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Alvarado Campground, located at an elevation of 9,000 ft., is a prime location for accessing easy to challenging hikes in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. The variety of trails lead to high elevation lakes, picturesque waterfalls, and a number of stunning scenic overlooks. Alvarado is designed for a range of campers, with facilities for tent, RV and equestrian campers. Pike-San Isabel National Forests include over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet.
Near the campground are several trailheads that provide visitors with a variety of recreational opportunities. All trails are open for horseback riding and hiking. The Rainbow Trail is a premier ATV and motorcycle trail. The non-motorized Comanche and Venable Trails lead into the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness where waterfalls and alpine lakes may be enjoyed.
Alvarado is perched on the side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains among sweet smelling ponderosa pine, aspen, lodgepole and gambel oak trees. Some sites offer views of the Wet Mountain Valley below while others sit beside Alvarado Creek. The campground is within reach of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, which spans 226,455 acres with 60 alpine lakes, 400 miles of streams and over 400 miles of trails to explore. Large aspen stands visible in the area today are a result of fires set in the early 1900's to clear pasture land, expose minerals and produce charcoal.
Explore the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway that takes drivers through the Wet Mountains and provides spectacular views of 22 peaks, all within the San Isabel National Forest.
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.
$27 / night
Ponderosa Campground is located at the northwest end of the Soap Creek Arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir. 28 tent and medium sized RV sites can be accommodated at Ponderosa. All sites are first-come first-served.
Note: During dry conditions, the first 7 miles of Soap Creek Road are passable to trailers and RVs. Rain can make the Soap Creek Road hazardous or impassable.
$20 - $65 / night
$29 - $42 / night
Purgatoire Campground is nestled near the headwaters of the Purgatoire River in the beautiful Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The primitive campground is laid out on two loops. One is a large grassy meadow with sites that accommodate equestrian campers and one that is wooded with aspen and spruce.Constructed by the Youth Conservation Corp in 1976, Purgatoire was originally named Potato Patch Campground. The river provides nice fishing and a trailhead attracts hikers and horseback riders.
The North Fork Trail # 1309 is located on the north end of the campground and offers non-motorized access to hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. The 5-mile trail delights with mountain vistas and shade from forested terrain. The river, which is creek-sized at these upper reaches, provides opportunities for anglers to cast for trout.
The campground is in an aspen and conifer forest near the North Fork River at an elevation of 9,800 feet. The river, also known as the Purgatoire River, flows 196 miles to the confluence of the Arkansas River. Pike-San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet.
The nearby towns of Stonewall and Cuchara offer shopping and restaurants.
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.
$23 / night
Each campsite is 5-10 acres. Miles of running trails and an outdoor gym are available to guests. Each campground is equipped with a fire pit, log benches, charcoal grill, and hammock posts. Tents, sleeping bags, hammocks, And more are available to rent by reservation. Spectacular 7600 ft 360-degree high desert views.
The Cotton Creek Trail is 13.1 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 962 and ends at Forest Trail #745. Trail is well marked and maintained. It follow the creek through a rugged, steep canyon and diverse scenery, with views of high peaks and many beautiful wildflowers in season. Some stream crossings can be tricky if water level is high. Attractions are fishing in creeks and lakes, and many good campsites. Teacup Lake presents an opportunity for primitive route finding.
The trail is open for the following uses: Hiking, Backpacking, Horseback Riding, Dispersed Camping, and Wildflower Viewing
Scout
The Colorado Sports Ranch and Refuge offers a unique blend of outdoor activities and relaxation, making it an ideal getaway for sports enthusiasts. With its expansive facilities, it perfectly complements Sportzfy TV's mission to promote active lifestyles and engage audiences in diverse sporting events. Whether you’re looking to train or unwind, this destination provides an excellent backdrop for fitness and recreation. For More: https://www.sportzfytvapks.com/
ScoutThe Colorado Sports Ranch and Refuge offers a unique blend of outdoor activities and relaxation, making it an ideal getaway for sports enthusiasts. With its expansive facilities, it perfectly complements Sportzfy TV's mission to promote active lifestyles and engage audiences in diverse sporting events. Whether you’re looking to train or unwind, this destination provides an excellent backdrop for fitness and recreation. For More: https://www.sportzfytvapks.com/
Traveler
The sky is GORGEOUS. The road is very rocky & very rough, so you'll want to have decent clearance and be prepared to take it slow. I've never seen so many stars!
Traveler
Your vehicle will prob need new brakes after this trip. Super beautiful but the road never eases up.
Guide
The campground won't accommodate fifth wheels only horse and rv up to 30 or so. Many of the sites in the 30,s up are useless other than a van. Tent sites are not good. Very uneven pads. The 40,s are much better and all mostly tents. The sites below 30 to 1 are pretty nice. Must say the hosts for the new concession explorUS were doing a bang up job.
TravelerThere are at least ten dispersed spots off the road, CC64. They are large spots with fire rings. Three of them are on the creek. Once the wind settled, there were more stars than I've ever seen in my life. Endless views and endless stars - can't beat it!
Also - it's only 5 miles from Valley View if you can't get a reservation there but can get a day pass.
Guide
Stunning spot, lots of tent sites, room for maybe 12 campers of modest length, mine is 26' spot #9 is prime for a camper with a driver side slide/kitchen table. unknown if it's seasonal but the biting flies, primarily deer flies are beyond bearable, I survived 4 days, most other campers left after one night. The camp host is very friendly, and knows the best fishing holes.
Traveler
My husband and I stayed here for a night just passing through. This is only about 12 miles from the Great Sand Dunes National Park and also on the way the Crater Lake. There are several dispersed campsites. We had a UHaul trailer we were pulling and it was easy to get to a campsite. All campsites seems you would be able to get to with a RV or a 2 wheel car. We did not do any exploring but I'm sure hiking is great.
ScoutThis is a wonderfully isolated, dispersed camping area. There are group sites and individual ones, scattered bathrooms, and a few picnic tables. Not much to do nearby, but the campsite is beautiful.
ScoutAbout 3 hours south of Denver. Solid trails nearby, sites are large and spread out enough, and bathrooms are close and clean
GuideThis was a gorgeous place to stay. The sites were widely spaced on the lower level. There were plenty of sites. Make sure you check your vehicle length because some of the spots were pretty small. It was just a quick trip into Westcliffe to pick up any forgotten supplies. Cell service was good here. No water or electrical hookups.
TravelerBeautiful camping sites. They’re small though. Our 12 person tent (18’x10’) did not fit on site. We ended up placing it in the parking spot and parked next to the tent so it worked out. We stayed July 1st-5th and it rained every day we were there. Very windy as well… make sure you stake everything down and add some weight to it too.
Guide
This was a beautiful peaceful camp ground. Very quiet. It has a pit toilet which was decent - better than having to use or portable. No cell phone service.
RangerI can understand rating this campground low if you were hoping to find a Ritz Carlton at the end of the 4-mile rough road, but if you're looking for a beautiful high altitude forested campground that offers solitude and great hiking, you've come to the right place! The worst we can say about it was that we visited in the height of mud season and it made leveling our rig a little tricky as the levelling blocks kept sinking in the soft Dyrt under the weight of our wheels, but we eventually figured it out. There was snow on the ground and snow flurries during our visit. We basically had the whole campground to ourselves on a mid-week evening, maybe two others in the entire campground. Our rig is 28' long, and if the place had been more crowded we may have had trouble finding a spot long enough for us, but given how empty it was we had our pick of multiple sites that worked. Overall a very cool spot off the Highway of Legends. If you're in the vicinity of the Spanish Peaks and looking for some great mountain camping, this is your place!
Traveler
They were super responsive to all our questions! It was a beautiful property along the river. Definitely recommend camping here!
GuideViews are amazing! Very quiet and the star gazing is some of the best. Stayed right on the water. Host was knowledgeable of area and things to do. Red Lake hike was awesome and easy.
TravelerQuite National Forest camp ground that is a pay per night. Site has a nice creek and offers lots of hiking. Vault toilets and several water fountains. No electricity. Lots of wildlife in the area.
ScoutLiked the camp spots (ours was 14). Mark (the camp host) kept everything clean. Beautiful star viewing. 4 mile dirt road was a bit rough bringing my camper. Verizon coverage had 1 bar at the south end.
GuideWe arrived around 830am on a July Saturday morning and found a handful of spots available to select from. We were a party of five with one large tent, one medium size tent and 2 vehicles. Luckily spot 43 at the top of the loop was available and able to accommodate our group. It was located close to water and a pit toilet as well. The host was attentive and cleaned and stocked the toilet. The campground was beautiful and had access to several wonderful trails. The night sky was amazing after the rain passed through and the clouds cleared. There was a group at a lower loop that was playing really loud music until well after quiet time. I do wish the host had put an end to that. Firewood was available for purchase at the host, but we were allowed to gather our own as well. All in all, a wonderful location and we were glad to find a spot and would love to return.
GuideI actually deleted my other review because I thought I had the wrong campsite but I checked and it’s all good. The only amenity we had was a vault toilet with a nearby water pump, a fire pit, picnic table and bear boxes. The vault toilets were probably the nicest I’ve been too. They were clean and didn’t smell at all.
The view was beautiful and it’s a short hike down to wade in the cool water. I really enjoyed the quiet here. There were only a few other campers and it mostly felt like we had the place to ourselves.
TravelerI absolutely love this area of Colorado. It's breathtaking no matter which direction you look. Decent campground that was a bit too big for my taste. I agree with another reviewer: choose your site wisely! Dirty vault toilets. Water spigots that were almost all dripping (some almost running). I believe it should be posted at time of reservation if there are STEPS involved to set up camp. This site had maybe 10 steps, some in desperate need of repair. As a senior solo camper, this was challenging. This site was not my choice but the only one available for my time-frame (right next door to the camp host and on the main/incoming road). When we were there, no availability of firewood from camp host, but a load did arrive while we were there. Really noisy campground (plenty of barking dogs), PLUS,a helicopter was doing a training mission two of the days we were there and flew directly over the campground, low-level, 3-5 times each day.
No bear boxes. (there was a hiker/bear interaction on the Venable trail on June 17th.)
Positives were wildlife, scenery, wildflowers, awesome hiking both directions out of the campground, nice fellow campers (those we met).
In hindsight, I would have been really upset if I'd paid full price.
GuideI love/hate this campground after staying here several times. First, the good: it’s beautiful here. Generally a quiet campground, and in my experience rarely full. Trails right out of the campground travel through gorgeous terrain.
Now the bad / weird: We’ve seen folks try to squat on reserved sites (only to be kicked out by the arriving reservation), sites with atv trailers parked on them with nobody there. Some sites (looking at you, 34) don’t have a good place to put a tent. On our last visit, meadow voles spent the night climbing up and down our tent poles while some played a radio loudly and late into the night— not fun!
Lower sites are larger, more open, and more recently updated. Sites further uphill are in a mixed state of dilapidation.
GuideThis is the second summer here. Lovely except no camp host. The toilets are all in need of tending. Already end of June. And full. People are coming up here putting tickets on first come first serve without occupying the space. That should not be allowed nor should putting a fake tent down. Another trailer didn't leave when the date said and no one around. I was told the trailer had been there for days. I think the forest service should get rid of all private companies who run our parks. Refund the forest service. Recreation.gov is out of Canada for Pete's sake.
TravelerGreat campground at 9000’ with trees all around and wonderful view of the valley below. Hosts were great. We easily got our 40’ coach into a very level site. Definitely will be back!
ScoutNice and mostly empty.
GuideWe stayed at Alvarado for one night on 5/15/2021. We had sites 34 and 35 right across the road from each other. Steve the host was really friendly and stopped by to say hello a couple of times. There are several hiking trails nearby. The vault toilets were right by us and we didn’t have any issues with smell, and they were the cleanest vault toilets I’ve ever seen. The water was closed when we were there because they were waiting on test results before they could open, they did end up opening the water on Sunday so I’m assuming it’s good to go for the season now. Town is really close by (maybe 15 min) so we just went into town and filled up water jugs. Site 34 was a bit close to the campsite next to us. We ended up going to sleep when our neighbors did just because we thought even low voices would be a disturbance to them in their tents. Other than the close proximity, the sites were great and nicely maintained. The sites higher than 35 seem to be spaced a bit further apart so would probably go to the upper sites next time. Great campsite, would return again!
Nice picnic tables and permanent fire pits/grates (which means you can typically use even during stage one fire bans) at every site. A lot of dumpsters and water spots, as well as toilets.
Ranger
Spots right on the river are pure bliss. Full hookups and the sound of the Rio Grande to lull you to sleep. How great is that?
Full hookups were great. Owners were fantastic and friendly.
The town of South Fork is very small but you can get groceries and gas. South Fork is on the East side of Wolf Creek Pass, which is a beautiful, steep, drive. The best part about the area is the ample amount of fishing. This area is an anglers dream, reservoirs in every corner of the map with the Rio Grande at your fingertips. Fishing dreams made!
Campground spots were well positioned but a tiny bit close. I would highly recommend any of the ones on the river, you have plenty of space to spread out between the picnic table, fire ring and grassy area by the river's edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Alamosa, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Alamosa, CO is Alvarado Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Alamosa, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Alamosa, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
