Car Camping in Crested Butte
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” ― Edward Abbey
Atop Paradise Divine, in Crested Butte, Colorado
August 25th, 2025
📍Crested Butte, Colorado, USA 🇺🇸
Greetings from the wilderness!
I love living in the woods, whether that's sleeping in a cabin or a tent. In preparation for my car camping road trip through New Mexico and Utah in October, I ventured up to Crested Butte, Colorado, with my cousin and her husband (and their dog Rocksy) over the weekend to test out some of our new camping gear.
Every July, I make the trip over Cottonwood Pass to bask in the colorful blooms growing in Crested Butte, the wildflower capital of Colorado, making sure to drive over Paradise Divide and down past the Oh Be Joyful campground. Each year, I tell myself that I am going to come back and camp in this magical spot. This past weekend, I finally got the opportunity to do just that.
After an afternoon at Mt. Princeton Hot Springs resort doing Janzu, we arrived in Crested Butte and made camp just in time to beat the afternoon rain showers. Colorado badly needs the moisture, so without complaint, we made the best of the soggy evening by going to bed early so we could hike the next morning.
My 8-person Coleman Instant Tent not only held up to the elements well, but it also kept us dry despite forgetting to pack the rain fly. I purchased this tent almost a decade ago, and it is still one of my favorites because it is so easy and quick to put up and take down (all one piece, no dealing with poles). Something I also forgot to pack and wish I had was my earth-friendly camp rug made from recycled water bottles, great for keeping dirt and mud outside the tent.
Despite the rain, Colorado is in a Stage 2 fire ban, meaning we couldn't have wood fires, only gas. Fire ban or not, using a splitter on my propane tank and traveling with a portable gas firepit and gas stove is always preferable to wood, not only for smoke, but it's easier to stay warm and cook dinner when the weather is wet.
This 8-person tent was perfect for 3 people and a dog
Surprisingly, the hero gear of the weekend was my cousin's carabiner storage strap, which kept all of our gear off the floor, dry, and out of the way. My other favorite find of his was these camping string lights, which gave us the glamping vibe we wanted at 12,000ft. I will be buying both of these for my camping trip over Labor Day.
Next weekend, I’m excited to test out my new tailgate tent prior to hitting the open road in October.
Rocksy was the perfect camp dog all weekend
Additional Gear
Like fishing, I love a hobby that requires gear. Other items I won't car camp without include:
A trunk organizer (helps me find what I need quickly)
A Life Straw (you never know when it will come in handy)
A Pact Outdoor Bathroom kit (so much better than packing out)
A 3" Memory foam bed roll (sleep is too important, especially when traveling)
A power bank that will jump my car and inflate my tires (essential when you find yourself out in the middle of nowhere)
While I'm really looking forward to another epic road trip, I'm most looking forward to the camping. What are some of your favorite hacks, campsites, and gear?
With Love,
Jennifer
P.S.—I’d love to hear from YOU! Rather than emailing me or dropping me a DM, please post a comment below 👇
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