Taylor Park — Gunnison National Forest Dispersed Camping Along the Taylor River Corridor

Taylor Park is a big, high valley, and the national forest around it is the usual basecamp for anyone running Tincup Pass. Camps here are scattered pullouts and old fire-ring spots off the main roads and the spurs that wander into the sagebrush and aspen. You get big skies, cold nights even in July, and elk in the meadows at dawn. It is popular with ATV and UTV crowds and fishermen, so summer weekends and hunting season fill up fast. Midweek gives you the pick of the spots.

Camp only in established, previously used sites and keep clear of the creek and reservoir shorelines. Dispersed stays on the Gunnison National Forest are generally capped at 14 days, but verify current rules and any fire restrictions with the Gunnison Ranger District before you go. Bring your own water and pack out your trash. Cell signal is spotty to nonexistent. Snow can close the high roads well into early summer and returns by October, so check conditions before you commit to the pass.

High-country basin camp, a short hop from Tincup.