Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Outside of Montrose Colo a few miles. South Rim CG is at 8200 elv. Loop C is all FCFS and only $8 nite senior rate. Loop A and B are all reservation and in addition Loop B has electric hookups.

Only three stars as the sites are tight and most are not easy setup for larger RVs. and most are side pull in so vehicles are passing you very close by and not good for kids and dogs. CG is in dense oak shrubs. Only one water spigot in C loop and sign notes no RV fill-up. Dumpsters at the CG pay station parking area.

No TMobile cell up here so my Starlink RV setup is working great.

We were thrilled to find this primitive camping area right by the river. There are fifteen spots, 7 of those have drive in access, the other 8 are a park and walk down a small embankment - but oh, what a setting - set in a grove of trees, it was beautiful. There are picnic tables, bathrooms and the roar of the river to sleep next too.

This campground is right at the edge of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but because you take a steep, twisty ride down to the river, the elevation went from over 9000 to under 7000, a welcome change if you aren't acclimated to the altitude. We set up our OzTent on the upper level (the drive in section) and took a walk. The historical displays are well done, be sure to visit the Visitor Center at the National Park to get the rest of the story, and regardless of your age, pick up a Junior Ranger book and earn your badge.

We will definitely go back, just for the scenery.

Overall, our family enjoyed our stay. We reserved a campsite for our 31' travel trailer at the end of May. The location was beautiful and though it was right off of the highway, we felt very safe and the campground was quiet. The staff were very friendly, however, it was difficult to access them since the office was usually closed and unless you saw them working out in the campground you didn't know where to go to find someone. The grounds were very well kept, clean laundry, shower, bathroom facilities. The only issue we had with the campsite was that there wasn't alot of gravel so when it rained our site got very muddy. RV rugs were not allowed so we ended up tracking alot of mud into our camper. Be sure to bring quarters for the laundry, there is no quarter machine and since the staff can be difficult to locate I didn't have an opportunity to ask if they have any to exchange. Close to Montrose and Black Canyons of the Gunnison National Park, easy access to these and highly recommend checking them out if you stay here!

This campsite is just west of Gunnison, CO and east of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It is in the Curecanti National Recreation Area where there are multiple campgrounds and dispersed camping sites. This review is on the Curecanti Creek campground on Morrow Point Reservoir. You can locate this campsite on the map in this link https://www.nps.gov/cure/planyourvisit/maps.htm . This campground is alongside the Gunnison River in a canyon; it is beautiful and perfect for SUPing, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. This is a free campsite and is not reservable, so come claim your spot early in the day/weekend.

First thing you should know is this is a pack in or boat in campsite. When I camped here, I parked at Pioneer Point and hiked the Curecanti Creek Trail down the canyon to the river. The trail from the top to the water is just under 2 miles. It is a beautiful trail that follows Curecanti Creek. Be aware that there is a 900 ft elevation change from top to bottom; the trail is steep. The group I went with managed to hike with all our gear; none of us are avid hikers but are in our 20s. I wouldn't recommend bringing small children along, but I do recommend bringing your dog! If you want to boat in, I know that you can launch any type of car top boat at Pine Creek (refer back to that map).

Once you get down to the river there is a small campsite and very small beach area. There is room for maybe 2 tents. There is also a bear box, fire pit, and apparently a vault toilet according to the NPS website, but I don't recall there being a bathroom. Our group was too big to fit at the campsite, so we went back up the trail about a mile because there is actually another campsite up the trail that has a fire pit with a grate, a picnic table, and enough room to fit 5+ tents. I definitely recommend stopping at this campsite if you have a large group, it's a shorter haul with all your gear. This campsite is to the left of the trail and to the right of the creek. There is also another campsite called Blue Creek (refer to that map again) across the river from the first campsite I mentioned. That one is right on the river and had more space; probably enough room for 3 tents. I'm not sure what else it had because I never went over there. You would need to haul down a boat to get across the river to reach that one though.

I do recommend bringing some type of boat/raft/floatie so that you can explore the canyon. We hauled down an inflatable paddle board and paddled to Chipeta Falls (on the map) which is just east of the campsite on the river. Although the water is cold, it is calm and easy to paddle or swim in. Overall, this campsite is a little work to get to but the beauty is worth it! Not to mention, the stars at night were awesome for star gazing.

The Gunnison KOA is in a beautiful setting with large trees that is about 75 yards from the river. The spaces are generously sized, although the camping sites could use power outlets. They are very kid and pet friendly; and have a dog park. There is a friendly donkey who roams the grounds, so make sure your 4 legged friends are okay around bigger animals. The bathrooms are clean and functional. The same could not be said for the dishwashing station that is outdoors. It is in horrible condition, including a dripping faucet. Also, be aware that you are very close to the river and there is a mosquito and moisture problem. Even with these minor problems, this is still a great place to stay.