Gates Of Lodore Campground, near Dinosaur National Monument, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying the thrill of river activities. This campground is right by the Green River, making it a prime location for launching rafting trips and soaking in stunning views of the surrounding canyons.

The sites here are spacious and equipped with picnic tables and fire pits, perfect for evening gatherings. Visitors have mentioned that the campground is clean and well-maintained, with accessible potable water and pit toilets available. Just a heads up, it can get a bit buggy, so bringing some bug spray is a smart move.

For those who enjoy hiking, there’s a nice trail that leads to a viewpoint overlooking the canyon, offering a great opportunity to stretch your legs and take in the scenery. Wildlife is abundant, and some campers have even spotted deer wandering through the area. If you’re planning a trip, keep in mind that it’s first-come, first-served, so arriving early is a good idea. Whether you're here for a rafting adventure or just to relax by the river, Gates Of Lodore Campground has a lot to offer.

## Overview

 Gates of Lodore Campground is located on the Green River, near the boat ramp at the head of Lodore Canyon. It is at the north end of the monument, 137 miles (220 km) from the Quarry Visitor Center and 106 miles (170 km) from the Canyon Visitor Center. It is a long drive to the area and the wild, remote country adds to its sense of isolation. The campground is popular with river rafters who often stay here before launching on the Green River. There are 19 sites, some with shade. The sites have tables and some sites have grills while others have fire pits. During the summer, there is running water and vault toilets, but no showers. The campsites can accommodate tents and RVs (no hook-ups). Access in winter may be difficult due to snow and road conditions. 
## Recreation

 Dinosaur National Monument covers over 210,000 acres (84984 ha). [Visitor Centers. ][1] The monument features two visitor centers - one in Colorado and one in Utah. [Quarry Exhibit Hall.][2] You can see over 1,500 dinosaur fossils still in the rock inside the Quarry Exhibit Hall (Jensen, Utah). [History & Culture.][3] Numerous cultural sites reveal stories of the people who lived here before and include Fremont petroglyphs, homestead cabins and former ranches. Hiking trails allow in-depth exploration. [Hiking. ][4] There are miles of trails for hiking and cross-country travel. [River Rafting & Boating.][5] Whitewater rafting, both commercial and private, are is popular on the Green and Yampa Rivers. The Yampa River multi-day rafting trips begin at Deerlodge Park. The Yampa rushes downstream 44-miles (71 km) to join the Green River at Echo Park. Boaters continue downstream on the Green River to the take-out at the Split Mountain boat ramp. The Yampa is the largest free-flowing tributary within the Colorado River system. As such, it has a shorter season marked by fluctuations in water level resulting from snow received in the winter. It is characterized by famous rapids such as Teepee, Big Joe and Warm Springs. Raft trips must be arranged in advance. For more information, visit Dinosaur's [Commercial Guided River Trips page][6] . [Private River Trips ][7] require a permit. [Scenic Drives.][8] Several roads provide access to key destinations and scenic sites. Scenic drives allow the windshield visitor to see spectacular geology. 
## Natural Features

 Just south of the campground, the Green River slices into the mountains and enters the steep-walled Canyon of the Lodore. A short [trail][9] provides a scenic view of the river as it enters the gates. 
## Nearby Attractions

 [Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge][10] [John Jarvie Historic Ranch][11] 
## Charges & Cancellations

 This is a Scan & Pay campground. No refunds, changes, cancellations, or other fee changes are allowed with Scan & Pay payments. 

[1]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm
[2]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/quarry-exhibit-hall.htm
[3]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/learn/historyculture/index.htm
[4]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/hikingtrails.htm
[5]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/riverrafting.htm
[6]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/commercialguidedrivertrips.htm
[7]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/non-commercial-river-trips.htm
[8]: https://www.nps.gov/dino/planyourvisit/scenic-drives.htm
[9]: https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/gatesoflodoretrail.htm
[10]: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/browns-park
[11]: https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/john-jarvie-historic-ranch

Gates Of Lodore Campground — Dinosaur National Monument

The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Dutch John. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Utah camping has to offer. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Utah camping adventure.

Dutch John

The Best Camping Near Dutch John, Utah

We stayed here during a rafting trip and it's so tranquil. It's right next to the river and that makes it easy to launch you boat. Dinosaur national park was a treat it was a blast to see all the fossils that are there. Overall we will stay there again. 

Rafting trip

This spot is in a pretty remote section of Northwest Colorado so it's pretty calm and quiet. It's also the put-in for the Gates of Lodore wilderness river trips and the take-out for the Flaming Gorge section. Large campground with many campsites. The boat ramp and launch area is huge as well. 

Large and peaceful campsite

This campground is in the most remote part of the Dinosaur National Monument. Big campspots with a few Cottonwood trees right on the Green River. Can be busy with rafts launching and retrieving. The gates are the entry into the canyon. Amazing! Worth the stop if you have the time.

Remote and beautiful

This campground is a typical rafter's camp, very distant and out of the way. Make sure you have enough gas for the return trip or shuttle. The nearest gas is in Maybell, but the service station is closed in the evening.There is water, pit toilets, bear lockers, and picnic tables. There are a few big cottonwood trees, but otherwise little shade. Very much a high desert camp. There is also a ranger station there and rangers check rafters for safety equipment and permits prior to departure. Permits are hard to get for the float down the Green River, so apply early. There is a great view down the river to the Gates of Lodore. When we were there on June 28, it was extremely buggy in the evening with both mosquitoes and biting flies, so beware and bring some DEET.

Rafters Put-In Camp on Green River for Gates of Lodore Float

Nice campground, fire pits, picnic tables, pit toilets, had water, no power,, NO Verizon service at all,, very dark out in the middle of nowhere,, but glad we did it, stayed 3 nights in May 2018

Very rough long dirt roads, but nice campground

19 tent &amp; RV sites. One site is ADA accessible. A bit buggy so bring the bug spray. This is the perfect place to stay prior to your Gates of Lodore river trip put in. No cell service that I remember &amp; it's a long drive from "civilization" so make sure your car is filled with gas, is in good repair &amp; that you have all the items you'd need for your trip. Vault toilets &amp; water spiggot are great to have to fill up water jugs prior to rafting. No electric, sewer or water hook ups for RVs. No reservations so it's 1st come, 1st served. They have bear proof containers for anything with a scent. No trash containers so pack everything out. Only cash &amp; checks accepted so bring $10 (although discounts for Seniors &amp; when water is not available at the campsite).

Perfect place to camp prior to Lodore put-in

We came to this campground on a holiday weekend expecting it to be busy and packed since it was the first day opened. What we found was a completely empty campground, a beautiful beach, and lots of wildlife. 

  

The campsites themselves were beautiful, and the ones on the East side of the campground were perfect for a large tent or for small groups to get a little bit of privacy. The sites on the Westside were better for RVers and had river access. 

  

I'm guessing that because it was an empty campground because it isn't rafting season and because there are ample amounts of free camping nearby for the large groups and weekenders that come out from around the area. It was only $10 per night with no camp host. 

  

The bugs are probably also pretty bad during the Summer but we only experienced a couple of bites. We spent most of our time on the beach and fishing. It was a great location to play around with the pups and in the water. 

  

The nature hike to the Gates of Lodore view point was nice and easy but not wheelchair accessible. Most of the sites and the bathroom can be handicap accessible. The bathrooms were super clean (keep it mind it was day 1 of the open season). 

  

We got a nice surprise each day and a herd of young deer wandered through our site. They didn't seem too worried about our dogs either.  

  

There are lots of sites nearby to visit like Vermillion Falls, Gates of Lodore School, Irish Canyon, Wild Horse area, and Browns park.

Quiet in the offseason and super clean. 

Very nice campground, easy drive in on well maintained dirt road. I believe it has 19 sites, we were the only ones there. Most people seem to just use the area for launching their boats and not staying. Very clean and nice campsites. The sites on the east side offer much more shade than the river side. Offers Pit toilets and potable water. We enjoyed our stay here and will come back.

Nice but not exceptional 

Really cool spot on the river. The river running into the mountains look like something out of the Lord of the rings. The river itself had beautiful colors! Mosquitoes were bad, but we’re manageable.

Looked like something out of Lord of the Rings

We camped here the night before launching on the Green along with another private group and NPS rangers. Was absolutely wonderful chatting and trading stories with other groups while rigging! Rangers are super helpful and there is potable water but it can be a bit warm in the evening, best to fill jugs in the morning. If you’re not running the river, there is a nice hike that goes up and looks into the canyon. Great access to the river, although be careful around the boat ramp as there is a lot of activity while trips are getting ready. There are volunteers in the morning to help manage parking too; as it can get a little congested. 

I have heard it can be a little buggy and it wasn’t too bad for us, but mosquitoes did exist. Not too bad but you might want a tent instead of cowboy camping just so they don’t annoy you while you’re trying to sleep. 

The last little bit of road to the site is a bit washboard-y but take your time, you’ll get there.

Photos of Gates Of Lodore Campground — Dinosaur National Monument

Real photos from real campers