Dispersed camping at the base of the crag?

Essentially looking to roll out of the sleeping bag and start climbing. Does anyone know of any areas that have space/allow camping right at the base of the wall? 

Any specifics to narrow down your request? Are you looking to roll out of your sleeping bag and start bouldering or start up a 1000 foot face? Are you willing to hike miles into the back country, or do you want to be able to roll out of your car into your sleeping bag and then out of that to start climbing? Is this for tomorrow or this summer?

Ultra secret locals only spot

https://goo.gl/maps/p2aSqtrP1rHksYhy9

To the moon - Vedauwoo

Don't think this is quite what you're looking for but there's designated camping 20-30 feet from these climbs.

Mark OB wrote:

To the moon - Vedauwoo

Don't think this is quite what you're looking for but there's designated camping 20-30 feet from these climbs.

If you’re lucky you’ll find some used syringes at those campsites among the boulders.

I would plan to hike a bit from the campsite to the crag. I think mixing the two would just exasberate the problem with LNT issues/erosion (like: where you gunna shit?). Nothing at Shelf Road is all that far away from the campsite; in direct comparison, no camping at or near Eldo. Turkey Rocks is a quick hike from the campsites. I don't know if your camping right under the route would be really tolerated by someone who got up earlier than you and found your setup right underneath. This doesn't make good crag buddies. I usually don't like camping anywhere near rockfall and well: it is Colorado.

I've heard of people doing a bivy on Broadway before climbing the Diamond. Is that what you are looking for?

I'm going to guess, and I apologize as I'm probably going to be off the mark, but seeing they're not from the area, maybe they're just trying to imagine what climbing crags are like in the West? Climbing in Rifle is going to feel a lot different than climbing in Boulder Canyon, when it comes to looking for close-by campsites. So I guess the answer is, "it depends, but plan on a 10-15 minute walk, even if you're sleeping on the dl in your car in the best case scenario". Sound about right?

All good questions and points so far. Anything 5.easy to 5.11, sport or trad, single or multipitch. Trying to do this sometime this spring/summer. Willing to hike a decent bit to get there. Not trying to clear out a new tent site or build a firepit or anything, just looking for an area that isn't too busy so I won't be in people's way. 

I need to update my profile, I live in Denver now. The Badger Mountain area near Eleven Mile seems promising, but I get the feeling it sees a pretty good amount of traffic.

I assume what I'm looking for doesn't actually exist, but before I gave up I wanted to ask you fine people if you had any ideas.

Mill Creek Block should fit your needs. This forest service map shows this stretch of road as being open to dispersed camping. I'm not sure there is room for a tent, but there is a cave at the base of the wall that would work for open air camping. There is a half covered fire ring in the cave as well, it's probably best to leave it that way to avoid getting soot on the routes. The crag is small and has little enough popularity, that I think you would be fine camping there for a night.

If your looking for car camping right at the base of the cliff, the only spots I know of are the ironclads near allenspark, some stuff near buena vista (elephant rock), and some stuff off rampart range road near devils head, 

CJ DB wrote:

... Willing to hike a decent bit to get there. ..., just looking for an area that isn't too busy so I won't be in people's way. 

Have a look at the RMNP climber's bivy permits.

J-Tree.

CJ DB wrote:

All good questions and points so far. Anything 5.easy to 5.11, sport or trad, single or multipitch. Trying to do this sometime this spring/summer. Willing to hike a decent bit to get there. Not trying to clear out a new tent site or build a firepit or anything, just looking for an area that isn't too busy so I won't be in people's way. 

I need to update my profile, I live in Denver now. The Badger Mountain area near Eleven Mile seems promising, but I get the feeling it sees a pretty good amount of traffic.

I assume what I'm looking for doesn't actually exist, but before I gave up I wanted to ask you fine people if you had any ideas.

Badger has campsites within a 4-5 min walk to the crag right underneath a few of the walls. It's an easy option but can get decent traffic and a ton of overland/4x4 traffic as well that will cause you to compete for sites. 

Elevenmile canyon once camping opens up has a few areas that have camping right by the crag (Cove campground comes to mind but good luck, it's ultra competitive to reserve).

Shelf Rd. would put you on top of the mesa near a thousand + routes ranging from 5.easy into 13+ range.  Plus it's warm enough this time of year some weekends to camp there in the winter.  Heavily traffic'd but there's so much there you can avoid crowds by not going to the "classics".

Devil's head also has a ton of climbing and very close by camping. 

It all depends on strict you want to be about being "underneath". If you're okay with a short approach ~10ish minutes all of the above will work. Right under is a bit harder and honestly I'd recommend just being really close nearby vs under etc. 

Cory N wrote:

If you’re lucky you’ll find some used syringes at those campsites among the boulders.

Didn't see any syringes but it seemed like someone burnt a ton of pallets there. Lots of small rusty nails in the gravel.

Hartman Rocks would definitely fit the bill.

Kate Sedrowski wrote:

Hartman Rocks would definitely fit the bill.

This looks awesome, thanks!