T
Travis S.
Traveler
TravelerBuffalo Springs
Just far enough
Campsites are spaced very nicely. Lots of new growth! We will definetly be coming back
Best Campgrounds near Howard, CO
Camping options near Howard, Colorado include a mix of established campgrounds, dispersed sites, and cabin facilities stretching along the Arkansas River corridor. Sugarbush Campground directly in Howard provides tent and RV camping with full hookups, while nearby Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area offers multiple developed campgrounds like Rincon and Salida East with various accommodation types. Several properties feature cabin rentals, including Cutty's Resort near Coaldale, approximately 7 miles southwest of Howard. The region supports both primitive camping on public lands and amenity-rich options with showers, electric hookups, and sewer connections.
Road conditions and access vary considerably throughout the region depending on location and elevation. Most established campgrounds like Sugarbush are accessible via Highway 50, while dispersed sites such as Hayden Creek Roadside Camp require navigating less-maintained forest roads. Many campgrounds in the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area operate year-round but take reservations primarily from April through October. Facilities range from basic (vault toilets only) to comprehensive with showers and hookups. Highway noise can be a factor at several riverside locations, particularly at Rincon Campground. According to one visitor, "The road is right behind you so it's good for one night. Went swimming in the river and it was glorious."
Campers consistently rate waterfront locations among their favorite aspects of camping in this area. Sites along the Arkansas River provide opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming while offering scenic mountain views. Several visitors mention the peaceful setting despite occasional highway noise, with one noting that "sites are close together but very nice and level, plus there isn't large gravel which is a lot easier on the tent." The Salida area serves as a convenient basecamp for outdoor recreation, with a visitor describing Sugarbush as a "great basecamp" with "so much to do in this area." Campgrounds farther from the highway tend to offer more solitude but may have fewer amenities. Most developed campgrounds require reservations, particularly during summer months.
Best Camping Sites Near Howard, Colorado (297)
1. Cutty's Resort - Hayden Creek
10 ReviewsCoaldale, CO5 milesWebsite+1 (719) 942-4222$60 - $300 / night
"Close to everything you need but you will feel away from it all."
"Our family and another reserved two sites next to each other. The pools on site were perfect for the kids. On site mini golf was a blast. The views in the campground were awesome."
2. Sugarbush Campground
7 ReviewsHoward, CO2 milesWebsite+1 (719) 942-3363"really friendly staff, clean facilities, and very close to Salida! Was a perfect weekend."
"The creek that runs through the sites drown out any highway noise. Easy 5 minute run to fishing access. Very family friendly."
3. Salida East Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
12 ReviewsSalida, CO10 milesWebsite+1 (719) 539-7289$28 / night
"Right next to the river. You can hear the traffic from the highway unfortunately but its not terrible."
"This campsite is a couple miles outside of Salida. Along the river it offers beautiful views and immediate access to the river. The camp host is friendly and the campsite is very well maintained."
4. Rincon Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
8 ReviewsHoward, CO5 milesWebsite+1 (719) 539-7289$28 / night
"This is a lovely, well maintained campground next to the Arkansas River. There is a boat launch and vault toilets (clean). There are no frills, but it is a peaceful setting."
"Basic campground surrounded by beauty nice lake"
5. Hayden Creek Road
7 ReviewsCoaldale, CO6 milesWebsite$22 / night
"Tent camped in the dispersed area because Hayden creek was full, near Rainbow trailhead, entire area to ourselves 98% of the time besides two groups of hikers over 2 nights almost 3 days."
"It had everything we needed: plenty of shade, the creek rolling by right next to us. I loved falling asleep to the sound of the water."
6. Salida RV Resort
7 ReviewsSalida, CO10 milesWebsite+1 (719) 882-1569$73 - $144 / night
"Great location, close to Salida and hiking & biking trails. "
"The resort is modern with all new and clean amenities, the staff is responsive to emails and very friendly in person, and the location is convenient to Salida and the activities of the area. "
7. Hecla Junction Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
23 ReviewsNathrop, CO20 milesWebsite+1 (719) 539-7289$28 / night
"The campground is north of Salida Colorado on the Arkansas River. This is the busy spot at the end of the commercial river rafting run."
"Beautiful in its location, there were site improvements several years ago, which are nice and still hold true in 2023. (level tent pads, delineated sites, etc.)"
8. Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area
17 ReviewsPoncha Springs, CO18 milesWebsite"If you ever been to any of the BLM camping locations around Salida, Mt. Shavano is not anything different."
"It was easy to find and close to the highway. The road was pretty good but got a bit bumpy as we got closer but still not a problem with our trailer."
9. Salida North BLM
23 ReviewsNathrop, CO20 milesWebsite"Within 20 minutes of driving you have multiple Colorado 14ers to hike, amazing fishing, miles of mountain biking trails and 2 amazing towns with great places to eat or grab a beer. "
"Beautiful surroundings, picnic tables, fire rings. I gave it a 4 because of annoying rig running generator and a little highway noise."
10. Hayden Creek Roadside Camp
4 ReviewsCoaldale, CO6 miles"level, shaded, right by nice size creek. perfect for exploring and quiet. we were in tent but saw several largeRV. some traffic but never heard another person. were a few spots right next to us but we"
"Quite a few flat tent spots right by the creek although there are boulders from preventing you from driving too far into the woods."
Recent Camping Photos near Howard, CO
564 Photos of 297 Howard Campgrounds
Nicole L.
Pleasant Valley RV Park
Pamela K.
Black Bear Retreat
Sarah S.
Vallie Bridge Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Fabein D.
Point Barr Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Alicia S.
Cutty's Resort - Hayden Creek
Shawnda T.
Hayden Creek Road
Nicole B.
Hayden Creek Roadside Camp
KEITH K.
Salida East Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Molly C.
Salida BLM Land
Danielle W.
Sweetwater River Resort
Katie
Valley View Hot Springs—Orient Land Trust - CLOTHING OPTIONAL
Recent Reviews near Howard, CO
1533 Reviews of 297 Howard Campgrounds
- mmackenzie T.
ScoutPinon Flats Campground — Great Sand Dunes National Park
Stunning views
Stunning views. Clean bathrooms. Everyone is respectful
Jesse G.TravelerStone Cabin
Nice spot right off the highway.
I went all the way down to the bottom near the old miners cabin. Very few people around in May besides a few fisherman. The spot was right off of the Arkansas River. It was peaceful. The only drawback was everything is dirt! Be prepared to get a lil dirty!
- DDeitz B.
GuideEast Ridge Campground - Royal Gorge
Quiet Trail Hub
Very quiet Sunday night-Tuesday. This campsite is a little hub for a great trail system around the area. Was able to hop some trails with my bike just a few feet away from my campsite. Seemed like every site had a great fire pit.. although there was a fire ban. Recommend if you want a weekend exploring the Royal Gorge.
- MM K.Guide
Stone Cabin
Absolutely beautiful
Looks like it’s me and the fly fishers. Great spot.
Kim G.
LegendSalida RV Resort
Open feeling and new
Newer RV park that feels open and has nice view of the mountains around Salida. One clubhouse with bathrooms and showers. Two stalls in the women’s room and two showers. The park is filled with tiny homes for semi-permanent residents. Close to Salida. We plan to ride our e-bikes but have to go along Highway 50 for a bit. Wish there was a bike lane.
- Jesse G.Traveler
Shavano Mountain
Wonderful spot!
It's about 20 mins outside of Salida. There are a few sections of the road that are pretty rocky/bumpy, but I think anyone could get up here. There are tons of large spread out spots between Loops A,B and C. Great views of the mountains and good Verizon service. I'm up here on a Monday and have not had a single car drive by my camp.
- Kim G.Legend
Pinon Flats Campground — Great Sand Dunes National Park
Great campground for dune access
You can walk to the dunes from the campground. It is beautifully set amongst Pinon pines. The sites are widely spaced but almost all are very slanted. Hard to level a van or camper. Restrooms (toilets and sinks) are clean. No hand soap though. There is an RV dump outside the campground. Very quiet and some sites have beautiful views.
- MM K.Guide
Hendricks Flat
Perfect for an overnight
Clean spots with picnic tables and fire rings at each spot. (Although no fires allowed at this time.) Two porta-potties at the entrance. Nice and quiet. Only negative is that the spots are very close together so there’s very little privacy. There were many big horn sheep in camp at dusk which was a cool surprise.
Guide to Howard
Camping options near Howard, Colorado range from established sites with full amenities to primitive dispersed camping along forest roads. Located in the Arkansas River Valley at approximately 7,000 feet elevation, this area experiences cool nights even in summer months with temperature drops of 30-40 degrees from daytime highs. The region's camping season typically runs from late spring through early fall, with accessibility to higher elevation sites limited by snowfall from November through April.
What to do
River activities: Fish, raft, or swim in the Arkansas River at Hecla Junction Campground, which offers boat launch access for those exploring Browns Canyon. "Great views of the Arkansas River. Probably best suited for RVs and quick spot to camp," notes Kenneth S. from Hecla Junction Campground.
Hiking and exploration: Trek the Rainbow Trail near Hayden Creek Road for mountain views and creek access. "Tent camped in the dispersed area because Hayden creek was full, near Rainbow trailhead, entire area to ourselves 98% of the time besides two groups of hikers over 2 nights almost 3 days," shares Shawn at Hayden Creek Road.
Soak in hot springs: Visit Valley View Hot Springs for natural thermal pools. "We originally planned just to do a daily soak before heading to our next campsite but ended up just staying here because we enjoyed it so much," says Brittany R. at Valley View Hot Springs.
What campers like
Secluded creek-side camping: Hayden Creek Roadside Camp offers sites alongside flowing water. "There are a handful of dispersed camping sites along Hayden Creek Rd, South of Cuttys and before you get the the USFS campground. The creek is nice and the sounds was much louder then we anticipated, which was good," reports Kelly at Hayden Creek Roadside Camp.
Family activities at resorts: Cutty's Resort offers organized activities beyond camping. "We had a good time, plenty of activities, pools, putt-putt, hiking, they had young staff that organized hands on crafts and science experiment classes for all the kids to participate in who were staying that weekend. One class was the kids making alka seltzer rockets," explains Thomas P.
Mountain views and wildlife watching: Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area provides elevated perspectives. "Beautiful view of divide in one side and Arkansas Valley on the other. 14 day limit, we stayed 3 nights and it was quiet and peaceful. We saw Bats, Nighthawks, Turkey Vultures, Coyotes, and Deer," shares Sheridan B. at Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area.
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Many established campgrounds require advance planning. "DO NOT GO HERE UNLESS YOU MAKE A RESERVATION! The camp host was very friendly and nice! She told us that it fills up fast and that we were so lucky to pull in when we did," warns Kirsten L. about Hecla Junction.
Road conditions: Access varies widely between sites. "The road starts as tar and converts to gravel. It is a maintained road but is loaded with washboard so you may just have to take it easy if you have a motor home or trailer," explains Chad M. about Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area.
Seasonal considerations: Weather impacts camping experience significantly. "It got very cold in October, but has beautiful views of the mountains!" notes Dare To Everywhere about Hayden Creek Road.
Tips for camping with families
Activities for children: Look for campgrounds with structured recreation. "We make sure to visit Cutty's every summer. Lots for the kids and adults to enjoy. Indoor and outdoor pools, mini golf, volleyball, basketball, tennis, horse shoes, bingo, karaoke, too much to list!" recommends Alicia S. at Cutty's Resort - Hayden Creek.
Quieter locations for family rest: Some campgrounds offer more peace than others. "We had a great time with our family camping here for a long memorial day weekend. Really friendly staff, clean facilities, and very close to Salida! Was a perfect weekend," shares Mike D. about Salida North BLM.
Connectivity concerns: Cell service varies widely. "No cell service via Verizon; very spotty with AT&T. But good, fast Wi-Fi is available," reports Matt about Sugarbush Campground.
Tips from RVers
Leveling challenges: Prepare for uneven terrain at some sites. "Our particular site was pretty unlevel but that's not the campground's fault," notes Sarah F. about Cutty's Resort.
Hookup availability: Electric and water connections vary by location. "Sites are close together but very nice and level, plus there isn't large gravel which is a lot easier on the tent. The facilities and laundry room were clean," explains Will T. about Sugarbush Campground.
Size restrictions: Not all roads accommodate larger rigs. "Nothing is officially marked but you can tell where others have camped and many sites have a fire ring. Shortly after you enter the Wildlife Area if your driving an RV or trailer you may want to take a right and explore that area," suggests Chad M. about Mt. Shavano Wildlife Area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find camping sites in Howard County?
Where can I find camping sites in Howard County?
Howard County offers diverse camping opportunities. Sugarbush Campground is conveniently located near Howard and provides drive-in access. For those seeking a more secluded experience, Road 240 - Dispersed offers wooded sites with river access. The area also features several dispersed camping options along forest service roads that provide peaceful settings away from crowds. Most camping areas are accessible from late spring through early fall, with high-elevation sites typically snow-free from June through September.
What amenities are available at Howard County campgrounds?
What amenities are available at Howard County campgrounds?
Amenities vary widely across Howard County campgrounds. Riverside RV Park offers riverside campsites with the soothing sounds of the Arkansas River, ideal for RVers seeking water access. Ohaver Lake Campground provides lakeside sites with excellent trout fishing. Most established campgrounds feature fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets. Dispersed camping areas typically offer minimal amenities—just beautiful scenery and privacy. Some campgrounds have potable water during peak season, but it's always wise to bring your own, especially at primitive sites.
Do I need reservations for camping in Howard County?
Do I need reservations for camping in Howard County?
Reservation requirements vary across Howard County camping areas. Rincon Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area requires reservations through Colorado Parks & Wildlife (800-244-5613 or cpwshop.com). Hecla Junction Campground also operates on a reservation system. For dispersed camping areas like 228A Dispersed Campsite, no reservations are needed, but these operate on a first-come, first-served basis. During peak summer months and holidays, securing reservations for established campgrounds is highly recommended, especially on weekends.
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