Bogan Flats Campground and Group

Bogan Flats Campground stretches along the Crystal River in a valley of aspen groves, towering Ponderosa Pine, spruce and willow. The setting is ideal for larger groups seeking recreation and relaxation in White River National Forest. Sites in the campground are widely spaced and offer a nice mixture of open and shaded spots, with several sites at the river's edge; the group site is located away from the main campground, offering a more private location. The Crystal River, a tributary of the Roaring Fork River, is renowned for its fly fishing, and rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout are plentiful in this waterway. A hike up Mt. Sopris offers spectacular panoramic views; this 12,953-foot mountain dominates the surrounding landscape, and the hike is 14.8 miles with a 4,600-foot elevation gain. In summer, wildflowers carpet the trail through aspen groves and mixed conifer forest, climbing up to talus slopes. Other popular activities in the area include jeep tours, biking and historic sightseeing. The group site has no electric hookups and no water; group site users must go to the main Bogan Flats Campground to fill containers. Facilities include hardened parking for approximately 10 campers or RVs depending on size, a gravel area that must also accommodate passenger vehicles, 3 regular fire rings and 1 group size fire ring, 1 pedestal grill, 5 food lockers, 8 picnic tables, a double vault toilet and a horseshoe pit. In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting 8 wilderness areas, 4 defined seasons and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. The Crystal River flows near the campground and drains the Valley of the Coal Miners, a glacial valley that was once a center of coal mining in southwestern Colorado. Wildlife abounds: bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk, scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout, and alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan. The quaint mountain town of Redstone is a hidden gem, located south of Carbondale. In addition to shops, galleries and restaurants, the town boasts a castle that was built by industrialist John Osgood at the turn of the 20th century.