Tunnel Campground
This campground is located along the Laramie River Road (County Road 103) near the confluence of the West Branch Laramie River and the Laramie River. It is situated in a mature lodgepole pine forest where the mountain pine beetle has been very active. As a result, many dead trees have been cut to provide for visitor safety. Although somewhat less shady than in years past, the facility still provides for a pleasant camping experience. Each of the 49 sites has a picnic table, fire grate and tent pad. All campsites with a tent pad have a bear locker. Popular activities include stream fishing, hiking in the Rawah Wilderness and wildlife viewing.
More like this: first-come in Colorado
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Fees | Check our campground table for fee information. Fees are discounted 25% when water is off. Interagency Senior, Interagency Access, Golden Age and Golden Access passes provide cardholders half price for basic campground fees. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG |
| Fees | Check our campground table for fee information. Fees are discounted 25% when water is off. Interagency Senior, Interagency Access, Golden Age and Golden Access passes provide cardholders half price for basic campground fees. |
| Rules | A single site may hold up to eight people. Tents must fit on the pads provided. RVs, trailers or other vehicles must fit on the parking spur because driving or parking off road is not permitted. The parking length ranges from 25 to 70 feet. |
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG recreation page ↗
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 40.6727° N, 105.8556° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSalt Cabin Broadcast Rx
17 mi from the campground
- PrescribedMountain Campus Du Rx
21 mi from the campground
- PrescribedBoswell Machine Piles Rx
27 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 22.5 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Kirks Mountain Adventures ↗ | 27 mi |
| RV sales & service | Manhattan RV & Trailer ↗ | 45.1 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 0.3 miFreewater Bridge Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 5.3 mi
- 5.4 mi
- 6.3 mi
- 12.2 miLong Draw #3 Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
Trails nearby
- 0.4 miWest Branch ↗6.8 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2 miCamp Lake ↗5.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.7 miRawah ↗13.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.8 miCamp Lake Loop2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.6 miUpper Camp Lake1 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.7 miBig South ↗10.8 mi trail · hiking, horse
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Rawah Wilderness begins about 0.8 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 0.8 miRawah Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 74,408 acres
- 5.8 miComanche Peak Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 68,025 acres
- 8.2 miNeota Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 9,927 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Arrowhead LodgeHistoric district · Bellvue · 11.7 mi
- Lake Agnes CabinBuilding · Gould · 12.9 mi
- Colorado State Forest Building ComplexHistoric district · Gould · 13.1 mi
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Tunnel Campground?
No. Tunnel Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Tunnel Campground?
Check our campground table for fee information. Fees are discounted 25% when water is off. Interagency Senior, Interagency Access, Golden Age and Golden Access passes provide cardholders half price for basic campground fees.
Source: Forest Service
Is Tunnel Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Tunnel Campground have?
49 sites.
Source: Forest Service
What if Tunnel Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Big South Campground (3.7 mi, first-come), Aspen Glen Campground (4.2 mi, first-come), and Sleeping Elephant Campground (4.4 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby