Difficult Campground

If the campgrounds around the Maroon Bells are full, and they likely are, this is the next closest thing. Sites are larger and more spread out so you'll have a little more privacy.

My wife and I stayed here in early-June, 2015. I'll have to admit, I was skeptical of staying in a campground with 47 sites; I thought it would be crowded and noisy, but was pleasantly surprised by how much privacy we really had. We stayed in Site #6, and while we definitely didn't feel isolated, we didn't feel crowded, either.

The location is perfect for quick trips into Aspen, but gets you far enough out of the city that it feels wilderness-ish. The campground is surrounded by huge aspen and pine trees, and is far enough away from the road that you don't hear much highway noise. Restrooms are clean and well-maintained.

Rain and snow kept us from doing any hiking, but the drive over Independence Pass is beautiful.