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The best Colorado campground you never saw might be a remote spot on Bureau of Land Management land at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo range near Great Sand Dunes National Park, 35 miles north of the New Mexico border. At least that’s how one might envision the Sacred White Shell Mountain campground after reading about it on a list of 10 best places to camp in the mountain west that was assembled by The Dyrt, a popular camping website and app with millions of visitors annually. Sacred White Shell Mountain rated second on the list, which was derived from users of The Dyrt, and was one of two in Colorado to make the list.

The other was the , which came in at No. 9. There are eight fourteeners near Sacred White Shell Mountain including Blanca Peak, Colorado’s fourth-highest peak at 14,348 feet, the summit of which is about seven miles from the campground.



, 13 miles to the north, has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park by . One user’s review made us want to pack up the camping gear and a telescope. “Stayed here after visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park! Big lot with lots of places to park.

Some mosquitos at dusk but got better at night. Stunning views and amazing sunset. Not to mention that at night you could see every star in the sky.

I stargazed until it was time to go to sleep.” According to : “Nestled up against the side of Blanca Peak, this dispersed camping area is very close to Great Sand Dunes National Park, and only about a five-minute driv.

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