Within Pike National Forest, Painted Rocks operates as a rustic Forest Service campground at 7,800 feet elevation along County Road 78. The facility divides into two grassy meadow loops—an upper section with eleven sites and a lower loop containing seven sites—each equipped with its own water spigot, dumpster, and pit latrine facilities.
The campground accommodates RVs up to 59 feet, though several sites feature shorter parking spurs better suited for tents. Site 9 stands out with over 30 feet of parking space and room for multiple tents, while most locations provide varying degrees of Ponderosa pine coverage. Dave V. notes that "pit latrines were very clean and stocked," and each site includes unmovable picnic tables with metal fire rings. The campground host sells firewood and maintains the facility from late May through early September.
County Road 78's dirt surface creates dust issues for roadside sites, and some locations sit on angled terrain requiring leveling blocks for RVs. Traffic noise from the county road affects sites 6, 7, and 8, which back up to a subdivision access route. Fishing opportunities exist nearby, and the location provides access to Pikes Peak hiking trails, the Manitou Incline, and Garden of the Gods within a 30-minute drive.
Campers seeking more developed amenities might consider Colorado Campground less than a mile away.
Description
Overview
Painted Rocks Campground is located a short distance from Manitou Lake Picnic Area and the Centennial Bike Trail in central Colorado. The rustic campground is named for the sandstone outcroppings in the area that resemble colorful streaks from an artist's paintbrush.
Recreation
The paved, accessible Centennial Bike Trail is a half-mile from the campground. It connects to nearby Colorado and South Meadows Campgrounds, and leads to 5-acre Manitou Lake. Visitors enjoy riding bicycles on this trail to Manitou Lake for fishing and bird watching. Waterfowl and songbirds are often seen in the area. The nearby Rainbow Falls OHV Trail System and North Divide OHV Trail System are recommended for off-road vehicle enthusiasts.
Facilities
The campground offers single-family sites on two loops. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided. Roads and parking spurs are gravel.
Natural Features
The campground is nestled on the edge of a grassy meadow at an elevation of 7,800 feet. Most sites on the west loop are shaded by ponderosa pines, while sites on the east loop are more open and less shady.
Nearby Attractions
The town of Woodland Park is located approximately 7 1/2 miles south of Painted Rocks Campground, where campers can find gas, groceries, dining and shopping. Colorado Springs is about 30 miles southeast of the campground and offers many services. Garden of the Gods is a popular attraction just outside of town. This free City of Colorado Springs park offers hiking trails, rock climbing routes, a visitor center and cafe. Pikes Peak lies west of Manitou Springs, which is about 25 miles from the campground. Visitors can hike, bike, or drive to the summit of this beautiful mountain.
Charges & Cancellations
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsPainted Rocks is located in Colorado near Woodland Park
Directions
From the I-25 and Highway 24 intersection in Colorado Springs, Colorado, travel west on Highway 24 for about 18 miles to the junction with Highway 67 in Woodland Park. Turn right (north) on Highway 67 and drive about 7 miles to Painted Rocks Road and turn left (west). Take the gravel road about 1/2 mile to campground entrance on the left.
Address
PIKES PEAK RANGER DISTRICT
601 S. WEBER ST.
Colorado springs, CO 80903
Coordinates
39.0844444 N
105.1052778 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
T-Mobile5GGood CoverageVerified by 10 usersLast on 5/7/26
VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 5 usersLast on 5/7/26
AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 5/7/26
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors- T-Mobile5GGood CoverageVerified by 10 usersLast on 5/7/26
- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 5 usersLast on 5/7/26
- AT&TLTESome CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 5/7/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 42 min from Colorado Springs, CO
- 1 hr 3 min from Pueblo, CO
- 1 hr 31 min from Denver, CO
- 1 hr 49 min from Boulder, CO
