Difficult Campground
DIFFICULT CAMPGROUND
DIFFICULT CAMPGROUND
DIFFICULT CAMPGROUND

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly Pet Friendly
Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Fire Pit Fire Pit

About Difficult Campground

Located 5 mi southeast of Aspen, Colorado, Difficult Campground sits on the banks of the Roaring Fork River on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies. Campsites are nestled in a mixed forest of aspen, cottonwood, pine, fir, scrub oak, and spruce, and several are at the river's edge, offering an ideal setting for guests seeking recreation and relaxation.

Available sites

47 total sites

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Hiking

Hiking

Year-round

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly Pet friendly
Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
River Access River Access
Fire Pit Fire Pit
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
  • Restrooms
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • Grill
  • Fire Pit
  • Campfire Ring
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see availability.

47 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 001, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 001, Loop: GRP RV
Pet Friendly · Gravel
🚐 002, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 50 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 003, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 36 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 004, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 47 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 005, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 44 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 006, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 11 ft · Gravel
🚐 007, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 30 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 008, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 009, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 42 × 10 ft · Gravel
🚐 010, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 011, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 012, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 013, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 40 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 014, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 50 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 015, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 39 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 016, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 39 × 16 ft · Gravel
🚐 017, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 36 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 018, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 10 ft · Gravel
🚐 019, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 50 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 020, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 30 × 11 ft · Gravel
🚐 021, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 52 × 16 ft · Gravel
🚐 022, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 48 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 023, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 64 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 024, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 42 × 18 ft · Gravel
🚐 025, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 30 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 026, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 35 × 28 ft · Gravel
🚐 027, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 42 × 10 ft · Gravel
🚐 028, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 42 × 10 ft · Gravel
🚐 029, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 18 ft · Gravel
🚐 030, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 30 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 031, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 50 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 032, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 30 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 033, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 18 ft · Gravel
🚐 034, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 28 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 035, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 036, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 36 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 038, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 40 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 039, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 35 × 15 ft · Gravel
🚐 040, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 13 ft · Gravel
🚐 041, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 40 × 12 ft · Gravel
🚐 042, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 16 ft · Gravel
🚐 043, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 40 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 044, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 42 × 16 ft · Gravel
🚐 045, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 11 ft · Gravel
🚐 046, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 45 × 14 ft · Gravel
🚐 047, Loop: DIFF RV
Pet Friendly · 42 × 12 ft · Gravel

Reviews

566 reviews

Summary

AI generated

Difficult Campground is a beautiful and well-maintained site with clean facilities and a peaceful natural setting, making it an excellent choice for camping near Aspen. Many visitors appreciated the spacious and private campsites, along with easy access to hiking and biking trails. While the lack of cell service and some issues with camp hosts were noted, the overall experience was highly positive, featuring abundant wildlife sightings and a serene atmosphere.

Based on guest feedback

4.6

Overall rating

Based on 566 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 74.4% (421)
4 stars 15.9% (90)
3 stars 5.5% (31)
2 stars 3.2% (18)
1 star 1.1% (6)

Showing 566 reviews

JIM I

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 015, Loop: DIFF

September 2019: Arrived to catch Peak of Aspen Fall Leaf Change. Very comfortable campground. Extensive Hiking Trails and Beautiful Difficult Creek. No 4G-LTE cell signal. Campsite has Electric. Water stations available in several locations.
Vault toilets thru out campground and very clean facility.
Liked the proximity to Maroon Bells.
Chipmunks 🐿 everywhere. Stayed three nights in our RV. Recommend stopping at High Mountain Pies and Earl’s in Leadville.
Will return soon.

Helpful

Kaci S

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 044, Loop: DIFF

Was disappointed to find out that the campsite we had paid for was apparently booked ahead of time by another party and occupied when we arrived. We were asked to set up camp in the parking lot of the day use area. Poor experience.

Helpful

Kelsey M

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 044, Loop: DIFF

This was great because it was one of the last spots open after the normal summer dates. Perfect for enjoying Aspen and Maroon Bells. A very lovely campground.

Helpful

Jerry W

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 018, Loop: DIFF

sites are separated enough to have some privacy. close proximity to Aspen. beautiful steam close by.

Helpful

Dawn C

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 030, Loop: DIFF

About a 30 min drive from maroon Bells, beautiful leaves in the campground in the fall

Helpful

Tyler B

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 019, Loop: DIFF

The campground was very well kept. No complaints at all.

Helpful

David V

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 028, Loop: DIFF

The campsites separation plus the trees and foliage provide more privacy and less crowded feeling than in many Colorado campgrounds. The campground was well cared and they might have the cleanest and nicest pit toilets I have ever used. There is hiking right out of the campground on a couple mountain trails. Location with proximity to Aspen is pretty cool. 5 minutes out of town provides easy access to the city's amenities. There is also a hike/bike trail that parallels the road into town.

Helpful

laura f

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 026, Loop: DIFF

This campsite was the perfect amount of private and central. Close to the restroom, incredible views and a spectacular hiking trail within reach. Large, good parking, great space We LOVED this campsite.

Helpful

Tamaris C

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 045, Loop: DIFF

Very quiet peacful location just what we like. Unfortunatly the campers in nthe next pitch had a pop out trainler & 3 cars! which they inevitably parked on the roadway making us feel hemmed in.

Helpful

Laura W

Verified

January 17, 2020 Stayed at: 036, Loop: DIFF

It's a location that is greatly convenient to Aspen and to good hiking (e.g. the Difficult Trail, anything on Independence Pass).

Helpful

Location & Directions for Difficult Campground

665 Difficult Campground Rd, Aspen, CO 81611 United States

Elevation: 2,494 ft

Getting There

665 Difficult Campground Rd. Aspen CO 816511

Take Highway 82 for 5 mi southeast of Aspen, Colorado. Look for USFS

Difficult Campground sign on the right, past Mile Marker 45.

Nearest town

Aspen, CO - 5.1 mi

About 14 min to downtown

Highway access

Difficult Campground is accessed via Highway 82, which is approximately 5 miles northwest of Aspen, Colorado.

Policies & Rules

Arrival & departure

Check in time

2PM

Check out time

11AM

General

  • Dogs must be always on leash within the two sites and anywhere in this area.Campers must occupy the site the first night at a campsite. This prevents booking the site for Fri-Sun and showing up on Saturday.Campers may leave the site for 24 hours and must occupy the site otherwise. This allows a camper to say go for an overnight backpack trip in the woods for one night and come back to their campsite the next day.
  • All food, beverage and trash must be always attended by an adult, this requires someone within 100 feet of the attractants. Otherwise, all attractants shall be stored in a locked vehicle/camper or food lockers.Those camping must adhere to the food storage rule as well and store all attractants in a locked vehicle unless attending the food, garbage, etc.
  • All garbage shall be removed from the site and deposited in the appropriate receptacle by check out time.
  • Off Highway Vehicle Use in not allowed at group or any other site in campground
  • It is imperative that you are clear from the site at 11:00am on your check out day so the host can come prepare the site for the next event. Please don't be the group that makes the incoming group have to wait.
  • Fires are restricted to the metal fire rings or pedestal grill, no other open burning is allowed.
  • Tent camping is allowed on flat, gravel areas shown inside the designated area.
  • RV's and campers must be parked on the hardened gravel surface.
  • RV's and campers cannot hook up to water via the spigots, spigot is for self-fill jugs only.
  • Check with the Ranger District or American Land and Leisure prior to our event to investigate fire restrictions.In the event of fire restrictions, you may only be able to use propane cooking facilities.
  • please respect other visitors to the area and the neighboring campsites. Sound travels in the mountains, don't be that rowdy party that disturbs others.
  • Vendor Requirements-Commercial Filming and Still Photography: purpose is for a pre-paid film/photography service to document the event only. The products are only available to the client who reserved the group site and their guests. No re-sale is allowed. -Food and Drink Catering: purpose is for a prep-paid food/beverage service provided by the client who booked the group site for the sole service to their guests of the event. No other service shall be offered to other recreation visitors. -Music: Music shall be 80 decibels or less as to not disturb other forest users. Music and the overall event shall adhere to the posted quite hours of 10pm to 6am, the event must shut down between those hours. -Chair and Seating: Additional pre-paid seating may be provided by the client who booked the event site. All seating shall be placed on hardened surfaces. Even numbers shall meet posted site limitations.-Event Tents: Appropriately sized tents shall only be placed on/over gravel, hardened areas such as the parking area, concrete pad, or gravel gathering area at Forest Loop. No tents allowed on grass, in the woods etc.-Flowers and other decorations: A pre-paid vendor hired by the client who booked the group site is allowable. All decorations shall be removed immediately post event and not be allowed to bow away or be strewn about the site. Decorations shall bot be affixed to natural features such as trees, rocks, or other vegetation. -Release or throwing of animals, vegetation, or any other materials: Ariel release of any/all items such as but not limited to doves, other birds, butterflies, balloons, rice, petals, flowers, fireworks, reveal features, or any other item is prohibited. These users are not considered nominal and are prohibited. This is a natural environment, and all celebratory its shall reflect the setting.
  • Customer Service Contact 801-226-3564 or [email protected]

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Last updated: November 4, 2026

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Explore Aspen, CO

Population: 6,756

Nearby city: Grand Junction, CO

Approx. 96 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 7,907 ft

Best Season: Summer, Winter

Aspen, CO

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Managed by the USDA Forest Service