Colorado Camping and Occupancy Regulations

Grand Junction Field Office | Release Date: Jan. 28, 2025

Rules and regulations specifically prohibit members of the public from establishing and/or maintaining residency on public lands. These rules help ensure public health and safety and further protect natural resources. BLM regulations related to camping and occupancy on public lands in Colorado include, but are not limited to the following:

Code of Federal Regulation | Recreation Programs | Rules of Conduct | Supplementary Rules: 43 CFR 8365.1-6; Final Supplementary Rules for Public Land Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado Relating to Camping and Occupancy of Public Lands: 75 FR 32968:

• You must not camp longer than 14 days in any 30-day period, at any one location, including any campground on public land.
• After the 14 days have been reached, you must move at least 30 air miles away from the previously occupied location.
• You must not leave any personal property or refuse after vacating the campsite. This includes any property left for the purposes of use by another camper or occupant.
• You must not leave personal property unattended in a campground, designated recreation area, or on any other public lands for more than 48 hours.
• You must not establish occupancy, take possession of, or otherwise use public lands for residential purposes – camping is for recreational purposes only
• If an area charges fees, you must register if required and pay fees within 30 minutes of entering the fee area.
• You must not violate any State of Colorado or county laws or regulations relating to public health, safety, sanitation, building or fire codes while camping, occupying, or using public land.

Camping is defined as: Erecting of a tent or shelter of natural or synthetic material; preparing a sleeping bag or other bedding material for use; parking of a motor vehicle, motor home or trailer; or mooring of a vessel for the apparent purpose of overnight occupancy while engaged in recreational activities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, bicycling, sightseeing, off-road vehicle activities, or other generally recognized forms of recreation.

Occupancy is defined as: Full or part-time residence on public lands for non-recreational purposes, such as temporary residence in connection with, or while seeking, employment in the vicinity, or because another permanent residence is not available. It also means activities that involve residence, such as the construction, presence, or maintenance of temporary or permanent structures that may be used for such purposes, or the use of a watchman or caretaker for the purpose of monitoring activities. Residence or structures include, but are not limited to, barriers to access, fences, tents, motor homes, trailers, cabins, houses, buildings, and storage of equipment or supplies.

Code of Federal Regulation | Code of Federal Regulation | Sanitation/Dumping/Littering: 43 CFR 8365.1-1(b):

• Disposing of any cans, bottles or other nonflammable trash or garbage.
• Disposing of flammable trash or garbage.
• Draining sewage or petroleum products or dumping refuse or waste other than wash water from a trailer or other vehicle.
• Disposing of any household refuse or waste brought from private or municipal property.
• Polluting or contaminating water supplies or water used for human consumption.
• Using a refuse container or disposal facility for any purpose other than that for which it is supplied.

Code of Federal Regulation | Wildfire Prevention: 43 CFR 9212:

• Fires must not be left unattended.
• Fires must be completely extinguished when leaving camp; use water and/or dirt to smother and check that it’s cool to the touch before walking away.

To report a natural resource crime such as garbage dumping, graffiti or unlawful use of public land for residential purposes, please call the Grand Junction Field Office at (970) 244-3000 or Colorado State Patrol Dispatch at (970) 249-4392. In case of an emergency, please call 911.