Established Camping
Box Elder
About
Bureau of Land Management
BLM's Box Elder Campground is located within the Dolores River Canyon 6 miles NE of Dove Creek. The campground has 11 campsites with fire rings and picnic tables along with two vault toilets. Towering canyon walls cut by the Dolores River dominate this site, and when combined with the shade of the box elder grove and the proximity of the river, provide an element of relief from the summer heat. There is no fee at this site, and camping is on a first come, first served basis. The busiest time of year is when there is a 'boatable release' on the lower Dolores from McPhee Reservoir, generally mid-April to mid-June. Holiday weekends during the summer can also fill up this small campground. For more information, please contact the Tres Rios Field Office. ADA Access: ADA Accessible Vault Toilets
Fee Info
No Fee
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- ADA Access
- Picnic Table
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
Hidden little gem
This camp is advertised as dispersed camping since it’s free but it actually has an outhouse, fire pits, and tables. Right next to the river inside a canyon it’s hella beautiful. Only tricky part is getting there. You have to have high clearance to get through the bumpy, rocky road leading to the camp. I have a crosstrek so nothing crazy though. You have to drive through some farmland to get here but don’t worry you’re going the right way. Gets very cold at night since it’s in a river canyon but other than that no complaint.
When returning from the camp it took me 20 minutes of driving on rough dirt road, a lot longer when I came in, at night, going downhill. So don’t beleive maps when it tells you you’re 5 minutes away
Great spot - quiet
The road is smooth until the boat launch then rutted but no prob with an AWD SUV. We were the only ones there. Quite, flat sites, picnic table at each site.
- (4) View All
Pretty, kinda creepy
I recommend high clearance and possibly 4WD vehicles for the road. However, I was able to drive most of the road in a FWD, low-clearance car. If it's rained recently, look out for flooding and giant puddles. The area is pretty but a had a bad feeling about the place the entire time I was there. The bathroom is clean and well-kept.
- (4) View All
Location
Box Elder is located in Colorado
Directions
When traveling US Highway 491, turn east on CR J, just south of Dove Creek. Then turn north on CR 9, east on H, then north again on CR 10. Veer left at the 'Y' and follow the county road down into the canyon. After passing the Mt. Sheep Point (the Pumps) boat access, you'll arrive at the campground in less than Ѕ mile.
Coordinates
37.80125747 N
108.82440267 W