The Potholes Recreation Site, near Delta, Colorado, is a fantastic spot for those seeking a bit of solitude and stunning views. This area offers spacious sites with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for gathering around the campfire and soaking in the natural beauty.

Visitors rave about the clean vault toilets and well-maintained sites, making it a comfortable choice for free camping. The scenery is a highlight, with many campers noting the breathtaking views of the nearby river and canyons. One reviewer described it as “a diamond in the rough,” emphasizing the spaciousness and tranquility of the area.

For adventure seekers, there are plenty of hiking and climbing options nearby, along with miles of trails to explore. Just be aware that the river can be tricky to access due to private property, but the views from the campground are more than enough to satisfy. As one camper put it, “You are truly out there with no cell service,” which is perfect for disconnecting and enjoying nature.

While the road to the campground can be a bit rough, it leads to a rewarding experience filled with scenic sunsets and starry nights. If you're looking for a peaceful retreat away from the hustle and bustle, The Potholes Recreation Site is definitely worth a visit.

The Potholes Recreation Site, located 12 miles up Escalante Canyon, offers picnic tables and shade shelters with several designated overnight
camping sites nearby.

The Potholes Recreation Site

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Delta

The Best Camping Near Delta, Colorado

We stayed here at the first part of May. The weather was perfect. Bathrooms were very clean. The water was too rough in the canyon to swim. The views from this campground were great. Fire pits. Picnic table with a canopy covering. For free camping it doesn’t get much better than this 

Spring quarantine camping 

I might not have stayed in the exact spot mapped out but the area has pull offs all over the place for camping. Each one has a fire ring and has spectacular views of the canyon its all inside.

Great dispersed campsite with views of canyons!

BLM public lands.  Long 12 mile gravel road through the canyon - we have a 4runner and drive was easy.  Very narrow in spots, a camper would be sketchy to drive through.
Came late August and river still had water so valley was green.  There are about 10 campsites along the road ( no camping in fields, private property).  Once you pass the cabin another mile or so you will get to the official campsite.  We passed on this ( way too open) but it had restrooms. Another 1/2 mile down the road take first left for some great drive in or hike in spots!   We were completely alone - magical.     Canyon was a bit windy at night with our RTT.  The next morning we went back to the official campsite area and hiked down into the potholes.  Such an amazing sight down in the canyon.   Wish we weren’t on a schedule to get on to our next spot would have loved to spend the day exploring the potholes area .

Hidden Gem in the canyon

A long dusty road in led to an amazing experience.  There are 4 actual sites and a vault toilet in the actual campground.  Luckily we were the only ones there so chose the pull in site at the far end.  Extremely scenic, amazing sunsets and stars.   You are truly out there with no cell service on either Verizon or TMobile.  We were there in October so low water allowed for a crossing and long hike on the paths across the water.  Many miles of trails to explore or just enjoy the solitude and views.  We have a 24’ RV with no problem (except a few nervous moments) with the drive in or out.  I would check the weather though and not attempt if just rained or forecasted to rain.  All dirt track so would be quite sketchy I imagine.  There are also many other dispersed sites if you continue down the road past the campground. 

Middle of nowhere and perfect! 

It was like we were the only people in Colorado. Great dispersed camping spots. 

Silence

Free camping with clean outhouses! The water was too high (an unusually high year) to get in safely. Windy for part of the night but not horrible. Tons of people showed up which made our site feel pretty crowded 

Overall a nice site

This place is pretty well out there on some BLM land. There are lots of day use folks, but camping there is not for the faint of heart. The mid-day heat and windstorms are intense, but the beauty of being there alone is worth it. I don't think there is water, but there is a toilet.

Wild West

June 2023. Road easy to access right off of rt 50. Came down from Grand Junction and it was an easy ride. The dirt road was easy for our 2wd Toyota. The Potholes area had the cleanest vault toilet and well maintained sites. It seems busier than we wanted so we drove further down the road about 1 mile and many more sites on both sides of the road. We pulled to the right and there was a spot for bigger campers and about 10 sites with 2 more across the street between the canyon walls. Couldn't get down to river as most of the river front area is private property. Even at potholes you would need to scrabble down the walls toget to waters edge.
What the spot to ourselves for a Friday-Sunday. Bring tons of water as there is no water access. We didn't explore further down the road, but on the map there is a trail head further down. See pics of the road and our sites and enjoy!!

Beautiful stay down the road

Love this area. Never anyone around. Very quiet. Long drive in but worth it. My biggest piece of advice is leave the official campground and go slightly off road further up the road away from the campground. Tons of spots. Totally remote. We stayed 3 nights and never saw another car or person. Love this area.

Great remote area but leave the campground

This campground is a diamond in the rough, spacious sites, covered tables, bathrooms and great views of a roaring river, with nearby hiking and climbing options. 

  

Couple things to consider:

*   I have Verizon and there is little to no cell service in the area
*   The road to the campground goes through open pastures, keep an eye out for the cows while driving, especially at night and go slow.
*   There are a number of signs detailing the lives this section of the river has taken, so there is no swimming.

Photos of The Potholes Recreation Site

Real photos from real campers