Sportsman’s Campground & Mountain Cabins
Great Campground
One of our new favorites. Remote, quiet, and great staff. Very welcoming. Spent a week there and absolutely loved it. Scenery is amazing.
East Fork San Juan River dispersed camping offers primitive sites for campers with horses approximately 45 minutes from Pagosa Springs, Colorado. While no formal horse corrals are provided at the dispersed sites, multiple camping areas have sufficient space for portable corral setups and horse trailer parking. The sites follow Forest Service Road 667 past East Fork Campground with over 20 potential camping spots along the riverside. The road becomes fairly rough after passing the developed campground, requiring vehicles with adequate clearance. Horse owners frequently use this area due to access to multiple trail systems including the Quartz Ridge trail. The ground near campsites can become muddy after rainfall, requiring proper site selection for horse containment.
Located within San Juan National Forest, these dispersed sites provide direct access to extensive trail networks suitable for day rides. Most campsites cluster near the river, providing water access for horses while maintaining distance from the main forest road. Weekend traffic increases with Jeeps and UTVs using the same access roads, but campsites set back from the road remain relatively quiet. No potable water, restroom facilities or trash service exists at these primitive sites, requiring equestrians to pack in all necessary supplies and pack out all waste including horse manure. The nearby Treasure Falls area offers additional riding opportunities. Horse camping is permitted for up to 14 days following standard Forest Service dispersed camping regulations.
"Pass by the entrance to East Fork Campground and continue on the forest service road. This is where the road becomes fairly rough. Dispersed sites begin about 2 miles further."
"Not far off the highway but far enough. At a point it says 4x4 only and I only walked there. Lots of wildlife activity."
"This privately owned campground feels like Colorado-at peace-to me. "
"Nice campground right next to the San Juan nation forest. Could use a little landscaping. However, it is very peaceful and we would stay here again"
from $34 - $190 / night
"The drive in is easy on Route 17 and does not require a vehicle with high ground clearance. They do allow campfires, they have clean bathrooms and a shower house."
"Close to lots of fishing and hiking in the area. Beautiful place to watch the sunset and the stars at night. Nice and quiet at night."
"Beautiful area with lots of hiking near by."
"It's a little ways out but the drive makes up for the miles"
from $34 - $58 / night
"It's an easy dirt road drive down the river and you will pass many dispersed site and a couple of defined camping grounds."
"You can find a Andy beach access to the river from some campsites. It gives you more private, primitive, and exciting camp feel to it compared to stay at the Amphitheater campsite nearby."
"My wife and I have stayed at Hopewell Lake twice now. The first time we stayed here, we stumbled upon this little gem of a site while driving from Durango, CO to Taos, NM."
"No luck fishing but several people around us were catching very nice sized trout. Vault toilets were well stocked and clean."
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $24 - $125 / night
"Mountains in the distance, a river right next to camp, gravel and dirt roads, lots of woods.. what more can you ask for? We stayed Wednesday through Friday night."
"there’s a fire ban, so it makes it hard to stay warm at night, but the stars are amazing. it’s quiet. it’s lovely. there’s canyon walls for miles. it’s really amazing. some of these pics are from the nearby"
"Good fishing opportunities and trails for hiking and horseback riding. Spring cave is open seasonally April 15-aug15 with permit required to protect the bats from White nose syndrome."
"Nestled next to the Rio Grande River hand its gorgeous. This is the Rio Grande in Colorado so there's plenty of running water for tubing, rafting and fishing."
from $29 - $42 / night
"Red Lake hike was awesome and easy."
from $20 - $65 / night
One of our new favorites. Remote, quiet, and great staff. Very welcoming. Spent a week there and absolutely loved it. Scenery is amazing.
I set up camp across the creek from the campground. Over a bridge there’s a fire ring and a picnic table. Plenty of room for tents and small RV.
Any vehicle can make it on this road but it's purely washboard and was really rough on my trailer. Many spots along the way to camp and 2 miles in before the road gets worse is a good location. At 3 miles there is a sign recommending no trailers and only high clearance vehicles.
Close to the main highway. 1 bar Verizon signal. Full rv hook ups, pit toilets, and picnic tables. The drive in there is a large meadow that had several elk. A large logging operation is happening around the rv park, so it probably gets loud with machinery during the day. This is a seasonal rv park.
This was really pretty and easy to get to. Not far off the highway but far enough. At a point it says 4x4 only and I only walked there. Lots of wildlife activity. There was a ripped off elk( or something) leg right by my campsite so I turned in early. There is a clear creek running along the fs road
We found a spot about 4.5-5 miles in. And was right on the river with lots of privacy. The area is nice and quiet overall. We came in on a Wednesday and left Friday so not too much traffic. We will definitely be back to this spot!
Stayed one night by a recommendation from a local guide at the chimney rock national monument!
A fun drive along the river and landed in a beautiful secluded solo spot just over 2 miles down the road off of 160, right before the first bridge. (There are plenty more sites as you travel further!)
The spot can be sketchy if you have a shorter clearance since there are two rocky drops that you can be avoided with a good approach
I have a subaru outback which made it in just fine.
The road was in great conditions, many sites to choose for. I stayed for 10 days and many people came and go (busy) but juts stunning with the river there and amazing lullaby for sleeping time. I got a visitors few cows snooping my site but the left right away.
There are 20+ campsites along FR667. Some can accommodate RVs, some only tents. We parked a popup at the 1st campsite past the bridge near the trailhead. 2 waterfalls are close, Pagosa Springs is 30ish mins away. Our kids tubed down the creek. Lots of ATV traffic, some bikes, but overall quiet.
Horse camping in Colorado offers a unique opportunity to explore the stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Chromo, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Chromo, CO is East Fork San Juan River, USFS Road 667 - Dispersed Camping with a 4.7-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Chromo, CO?
TheDyrt.com has all 13 equestrian camping locations near Chromo, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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