Autumn car camping in Colorado is a fantastic way to experience vibrant fall foliage. The state's diverse landscapes and tree species offer a stunning array of colors, from golden aspens to crimson maples. Here's a quick and easy guide to help you plan a car camping adventure full of fall foliage!
General Timing/Favorite Locations
Peak Fall Colors are typically from mid-September to mid-October. The exact timing can vary based on elevation and weather conditions.
Remember - the higher up your desired town/elevation, the colder it gets, and faster the leaves change. Just because the leaves aren’t changing in your city, doesn’t mean they aren’t bright and beautiful once you get into the mountains.
- Aspen: Late September to early October
- Estes Park: Late September to early October)
- Telluride (our favorite): Mid to late September
- Breckenridge: Late September to early October
- Crested Butte: Late September to early October
Tips for Car Camping in Autumn
- Weather: Prepare for varying temperatures. Fall can often be unpredictable, with chilly nights and warm days. Bring layers and a good sleeping bag rated for cooler temperatures. We also recommend packing a heavy blanket/duvet somewhere in your car camping set up in case the nights get colder than expected.
- Fire Restrictions: We’ve had an exceptionally dry summer, and many of the mountain towns still have active fire bans.
- Wildlife: Keep food secured and be aware of wildlife activity, animals are preparing for winter and are looking for every last calorie they can get before winter ramps up.
Where to Find Dispersed Car Camping Locations
Check out this article dedicated to the topic! There’s a ton of info, tips, and tricks in there for ya ;)
Car Camping Setup
Car camping is an awesome way to explore the fall foliage, it's even better when you have a comfortable/organized set up!
If you don’t already have an elevated sleeping platform, this should be at the top of your list. An elevated sleeping platform in your vehicle provides extra storage capacity, which is worth its weight in gold when car camping.
There’s a ton of options and specs out there for building your own car camping platform/storage system from scratch, but if you are looking for something that’s lightweight, compact, and ready to go out - take a look at the Hele Box!
The Hele Box is 3 products in 1 (sleeping platform, storage system, camping table) and sets up in under 5 minutes. There’s 2 sizes to choose from (solo & duo), both versions fit in most SUVs/trucks.
You can check if your vehicle is on the fitment list here.
Bring Your Camera!
This one is a given, but often easy to forget when packing your car.
Fall provides an awesome aesthetic to capture stunning pictures of your car camping set up, partner, furry friend, and of course - nature!
If you are getting out there with your Hele Box, make sure to tag us on instagram @heleoutdoor so we can share your car camping setup with our community!
See ya out there!