Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Camprtron, camping in Colorado, dispersed camping, and how the app works. Where a guide covers a topic in depth, we link to it.
About Camprtron
What is Camprtron?
Camprtron is a campsite finder that ranks free dispersed (boondocking) and reservable developed campsites by the peaks, water, fishing, and trails near camp within your drive time and with your vehicle’s road access factored in. Coverage is currently Colorado, with more states planned.
How much does Camprtron cost?
Camprtron is currently in free beta; no billing is in effect today. Paid plans will be introduced later; details will be announced when ready.
Which states does Camprtron cover?
We launched with Colorado and are adding states as we grow, with all 50 states as the long-term goal.
Do I need an account?
Sign-in and ranked trip planning happen in the Camprtron app. Signups are free and open during the beta, so you can create an account from the sign-up page. The public site directory (campsite listings by area, access tier, and camp type) is open without an account.
Is there a mobile app?
Camprtron is a web app today, optimized for mobile browsers. Native iOS and Android apps are planned.
How do I contact Camprtron?
Email us at social@camprtron.com or reach us on X at @Camprtron.
Dispersed Camping & Boondocking
What is the difference between dispersed and developed camping?
Dispersed camping (boondocking) means camping outside a designated campground on public land, National Forest or BLM, with no hookups, reservations, or fees in most cases. Developed campgrounds are designated sites with amenities such as fire rings, vault toilets, and sometimes water; they typically charge a nightly fee and many are reservable in advance.
What is boondocking?
Boondocking is the informal, vehicle centric term for dispersed camping on public land; self contained, without hookups, usually free. The U.S. Forest Service and BLM use the term “dispersed camping” in their regulations; boondocking emphasizes the off-grid, self-sufficient aspect. Read the full guide →
Is dispersed camping free?
Yes on most National Forest and BLM land there is no nightly fee and no reservation required. A handful of high use dispersed zones require a free permit. Developed campgrounds charge a nightly fee; many require advance reservations through recreation.gov.
Vehicles & Road Access
Do I need a 4×4 or high clearance vehicle?
Many dispersed sites do require high clearance or 4×4 capability, but a large number are passenger car accessible on graded gravel roads. Camprtron tags each site’s road access tier passenger car, high clearance, or 4×4 required and shows a suitability warning based on your rig. It’s a tag and a warning, never a filter that hides sites from you. See high clearance vs. 4×4: what’s the difference and the access road analysis for the data behind it.
Can I use Camprtron with a trailer or RV?
Yes. For each site, Camprtron matches its road access tier (passenger car, high clearance, or 4×4 required) against your rig’s ground clearance and drivetrain, and flags the fit as a warning (never a filter). For developed campgrounds it also compares your rig length against the posted maximum vehicle length. The 4×4-required tier is generally not compatible with any trailer; the passenger car and high clearance tiers cover a wide range of towable campers. Camprtron classifies road access from MVUM data; it does not measure individual road width or turning radius, so check current conditions before committing a long rig to a narrow forest road.
How Camprtron Works
How does Camprtron rank campsites?
Each site receives a composite score from a weighted blend of nearby terrain features: peak prominence, water proximity, fishing access, hiking trails, mountain biking, and drive time from your origin. Dropped criteria redistribute their weight so the score is never misleadingly deflated. Read the full methodology →
What data sources does Camprtron use?
All data comes from public-domain government sources: USFS Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM), the Recreation Information Database (RIDB), BLM, National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), and Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW). We process these through a PostGIS spatial pipeline and publish our methodology openly. See the data & methodology page →
How current is availability and reservation information?
Availability is checked live against recreation.gov when you open a site in the app it is never pre baked into search results. That means you always see the current reservation status, not a cached snapshot.