Explore Difficult Campground in 360°
This campground has a full virtual tour with interactive campsite markers. Walk through every loop, inspect individual sites, and see the views before you book.
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✅ Amenities & Features
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📖 About This Campground
Difficult Campground - White River National Forest near Aspen, CO is located 5 miles 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.
This campground is close to Aspen, Colorado. There are 47 campsites & a group area which can accommodate up to 20 people & 10 vehicles. Difficult Campground is located five miles southeast of Aspen on Highway 82. The 47 sites have limited spurs to accommodate trailers up to 40'. Please note that vehicles over 35 feet in length are prohibited over Independance Pass but can access the campground via Aspen. Water, garbage and vault toilets are provided for visitors.
Difficult Campground provides access to hiking trails and fishing sites along the Roaring Fork River and neighboring beaver ponds. It's located at an elevation of 8,180' and has a five-day stay limit. The campground has many trees and many sites are shaded.
Difficult Campground also has a Day Use Area, Trailhead and a Group Camping Site.
In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting 8 wilderness areas, 4 defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk. Scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. Alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan. These species, along with many others, depend on surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams, and diverse forests to live. The Roaring Fork River flows by the campground, a tributary of the mighty Colorado. Deep, swift and clear, the Roaring Fork rises in the Sawatch Range on the west side of the Continental Divide and drains an area of the Colorado Western Slope called the Roaring Fork Valley.
Recreation
Renowned for its fly fishing, the Roaring Fork River sustains populations of large rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout. The nearby peaks and soothing sounds from the river offer anglers a perfect backdrop for an afternoon of fishing. Whitewater adventure seekers may want to raft portions of the Roaring Fork, as it is navigable by small craft throughout most of its length to its confluence with the Colorado. Hikers can access trails near the campground.