Rio Grande National Forest is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Rio Grande National Forest is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Colorado camping adventure.
"Picked a side two miles up the road near the campground. One of our favorite spots in the SW. Road in is smooth, right off of HWY 160. However, the road noise wasn’t bad."
"Traveling through the area and needed an easy location, this fit the bill. Wide open area with fire pit and some wood gathered. Sufficiently distant from neighboring sites."
"A long dirt road takes you winding up switchbacks into a beautiful mountain scenery."
"We didn’t drive too far in as there were a few decent dispersed pull outs within the first mile."
"My friend and I made a fly fishing trip to Poage Lake. This land is part of the National Forest System and offers dispersed primitive camping. "
"If you want to do some primitive camping this is your spot! There is nothing here but nature and plenty of it. While you are here check out Wheeler Geo area. Well worth it."
"Lots of space between the sites as well. Were there during the Perseids meteor shower and the clear dark sky was perfect for viewing."
"Campsite gets its name from the nearby ghost town. The views aren't stunning, though. Nice and clean campground. We hiked the trail near the river for a little while, and that was nice."
"Had no issues, pretty close to town, highly recommend. T-mobile works from here"
$25 / night
GuidePark Creek Campground Rio Grande National Forest
Elevation: 8500
Directions: In South Fork, Colorado, at intersection of State 149 and US 160, take Road 160 west 7.8 miles to Park Creek campground sign. Turn left at sign into campground.
This small campground, stretches along the banks of the South Fork of the Rio Grande River among mature shade trees. Many sites are adjacent to the river. US Highway 160 is very close by so will have some traffic noise. The campground has the feel of spacious seclusion and is very cool and shady. Accessible, Tent camping, Camping trailer, Picnic tables, Toilets , Drinking water.
RangerThis BLM at San Juan National Forest is gorgeous! (Se pics) the spots are kinda leveled, the road to get there is a dirt road but not that bad (I have a converted sprinter full of sh$&@$ and I did it great) it is primitive so no hook ups, restrooms nor trash cans, so PLEASE Leave no Trace! Everything was super clean so I guess people is finally getting it. Te river passes right next to you and the views are amazing! There are a few trails next (like the Rainbow trail). Awesome place to stargaze!
ScoutNestled in pine trees alongside the lake fork of the Gunnison river. Most sites have tons of privacy. All have picnic tables and bear boxes. First-come first-serve. Very clean vault toilet restrooms. Camped here solo and felt very safe. Great access to fishing, hiking, and ATV trails.
RangerLovely small campground with lots of shady, generous campsites, some by the Little Squaw Creek and upper Rio Grande River, and others up next to rock bluffs. The site and facilities were very clean and the camp hosts extremely nice and well versed on this area of Rio Grande National Forest! No electric or sewer hookups, with community well water pumps, and restrooms. Fishing was really good, artificial lures only! Wildlife included elk, moose, bear, deer, chipmunks, rabbits, magpies, ravens, hummingbirds, swallows, and Spring flora were everywhere! Road to camps are rock/dirt, and not very RV friendly (lots of washboards and fallen rock), and if you're not good with heights, some of the road narrows with drop off sides and no railing/barriers. We were there in late May and the nights got down into the 20s, with some heavy wet snow that melted off the next day. Took a drive up past Lost Creek Campground to one of the high meadows and it was breathtaking! Did I mention the elevation of over 10,000 feet? There is a large forested area that has burned, but aspens and other new growth are coming back. Overall, this has been one of our favorite campgrounds. Some sites are reservable and the rest are FCFS. America the Beautiful and Golden Age Passes are accepted.
LegendStayed at site #20 in early June. Elevation around 8400 feet. Beautiful Spring green foliage on the aspens. Clean vault toilets with tp. One potable water station with hand pump. No water & electric hook ups. There is also trash service in-season. The host, Mike, was very helpful. Firewood for sale at $8/bundle. The campground consists of a handful of sites in an open field, suitable for big rigs, with the remainder of the sites back in the woods which are more suitable to tent, van, car & truck campers. Each site has a metal fire ring and table. Some of the sites in the woods are on a slight slope. Beautiful views of nearby mountains & meadow. Cimarrona Creek runs along side of the campground; fishing doesn't appear to be good in it. Fishing is better south of Williams Creek Reservoir - about 5 miles away. The Cimarrona trail head is behind site #18; this trail leads up into the Weminuche Wilderness area.
GuideGreat campground all around. The Reservoir has some of the best fishing we have found. We caught our bag limit every time we fished. The campground is nicely treed and the spaces are more private than most. The vault toilets are the cleanest and nicest I have ever seen! Be advised that if you are in an RV, you must bring your own water. There are no water hook ups, only to fill containers. There is trash service, but no electric or dump station. There is a really nice trail around the lake.
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.
GuideI was here on a Thursday and there were 2 other sites taken by the end of the night. This is off a backroad (dirt) that is somewhat well traveled. So the campground is petty accessible by any vehicle. But the campground is tucked between the river and the road. There was 0 traffic all night, but a few cars by the morning. There is 1 vault toilet and all sites have a picnic table and fire ring. There is parking for 2 cars at each site, but more space to park close by. No tent pads but the ground is clear for easy tent placement. It is very quiet at night other than the gurgling river. It is thickly wooded and plenty of shade. This is in a small valley that runs East/West, but the sun doesn't pop over the mountains until late and it sets early. This is a free first-come/first-serve campground.
LegendJust outside of South Fork, the campground sits above the River. It’s small, with only about a dozen sites. Even though the campground is right next to the highway, it was really quiet thanks to the River. There are two loops, and I preferred the bottom loop thanks to the River. Vault toilet was clean, and sites had the standard fire rings and picnic tables.
Tent camping near Rio Grande National Forest in Colorado offers a serene escape into nature, with stunning views and a variety of outdoor activities to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Rio Grande National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Rio Grande National Forest is Pass Creek Road Dispersed Camping with a 5-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 33 tent camping locations near Rio Grande National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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