 40 ft1 site
  • 44 ft1 site

Amenities

  • restrooms
  • potable water

At a glance: Setting: Mountain · Access: Dirt road.

Things to do: hiking, wildlife, photography, stargazing.

All sites at Burning Bear Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

Every site is in the Loop 1 loop.

SiteTypeSleepsMax RV
03Standard828 ft
04Standard830 ft
05Standard824 ft
06Standard830 ft
07Standard830 ft
08Standard844 ft
09Standard840 ft

About Burning Bear Campground

Overview

Located on the Pike and San Isabel National Forest at an elevation of 9,813 feet, Burning Bear Campground offers cooler temperatures during the hot Colorado summer months. Along the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway, this campground is near prime spots for wildlife viewing, scenic driving, landscape photography, hiking and roads open to off-highway vehicles.

Recreation

Numerous hiking trail opportunities are available along Geneva Road. Mount Evans Wilderness is directly behind the campground allowing for access to the Abyss Trail (sometimes referred to as the Scott Gomer Trail).

Although Mount Evans Wilderness is closed to mountain biking, Burning Bear Trail across the road from the campground is a wonderful trail for mountain biking and hiking alike.

Facilities

Burning Bear Campground has 13 sites to accommodate RV, trailer and tent camping. Drinking water, vault toilets, picnic tables and grills are provided. Parking aprons are dirt and the campground road may be rough.

Natural Features

The campground is nestled in a beautiful valley on the way to Guanella Pass. Although somewhat open, a scattering of ponderosa pines provides some privacy to campers.

Mount Bierstadt (elevation 14,060 feet) is north on the Guanella Pass road – a Scenic and Historic Byway, and one of the most popular scenic drives on the Pike and San Isabel National Forest. The Guanella Pass road is a great place to watch for bighorn sheep, elk, deer, moose, marmot, pika, and bear

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (303) 647-2366.

Nearby Attractions

Mount Bierstadt summit is approximately 7 miles north of the campground and offers amazing views of the valley below.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellations

Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.

A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.

Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.

No-Shows

A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.

No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.

Refunds

Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.

Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.

For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.

In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

Rules and notices at Burning Bear Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 30, 2026. Check Burning Bear Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

Limited water available; no water hookups.... ALERT: a/o 8/3/2026 the hand pump is down and will not be available for the remainder of this season (2026). Please bring all water necessary for your the duration of your stay to include drinking water, dishwashing, personal washing up, putting the campfire out, etc.

Expect rough road conditions and erosion: potholes and wash-boarding

Be bear aware; keep all food out of sight in approved containers or locked inside your vehicle and remove all food from area after eating

Horse corrals near the campground are not for public use

This is a high elevation facility, please use caution when traveling from lower elevations

Facility has first-come, first-serve sites

No fireworks or firearms allowed

Click here for more information on Pike and San Isabel National Forest

Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing organisms by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.

Burning Bear Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Burning Bear Campground?

Burning Bear Campground is rated "Hard to Book" based on historical demand. This campground is popular and often books out weeks in advance. Your best strategy is to monitor cancellations.

How do I find last-minute availability at Burning Bear Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Burning Bear Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Burning Bear Campground have?

Burning Bear Campground has 7 campsites.

More campgrounds in Pike and San Isabel National Forests

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