Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Villa Grove, CO

Very clean, large level spots with gravel and plenty of room in between RVs.  Great location, close to Salida and hiking & biking trails.  Directly on the Arkansas River -- river view spots are very nice and all spots have a view of the mountains, there's a bit of road noise from nearby highway.  Friendly staff, nice clubhouse with showers, pool table & fitness center, there's a small dog park and pickleball courts.  Direct access to Arkansas River for kayaks and small boats (walk down to river, can't drive there).  Campground internet was spotty but cell service is great so internet is very good if you have a hot spot.  Highly recommended, my only complaint is there's no pool or hot tub.

WE LOVED OUR TRIP TO THIS RV PARK.  NESTLED ON THE RIO GRANDE RIVER AND PLENTY OF LARGE COTTONWOOD TREES PROVIDING SHADE AND A REPRIEVE FROM THE WARM AFTERNOON SUN.  LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM DEL NORTE WITH SHOPS AND DELICIOUS MICRO BREWERY AND MICRO BAKERY (WHICH OPENED THE DAY WE ARRIVED).  HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR FAMILIES AND PETS.

PLAYGROUND FOR KIDS HAS A FUN ZIPLINE AND LOTS OF TRAILS TO WALK THE DOGS.

Our family of four (two adults and two kids + a dog) were lucky enough to tent camp at the Ramble Test Site location as early testers back in late September 2022. The campsite is modeled after the Signature Plus category and it is massive: three spread out and level tent pads with tie down hooks and each had its own electrical outlet that we used for tent lights and iphone charging. The campsite was well equipped with everything you'd need for an awesome camping trip. It had its own outdoor kitchen with a foot pump powered sink, drinkable water, a really nice Camp Chef stove, a solar powered outlet for small devices(plugged up the bluetooth speaker), a large shade structure, a picnic table, a fancy Solo Stove fire pit, six comfy but well built chairs, horseshoe pits and cornhole. The campsite was pet friendly and even had a dog leash connection hook. We used a trailer bathroom at this location but the location down near the Great Sand Dunes National Park will have its own bath house with flushing toilets, sinks, hot showers and baby changing areas. It also will include a mini shop that is QR code accessible for easy purchases of firewood and toiletries. I would highly recommend this campground for those looking for a genuine and upscale camping experience!

We loved this camp site! It was our first time to tent camp in Colorado and it was great. Several sites to choose from. Some have views of the dunes, some are more secluded. Bathrooms were clean. Very spacious tent site with a fire pit. Our tent sleeps 6 and we had no trouble fitting in the spot.

Campground Review

What a cool place to cool off near the Sand Dunes. There are plots for RVs as well as tents. The campground hasn't been open more than a year and a half, and some areas are still taking shape and overall the campsite is still figuring itself out. While some sites are well established, there's a decent amount of open flat land people were camping on as well. This place used to be a tilapia farm and there's still some pools around the place with large fish. There are a few ponds with frogs too, which is cool, but also means pack the earplugs as these guys are an alarm clock you can't snooze in the AM.

The main attraction of this place for families has to be the pool, which also has a basic restaurant with grill food that's reasonably priced. There's also a separate adult only area within the pool rec center called "The Green Room" which has a bar and various temperature level hot tubs, a wading pool, and a sauna.

There is also a basketball court, coin operated showers and laundry, water hook ups, and electric hookups.

What's a little awkward about this place (as of May 2017) is the showers are a combo shower/toilet room, and there are two of them to service this whole camp when the pool rec area is closed (10pm-10am). There was another single service bathroom around the back of the rec building, but not well marked. While there are 2 port-o-potties (well maintained, to their credit), they would do well to add more facilities for the growing campground space, especially since checkout is 11am so most people want to use the bathrooms before they hit the road.

Gear Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products from time to time - today I am testing the Outdoor Travel Pack from Green Goo. Inside the plastic carry case (probably a good airport toiletry bag when these things get used up) it comes with two lip balms, some bug spray repellent, and two different salves - a pain relief and a first aid. Green Goo is a company based out of Lyons, CO and they definitely know how to cater to the drier air climate out here. Keeping yourself from getting cracked hands, feet, and lips is a constant struggle and so I'm always looking for good products to help me win the war. When your lips are begging for moisture, these balms are awesome because almost on contact does it start to feel like my lips are getting hydrated. The taste/flavors are good choices too, and not overpowering. I also am not a fan of lip balms that flake when you apply or leave a glossy finish, and this did neither.

The bug spray was nice for the flies, and it felt good knowing when I was spraying the stuff around my dog or campsite that if residue was getting anywhere, it wasn't a big deal since their products are made with all natural ingredients. Odor was also fine.

The First Aid salve was a savior, as we were camping in South Colorado in a town near Great Sand Dunes National Park and the basically desert climate dried out my feet pretty bad. I applied some salve when I woke up in the morning and before long my foot was already looking better. It felt better and when I put my sock on over the salve it didnt feel greasy or slippery. I continue to use it 3 days later and my feet are looking and feeling better.

My recommendation is to hit the sand dunes NOT at midday like me when it's hottest from the sun, but this and the pain relief salve were great for my dog. Yep, the products are safe around pets and what I decided to do after taking the dog out on the dunes (we turned around once it was super hot) was apply some to hit paws to help with the heat. Cracked paw pad protection for the win!

Overall this is a great line of products. They're easy to pack, do their job, and are all natural and safe around pets. What's not to like?

Absolutely beautiful Sand dunes in the mountains, it actually smells like an ocean beach and makes you feel like your on another world. The Dunes are 30 square miles and you can camp anywhere in them with a free permit available at the visitor center, just have to hike in past the first ridge aka the day use area. It's tent camping only, and no pets are allowed in the back country dunes. You also need to pack everything you need in with you and leave no trace. The winds blow often and hard, moving enough Sand to cover you tracks in minutes. The views of the sky and stars are absolutely mesmerizing, one of the most beautiful Sand fields in the world. The creek that runs through the day use area can fluctuate in size daily, it wasn't high when we were there, but it was still flowing half way through the day use area. A must see destination if your in the San Luis Valley.

Joyful Journey is a lovely little hot springs in the middle of the San Luis Valley. The Sangre de Christo Mountains tower in the distance and on a moonlit night, they positively glow from the farthest pool. The water in these springs have trace amounts of lithium which makes them even more relaxing than others I've tried.

The springs is popular and can be a bit crowded, so be sure to reserve your spot ahead of time. Bring your own towels, as they can't always keep up with demand and flip flops are also a must for the showers. However, camping lets you stay a bit later than other folks and being able to wonder across the parking lot to the campground after a good soak instead of driving is a huge draw.

Since the campground as its just an extension of the parking lot there is room for large rigs. It features all the all the basics with a clean and close shower house, electrical hookups and grills. The nightly fee includes access to the pools and continental breakfast in the morning. Pets are allowed for an additional fee.

There are also yurts, teepees and motel rooms available to rent.

Overall: We LOVED this place! Beautiful, CLEAN, quiet and free.

Directions: Follow the signs instead of google maps. There comes a point shortly after turning onto 3A that you'll see a sign that points straight ahead to the campground. Soon after that, google maps wants you to turn slightly left onto a dirt road. Keep going straight!! Either way will get you there, but if you follow the signs you'll get to stay on the paved road much longer. Near the top of the winding hill, you'll see another sign pointing left to a dirt road - this is the one you want (by this point, google maps will have caught on and will recalculate you). Follow the signs in - the road's not bad at all, we were in our Ford F-150 and kept it on 2WD the whole time - and when you get to a fork, bear RIGHT. You'll see the campground sign ahead and will have your choice of turning onto the north (left) or south (right) loops.

Site: We stayed on the south loop at site 4 and it was wonderful! The sites are a little close together, but everyone was quiet and kept to themselves - not a big deal at all. We arrived at 4:30pm on a Friday and there were two spots left. Not sure about the north loop - signs and other reviews indicate that the north loop is tent camping only, but there were a bunch of rigs over there. Secure trash cans throughout and pit toilets (no locks!), though no water. Each site on the south loop has a picnic table, tent pad, and fire ring. Our site was very clean! We were also surprised to get great cell phone AND internet service here.

Hiking: What we really loved about this place was its access to some great hiking trails! Once in the south loop, you'll see a wooden sign that says "trails" near campsite 7. We took the Canyon Rim trail to the Overlook trail and got some gorgeous views of the gorge (out and back hike, a little over 4 miles). Also recommend taking the Canon Vista trail and then turning right on Far out to make it a 2 mile loop (be sure to take the Le View spur for the best views of the gorge)! The Smores trail is a fun little 1 mile loop around the campsite, good for stretching your legs once you arrive. It was late April when we went and the trails weren't crowded at all. This is a popular mountain biking area too.

Pets: We brought our dog, and lots of other campers did too. Everyone was very respectful and kept their dogs leashed. This is not the place to let your dog run off leash, please don't be that person. Aside from the fact that these are the camp rules, there are a lot of cows that wander pretty close to the campsite - there was a cowpie right by our fire ring, although they didn't get THAT close while we were there. They were close enough for our dog to see though - be aware if your dog is the type that will run up to other animals! We had no issues and she had a blast hiking the trails with us.

Cañon City deserves a lot of praise for this fantastic spot that provides a great opportunity to enjoy all the views that the Royal Gorge has to offer.

The campground is accessible via dirt roads via CR-3A. 4WD isn’t necessary to get there, but be prepared for some bumps. The city was working on some improvements to the campground when we stayed here including a new parking lot, new picnic pads for some of the sites, and the creation of some new sites near the bathroom.

There are currently (6) sites on the south loop which can accommodate travel trailers. Some are slightly larger but a few are only big enough for a class C or van. There are no hookups at the sites and no common water available. Each site has a picnic pad with table and a level, mulched area that could be used as a tent pad. The campground and trails are pet friendly, but as with most places in the southern part of the state be on the lookout for cacti.

If you are looking for a great spot to do some dispersed camping, this campground is for you. Only 2 miles from Royal Gorge and 11 miles from Cañon City. Plenty of easy to moderate difficulty trails for hiking and biking. Be sure to take Canyon Vista to the Summit Trail; you won’t be disappointed!

Wide variety of campsites here close to the Colorado trail and two 14ers. Where we camped was a cow field and they came and went so would be careful with dogs.

Paradise in the Collegiate Peak Wilderness Area of San Juan National Forest.

Campground Review:

We stumbled upon this dispersed camping site on a summer backpacking trip where we needed a basecamp to operate out of on a quest to summit Mt. Harvard and Mt Columbia. We wanted a place that was located near where we would begin our summit attempts but would also be comfortable to spend several nights in. This is not a camping site that you can drive up to. This is a site that you need to backpack to on an established but physically demanding trail. To get to it, you must first access the Horn Fork Basin trail at the North Cottonwood Trailhead just West of Buena Vista, CO. To get to the trailhead, it is advisable to have, at a minimum, a high clearance, front wheel drive vehicle as the county road to the trailhead is not paved and is a little rough in areas. Parking at the trailhead can get crowded since many trails originate there. 

This is primitive, dispersed camping. No fees, first come first serve. You will not find any treated water or toilets in area. We hiked right at 6 miles to get to the site and passed multiple areas that were “established campsites”. Like most dispersed camping in Colorado, you are encouraged to find a spot that has been used and unofficially designated as a campsite. Most often you will find obvious areas that tents have been set up in the past. This site had multiple areas we could have set up tents and we were able to find 3 very level and cleared pads. There was also a stone fire ring that we could use.

The site was within 50 yards of a fast running stream which provided a perfect place to filter our water from. Even though the water appears to be very clear and cold, you must filter or treat to avoid being exposed to contaminants that can ruin your trip. 

As I stated, there was a fire ring and fires were permissible in the area according to the managing ranger office. We were able to find ample firewood and enjoyed beautiful campfires every morning and evening. Plenty of remote wilderness to explore and wildlife (mule deer, birds, marmots, pika…) was abundant. 

From the site, Bear and Kroenke Lakes are within day hike distance as well as 3 14K foot peaks and several smaller peaks. The site was at around 10,500 feet above sea level but below tree line. We were protected from high winds by beautiful pines and aspens. At the time of our trip, daytime temps were in the low 70’s and in the low 40’s at night. Perfect weather! We did experience light rain, ice pellets and a bit of snow on the way up the mountains but not at camp. 

The site was about 50 yards off the established trail and was remote enough that we did not see another camper in the 2 nights we were there. 

The site ended up being one of the most enjoyable camping areas I have ever visited. Can’t wait for someone else to venture there based on my review!!!

Gear Review: Matador FreeRain24

See a quick video summary of the product HERE.

As a Dyrt Ranger gear tester, I often get opportunities to evaluate camping related products during my outdoor adventures in exchange for honest reviews. I took the Matador FreeRain24 with me to this campground and during my day hikes from the basecamp and especially on this physically demanding attempt to summit two 14K ft peaks.

About the company: 

Matador was started in California but moved to Colorado in 2015. Funded by sales and personal investment only, this is a true “cottage company”. Products are designed in house by people that go on adventures like I do and know what we look for.

**Testing conditions: **

This was a summer trip but at elevation, all kinds of weather can be expected. The bag was used in conditions where temps ranged from 38-75 degrees. I did carry it in light rain, heavy mist and icing conditions. I used it as my daypack to carry essential gear while summiting mountain peaks. 

Things that stood out:

-       Packs extremely small so did not take up much space in my larger backpacking pack.

-       At just 5 oz, the weight cost to benefit ratio was perfect for this trip

-       Waterproof!! 

-       Comfortable. 

-       Sleek – hey, it just looks really good!

-       Top loading main compartment is easy to access

-       Two pockets that can hold water bottles easily and can be accessed while hike without taking pack off.

-       External zippered storage that is water resistant. 

-       In addition to shoulder strap adjustments, pack adjustments available to help with comfort.

-       Company sent me video instructions on the pack prior to me receiving it. Great idea!!!

My preferences for improvement:

-       The zipper on the external storage is very light duty. 

Summary of experience with Matador FreeRain24:

At 5 oz and about the size of a baseball when packed down, it was perfect to attach to the outside of my larger pack but could have gone on the inside. Come day hike time, took it out of its storage bag, stuffed it with everything I need for 8 hours on the mountainside and headed out.  24 liters was more than enough storage for all my extra clothing layers, food, water and emergency gear.  Met with some mist and ice during one stretch and contents stayed bone dry. I don't like water bladders so the 2 side pockets were perfect for the bottles of water I normally take on my trips - easy to access and bottles stayed put. Once adjusted, pack held tight to my back and that was important on sketchy parts of the climb. Didn't want my pack shifting at a critical time. Pack was comfortable the whole way and held up well. The pack material held up to several scrapes on sharp mountain rocks. The zipper did hang up and eventually became distorted to the point that I’m worried it may fail eventually. 

Fully recommend the Matador FreeRain24for similar type adventures!!!

See a quick video summary of the product HERE.

I liked it a lot! It was my dogs first ever camping experience and he loved it. There was an insane amount of dogs there at the time which kinda sucked but it was cool! The roads a little rough but nothing super crazy! The falls are gorgeous. I tried to take my dog here who’s kind of old and is just getting into camping since we moved here but he slipped into the creek and had enough of it lol. Some of the people are incredibly rude too seeing as how it’s a one way to the falls and they might as well push you out of the way to see it. Other than that it was great though!