## Overview

 Amphitheater Campground is located near the town of Ouray, Colo., at an elevation of 8,400 feet. Visitors enjoy the area for its beautiful scenery and great hiking and off-road trail opportunities.
## Recreation

 Many hiking trails are found in the immediate area, including the popular Upper Cascade Falls Trail, which begins at the campground. Baby Bath Tubs and Chief Ouray Mine trails can also be accessed from the same trailhead. The campground is a favorite among jeep and off-road enthusiasts for its close proximity to a number of exciting trails in the surrounding area.
## Facilities

 The campground offers single-family campsites, several of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided.
## Natural Features

 The campground is named for the natural rock amphitheater that stands over Ouray. The massive gray cliffs were created by ancient volcanic and glacial activity. The campground is situated on the mountainside above Ouray, with stellar views of the amphitheater. A forest of Gambel oak trees and mixed conifers covers the area. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Ouray is known as America\'s Switzerland. The charming, historic, mountain town offers a variety of dining, shopping and lodging options, as well as a hot springs pool and a variety of annual festivals.

Amphitheater Campground

Above the town of Ouray with great views of the the town below and access to an awesome trail that circumnavigates the town, hitting the best sites along the six or so miles. The trail takes you to the Bathtubs, the Ice Climbing area, several waterfalls, some cool footbridges, and past the Recreation Center (where you can get showers). The campground itself was very tight with several small loops that hang on the side of the mountain. We were there about two weeks after the fourth of July and all of the vault toilets needed to be serviced. The host was aware of the problem and said he had called it in, then shrugged. In town the visitor’s center had some great information about the town and had several preprinted hiking maps for popular trails with difficulty levels noted. In town was a nice full service outdoor shop as well as several micro breweries.

Perfect location in Ouray

Conveniently located next to Ouray - limited amenities (no showers). Great views of the mountains from some of the campsites and good location to spend evenings in Ouray, head out to Silverton, or do some hiking.

During our recent trip to Ouray we finally found the luck in our favor with the Amphitheater Camp Ground. We've been to the area multiple times before and always manage to miss the reservation time frame for these site, so we end up camped in the nearby Portland "campsites" when we arrive ready to camp and the sites are full, or snag a hotel near 550 when we don't want to chance a night on a slope. After actually getting a site here, I'll be planning our future trips a bit further in advance to make sure we can get a site here.

The campground is located on a hill along the east side of the valley, giving you wonderful views of the adjacent peaks, as well as the historic town. The sites are well maintained, the bathrooms are cleaned and checked twice daily by the friendly hosts. They carry a supply of local, beetle-free firewood for the well established concrete and metal fire pits located at each site. The sites aren't the largest due to the size limitations of building a campground on a hillside, but still offer tons of privacy. In addition to the well shaded and intimate setting of the tents sites, each site has a picnic table and bear hook that are a reasonable distance from the tent pad, which is well leveled and stone/root free. Each site also has a driveway that should fit at least two vehicles easily, or a vehicle and small camper/trailer.

In addition to the great views and delightful sites, the campground has direct access to the Ouray Perimeter Trail, a short-ish (~4.2 miles to cover the entire loop around the outer edge of town) hike that follows the bluffs around the outskirts of the town proper and offers great views along narrow sections high above town, and is a short (

Gem of a Campground Within Walking Distance of Ouray

This campground is up the mountain overlooking Ouray. We loved it. It was quiet and peaceful. Fairly large campground but everyone was respectful and it was extremely quiet sleeping under the stars.

Right outside of town

Well, unless you have a big set up lol

We accidentally found this campground one night when we got a late start out of town to go camp in the mountains. It is a VERY cool campground with amazing views, of the mountains and of town, especially at sunrise and sunset... all without having to be in town!

THE best place to stay near Ouray

Gorgeous setting perched above the town of Ouray. Mostly tent camping although pop up tent-trailers can fit in the campsite. The campground books up quickly due to it's stunning views and location so plan early. There's only a very small grocery store in Ouray so stock up with necessary items in Montrose or Ridgeway. Pit toilets were clean, well-maintained and plentiful. There was a bear in the campground so absolutely no food in tents &amp; the campground host said the bear recognizes coolers in cars so cover coolers with other items. Better yet, eat in town at the super fun rooftop bar at the Ouray Brewery. Can't say enough about this special gem! The campground hosts sell bundles of firewood for I think $7/bundle but we needed to dig out the accumulated ash in the firepit to get the fire to light so consider bringing a small shovel. There is potable water but no showers or sinks.

Beautiful perch above Ouray

Beautiful spot to camp. I think we got lucky that all of the spots weren’t booked.  Probably the best views we had all week. Definitely check out the hiking trails in the area. Chief Ouray trail is difficult, so be prepared before you go up the mountain. 

Great campground above Ouray

Great campground that feels like you are remote when Ouray is just down the road. Camp Attendant was friendly and helpful and the camp was clean and orderly. Our spot was level and had everything we needed. Picnic table, big fire ring, plenty of room to spread out and never heard another campers voice. 

Perfect

Views are stunning!!  Best location to camp near Ouray as the hiking (right off the campground) is amazing!  Close drive into town.  Sites are nice.  Some closer together than others.  It gets busy so make reservations.  Host was attentive.

Come here for views and location!

This campground is saved by being close to a beautiful area. The vault toilets were dirty and it was crowded. We were able to get a site without a reservation, but it was during the week. Near some great hikes and views. Ouray is a cute little town, but we avoided it due to Covid. 

Close to beauty

The camp host came by multiple times to chat and he was so friendly! Saw deer walking peacefully through the campground, which was very clean and large. Absolutely gorgeous and only 2 miles from town!!!

Absolutely Incredible views and staff

Really close to Ouray but still feels remote. Good hiking nearby and phenomenal views 

Fantastic location 

We just had one night but loved it. We put our little tent into one of the more private lots (#27), about 30m from the car, which have us a lot of privacy.  I woke up to stunning views of the peaks,  visible directly from the tent :). 

The hosts are great,  the bathrooms clean, and the town is just a 5-10 minute drive.  I would definitely come back. 

Stunning views of rock walls surrounding Ouray

Extremely picturesque! Campsites are fairly close together but the vibe is still pretty tranquil. Wonderful hosts. FCFS sites filled up fast at about 5.

Views for Days.

Excellent campground, not all sites have views but the ones they do are amazing!

Breathtaking views!

Incredible views all around. Hiking trails that you can jump on right from the campground. Close to town, but just far enough away to feel disconnected. 

Best campground I’ve stayed at

Stayed one night at this popular campground while passing through Ouray. Did not have a reservation, but the campground host, Steve, found us a good, level site for our campervan &amp; got us registered. The site, #20, was near the end of the road leading to the overlook, and across the road from the vault toilets &amp; water station. Small site but very private. Firewood was available for $8/bundle. Short walk to the overlook which provided a great view of Ouray below. The high cliffs around the campground were spectacular. The site had a table, lantern poll, metal fire ring and tent pad. No electric &amp; water hookups. Unfortunately, I don't recall if we had any AT&amp;T or T-Mobile service. Some of the campsites were somewhat close together, but couldn't see them through the foliage. The only negative at site #20 was an occasional chemical smell from the vault toilets across the road. The vault toilets themselves were clean. The site itself was also clean &amp; well maintained; e.g., the tent pad was ranked. I feel that this campground is not suitable for big rigs; posted signs along the access road provide warnings.

Spectacular Views

Must check in with Host. Fire wood sold at Host. Fellow campers are close but just far enough away.  Great location to Ouray. 