An Inside Look at Our Remote Wilderness Fishing Camps

Our wilderness camp fly fishing trips offer a true backcountry experience where solitude, adventure, and world-class fly fishing meet. This experience blends the thrill of a horseback expedition to some of Colorado’s most remote waters, surrounded by the serenity of nature, all while enjoying your own private camp, along with our expert guides and crew.

But what is a wilderness camp fishing trip really like? Let’s take a look…

Getting Started at Budge’s Lodge

Your adventure begins with an overnight stay at the main lodge, where you'll settle into one of our rustic, yet cozy log cabins. Many guests ask, “Why don’t we go to the wilderness camp the same day we arrive?” The reason, is that getting to our main lodge is an adventure in itself. Even the lodge is very remote. Getting here requires driving for about 3 hours on dirt roads, including an hour on a very bumpy, 4-wheel-drive section.

By the time you arrive, you’ll be ready for a rest. The lodge’s warm hospitality ensures that you're well-prepared for the journey ahead. After a home-cooked dinner and a restful night in your cabin, it’s time to gear up and head into the wilderness.

Packing Up and Heading Out

The next morning, you’ll walk from your cabin down to the main lodge building for coffee and a hearty breakfast. Next, we will pack lunches, load your gear onto pack horses and mules, saddle up, and set off on a guided journey deep into the Flat Tops Wilderness.

The horseback ride to camp offers breathtaking views of Colorado’s untamed backcountry. You'll travel to a secluded camp, where comfortable canvas tents await, equipped to provide a cozy, rustic escape.

Your Remote Wilderness Camp

Nestled deep in the wilderness, the camp is a perfect home base for a true backcountry experience. Your couple, family, or group will have the camp entirely to yourselves (minimum 2 anglers).

Spacious canvas wall tents serve as your home away from home, complete with cots, sleeping pads, tables, chairs and lanterns. Bring your own sleeping bag, personal gear, and clothing. We provide the rest. Anglers are welcome to bring their own fly fishing gear - otherwise, our guides will have plenty of equipment.

Next door to your tent, is our cook and guide’s tent, where our crew will provide hearty meals throughout the trip. The cook tent is also equipped with a solar panel and battery pack, where you can recharge cameras and other devices. Note that there is no cell service out here in the wilderness. We use Garmin InReach devices to communicate with the main lodge via satellite.

Each of our camps is set up in a serene, picturesque location, surrounded by towering pines, alpine meadows, and the soothing sounds of the river. A central campfire area provides the perfect spot to unwind after a long day of fishing, where stories and delicious meals are shared.

Fly Fishing in Remote Alpine Paradise

The camping is fun, but the highlight of the trip is the opportunity to fish some of the most remote waters in Colorado. Our camps are at least 6 miles from the nearest trailhead. From the front door of your tent, you and your guide(s) can explore miles of remote and unpressured river on foot. These waters are teeming with native cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbows and cuttbows. With plenty of riffles, runs, pools, cut banks, meandering meadow sections, plunge pools and pocket water, both novice and experienced anglers will have a chance to test their skills.

No fly fishing experience is necessary. Your guides will help you find the best fishing spots and refine your technique. They are excellent teachers, and love sharing these wild waters with our guests.

Living the Wilderness Camp Life

A day in the wilderness camp starts with a cup of hot coffee and a hearty breakfast in the cook tent. After breakfast, we will pack lunches, and get our fishing gear organized. Then, you and your guide will set off along the river, either upstream or downstream.

Days out here are spent exploring the area on foot, fishing, and soaking in the tranquility of nature. After a day on the water, you’ll return to camp where your cook will prepare a hearty evening meal. Evenings are spent around the campfire, sharing stories and enjoying the peacefulness that only the wilderness can offer.

Sadly, all good things on this earth must come to an end. On the final day of your trip, our wranglers will arrive with the horses and mules, usually sometime in the late morning. Our crew will load up the gear. Then we will saddle up, and ride back to the main lodge. From there, you can depart for home.

Contact Us With Questions

Whether you're a seasoned angler seeking solitude, or a newcomer looking to experience fly fishing in its purest form, these wilderness camp expeditions offer something for everyone. Surrounded by Colorado’s breathtaking landscapes, you’ll create lasting memories of incredible fishing, great company, and the serenity of nature.

Have questions about these guided fly fishing trips? Please call or send us a text message at 970-536-1341.

👉 Ready to plan your adventure? You can find details and pricing on our wilderness camp fishing trips here.