Camping Safety in Colorado

Colorado camping is mostly low risk when you plan for the conditions. The state's mountains create their own weather, its campgrounds sit at elevations that affect visitors from sea level, and its backcountry is big enough to get lost in. This guide gathers the official guidance that matters most, from the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, into a practical checklist.

Lightning: the number one summer hazard

Colorado sees frequent summer lightning, and the National Weather Service notes that most of the state's lightning deaths and injuries happen in the afternoon, when storms form and people are outside. In the mountains, storms typically develop by early afternoon, which is why the NWS advises hiking early and being down from high terrain by around noon.

• The ruleWhen thunder roars, go indoors, and stay there until 30 minutes after the last thunder.
• RangeLightning can strike more than 10 miles from the rain, roughly as far as you can hear thunder.
• Not shelterTents, picnic shelters, porches and trees do not protect you.
• Real shelterA substantial building or a hard-topped metal vehicle with the windows closed.

If you are caught out

1. Get off high ground. Above treeline, head quickly to lower terrain below timberline, using a ravine or valley if possible.
2. Avoid the worst spots. Stay away from isolated trees, summits, ridges, metal objects and open water.
3. Spread out. Groups should separate so one strike does not injure everyone.
4. Insulate if you must stop. The NWS suggests crouching with feet together, ideally on a foam pad or your pack, as a last resort.

When choosing a campsite in summer, pick a spot below treeline among trees of similar height, away from the tallest trees and exposed ridges. Carrying a NOAA weather radio or checking the forecast before you lose service helps you plan around storms.

Altitude

Many Colorado campgrounds sit between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, and some trailheads are higher still. Visitors who arrive from low elevation and drive straight to a high camp often feel the effects on the first night.

Recognize it

The CDC describes acute mountain sickness as headache plus at least one other symptom such as fatigue, dizziness, nausea or loss of appetite, feeling a lot like a hangover. It often starts two to twelve hours after arrival, frequently during or after the first night.

Prevent it

• Ascend gradually. The CDC calls slow ascent the preferred way to avoid altitude sickness. A first night in Denver or another mid-elevation town before a high camp helps.
• Take day trips higher and sleep lower when you can.
• Drink fluids, eat regularly and go easy on alcohol at first.
• Ask a doctor about preventive medication if you have had altitude illness before or are going very high.

Act on it

Mild symptoms usually improve with rest at the same elevation. Symptoms that get worse, confusion, loss of coordination or breathlessness at rest are emergencies: descend immediately and get medical help.

Drinking water

Clear mountain streams can carry Giardia, Cryptosporidium, bacteria and viruses. Treat every natural water source.

At developed campgrounds, use the potable water spigots when they are on, and bring your own supply early and late in the season when systems may be shut off.

Cold nights and hypothermia

A warm afternoon can turn into a near-freezing night in the mountains, even in July. Wet clothing after an afternoon storm makes it worse. Pack a sleeping bag rated well below the expected low, an insulated sleeping pad, a warm hat and dry base layers for sleeping. Shivering, clumsiness and confusion are warning signs of hypothermia: get the person into dry clothes, into a sleeping bag and out of the wind, and give warm, sweet drinks if they are alert.

Flash floods and high water

Thunderstorms can send water down creeks and dry washes with little warning, sometimes from rain falling miles away. Never camp in a dry wash or on a low gravel bar, and in spring choose sites well above rivers swollen with snowmelt. Do not try to cross fast, deep streams; cold water and strong currents can knock you down quickly.

Sun and dry air

UV exposure increases with elevation, and the dry air dehydrates you faster than you notice. Use sunscreen and sunglasses, wear a hat, and drink steadily throughout the day.

Navigation and getting help

1. Leave a trip plan with someone at home: where you are going, your vehicle, and when to call for help.
2. Download maps before you lose service, and carry a paper map and compass for longer trips.
3. Carry a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon for remote trips; cell coverage disappears quickly in the mountains.
4. Call 911 in an emergency. County sheriffs coordinate search and rescue in Colorado. If a call will not connect, try sending a text.
5. Know your exit. Note the nearest town and route out, especially if smoke, storms or flooding develop.

Frequently asked questions

Checked against official agency sources in October 2026. Fees, reservation windows, fire orders and closures change often; the agency pages linked above are always the final word. See how we research.