Join the fun near Salida. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Colorado camping has to offer. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Salida. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
Part of Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
$28 / night
$28 / night
Cascade Campground is located in beautiful Chaffee County,__Colorado. This popular facility sits near Cascade Falls and is within 5 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly.
Stream fishing is best above Cascade Falls, just accross the road from the campground. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Plenty of off-road vehicle trails are a short distance away.__Recommended rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes. Hiking in the area includes the Colorado Trail, The Narrow Gauge trail and the Cascade Loop Trail (Across from Chalk Lake Campground)
The campground is situated in a dense forest of Douglas fir and aspen at an elevation of 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. Chalk Creek is just across the road from the campground. It flows 27 miles eastward from the Collegiate Peaks before joining the Arkansas River. Chalk Lake is a mile east of the campground.
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Take a day trip to the historic ghost town of St. Elmo, just 15 minutes from the campground. An old saloon, county courthouse and many other historic structures remain from the days of its mining glory. The city of Salida and Town of Buena Vista are only a short drive away where visitors can enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops, incredible art galleries and a large selection of antique shops. The area boasts more than 100 miles of Arkansas River to raft, fish, float or kayak in. as well as fifteen 14,000 ft mountains. Visitors choose from recreational activities like hiking, biking, ATVing, kayaking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, zipping, swimming
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
$25 / night
Don't want to camp in a developed campground? There are many places on the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands where you can pitch a tent and practice low impact camping techniques. Dispersed camping is primitive, undevleoped, frontcountry "car camping".
Remember: when dispersed camping, no toilets, trash service, or potable water, are available. Store all food and trash securely, and pack out what you pack in. Practice Leave No Trace.
Please observe the following requirements when dispersed camping:
In some areas, dispersed camping and parking is allowed in designated sites only. Do not create resource damage by driving off-road, beyond designated parking locations, or behind barriers. Parking should be within 30' of site markers where posted. Developed sites, including trailheads and picnic areas, are closed to overnight camping and allow for day use activities only. Tread lightly, and avoid trampling sensitive vegetation. Locate your camp at least 100' from any water source. Use catholes to properly dispose of human and pet waste; bury waste in a cathole at least 6-8" deep and 200’ from any water source. Packing out human and pet waste using self-contained waste disposal systems is encouraged. Campfires are allowed at overnight sites as long as fire restrictions aren’t in place. You may gather small amounts of down, dead wood for a campfire. Use existing fire rings; keep your campfire small and always make sure it is completely extinguished before leaving. No campfires outside of designated overnight sites. BEARS and other wildlife When you go to the mountains and forest, you are in bear county. Do not leave ANY food, trash or other animal attractant unattended. Store all food and trash securely and pack out what you pack in. Failing to do so can result in a fine. Also be aware that; where not otherwise restricted, camping or leaving camping equipment at any location more than 14 days within a continuous 30 day period, and/or occupying any campsite within three miles of any prior camping or equipment location for a combined total of more than 28 days within any continuous 60 day period, is prohibited. Also, leaving camping equipment unattended for more than 24 hours is not allowed. In addition; discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site, or occupied area; or across or on a National Forest System road or a body of water, or in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge. Plan your trip; phone ahead for restrictions and special regulations. Contact your local Ranger District office for more information.
Located just outside of downtown Buena Vista, BV Overlook offers a variety of nightly accommodations with an amazing view of the Collegiate Peaks. We welcome you to stay with us in your RV or van, enjoy tent camping, or cozy up in one of our tiny homes, cabins, or glamping accommodations. All accommodations include access to the bathhouses, community fire pits, recreation room, laundry, outdoor games and Wi-Fi. We look forward to hosting you.
$40 - $180 / night
Part of Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
$28 / night
$28 / night
Cascade Campground is located in beautiful Chaffee County,__Colorado. This popular facility sits near Cascade Falls and is within 5 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly.
Stream fishing is best above Cascade Falls, just accross the road from the campground. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Plenty of off-road vehicle trails are a short distance away.__Recommended rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes. Hiking in the area includes the Colorado Trail, The Narrow Gauge trail and the Cascade Loop Trail (Across from Chalk Lake Campground)
The campground is situated in a dense forest of Douglas fir and aspen at an elevation of 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. Chalk Creek is just across the road from the campground. It flows 27 miles eastward from the Collegiate Peaks before joining the Arkansas River. Chalk Lake is a mile east of the campground.
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Take a day trip to the historic ghost town of St. Elmo, just 15 minutes from the campground. An old saloon, county courthouse and many other historic structures remain from the days of its mining glory. The city of Salida and Town of Buena Vista are only a short drive away where visitors can enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops, incredible art galleries and a large selection of antique shops. The area boasts more than 100 miles of Arkansas River to raft, fish, float or kayak in. as well as fifteen 14,000 ft mountains. Visitors choose from recreational activities like hiking, biking, ATVing, kayaking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, zipping, swimming
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
$25 / night
Scout
Did the shelf trail from cripple creek to canon city. Was good place to camp for the night quite a few spots, flat, big. Amazing views! Incline getting up to isn’t bad, TT’s might have some trouble. Everyone else should be fine.
Ranger
Coordinates: 38.702830,-106.160280
This dispersed camping area offers stunning mountain views, spacious sites perfect for large groups, and easy access to excellent hiking trails. The September weather was ideal—cool and crisp without being too cold. While the site feels fairly secluded, beware of grazing cows from local ranches that wander through; be sure to secure food and belongings you don’t want damaged. Dog owners should be mindful of cleanup, as cow and dog waste can be an issue. There are two porta-potties onsite that are cleaned weekly, but campers must pack out all their trash to maintain the area’s natural beauty. Overall, it’s a fantastic spot for those looking for a peaceful escape with plenty of room to spread out.
Traveler
Drove straight to the back, not many others camping. Can hear a few cars passing in the distance and not a ton of tree coverage but a great spot nonetheless
TravelerGreat location with full hookups for RVs. The description mentions back-in sites only, and while our electric hookup was conveniently on the same side, we had to run our water and sewage lines underneath the RV since those hookups were on the opposite side—this seems to be the case for all sites. The campground is perfectly situated at the intersection of the Gunnison, Taylor, and East Rivers, making it ideal for fly fishing. They offer cabins, RV sites, and long-term housing options. There's a small store with basic items, beer, and merchandise, plus a fly shop in the same building. There's also a restaurant, though it was closed during our stay, and coin-operated laundry facilities. Overall, a great stay!
Scout
The Colorado Sports Ranch and Refuge offers a unique blend of outdoor activities and relaxation, making it an ideal getaway for sports enthusiasts. With its expansive facilities, it perfectly complements Sportzfy TV's mission to promote active lifestyles and engage audiences in diverse sporting events. Whether you’re looking to train or unwind, this destination provides an excellent backdrop for fitness and recreation. For More: https://www.sportzfytvapks.com/
ScoutThe Colorado Sports Ranch and Refuge offers a unique blend of outdoor activities and relaxation, making it an ideal getaway for sports enthusiasts. With its expansive facilities, it perfectly complements Sportzfy TV's mission to promote active lifestyles and engage audiences in diverse sporting events. Whether you’re looking to train or unwind, this destination provides an excellent backdrop for fitness and recreation. For More: https://www.sportzfytvapks.com/
Traveler
I stayed here for 1 night of car camping and will definitely go back. I only went about 4 miles in on the rocky/rutted road (vs the 5 miles that the directions say) and thought the sites were great. I stayed at a big site on the right with beautiful views and a fire ring. Aside from hearing some (maybe - not sure) coyotes at night, I wasn't aware of any other wildlife. I was in a 4Runner and my friend that I was with was driving a Highlander. As another poster commented, I saw a small sedan in one of the sites but wouldn't drive way out in anything but an SUV or truck. I have AT&T and had 2 bars of service.
Traveler
This was a great camping spot. There are several campsites by the water and other campsites, not by the water. The campsites are kind of close together, but not terrible. I went early on a Friday and got a beautiful spot by the water. By the end of the day, all the sites around the water were full. So if that's important to you, be sure to get there early. There were still plenty of other gorgeous campsites, not by the water available all weekend. There are also hiking trails located here. One of which is called "Interlaken Trail." It's about a 5 mile hike total and takes you to a "Ghost Resort" called "Inter-Laken" that was abandoned around WW1. You can even go inside one of the buildings, and there are Historical Marker plaques that talk about the abandoned resort. The signal is great so I had cell service and data the entire time. Highly recommend!
Scout
Lots of open spots in mid October. Slow going on rocky and bumpy dirt road but Chevy express 2wd did fine. Low clearance vehicles take extreme caution. Stayed in loop A, also a B&C.
Traveler
Boondocking. South of Cottonwood lake campgrounds. Must travel one mile past the FS campground. On road 344. I would recommend to stop at the lake and scout the area. You cannot turn around on the road with a long rig. The road will turn into a high clearance FS unmaintained.
Traveler
The sky is GORGEOUS. The road is very rocky & very rough, so you'll want to have decent clearance and be prepared to take it slow. I've never seen so many stars!
Traveler
We went on a Saturday and it wasn’t crowded at all. The dispersed sites aren’t far from the road since most of the road goes down a valley with hills on both sides however there’s a nice creek running down the whole way. Definitely check it out if you don’t mind a colder night in a valley. Not much room to explore outside your vehicle unless you’re okay walking down the dirt road to see other sites and views.
Legend
The road is a well maintained gravel road. There are quite a few available spots for folks with 4x4 drive or tent camping. I would NOT suggest this for larger rvs. I travel in a camper van and the spots I could use were more limited but still a few available.
Honestly, just the drive is worth it. The scenery is amazing. You’re winding down the road next to a creek (was dry when I was there) in between mountains. It’s absolutely amazing.
Zero signal. Like absolutely none.
There is a rest stop a few miles in with basic toilets. Nothing special but really nice option to have.
Legend
The road up to the campground is pretty rough for the first 100 ft or so but then it gets a lot better. Quite a bit of space but no privacy. I would definitely not suggest for large rvs. I’m in a van and didn’t have much problems at all.
Guide
The host, Margaret and her husband and few others working very hard to maintains this campsite.
Shower room have heat and hot water, environments are so peacefully and pretty, shops are close by, hot springs, rafting, nearby, my favorites is cottonwood lake!
TravelerWe had a blast with this spot, arrived late at night and woke up inside an aspen grove. There is a lot of hiking trails and some cool spots to visit down by the lakes.
Scout
Couldn’t get to trail head due to private gate blocking the road.
Scout
We were charged $170 for a site in the middle of a gravel parking lot. It included dinner, breakfast and use of the hot springs. The WiFi didn’t reach us, but worked in the buffet style cafeteria-like dining area. Way overpriced for the experience!
Scout
We loved this campsite — still open in late September and already had a fire ring waiting for us. There were lots of dispersed spots right off the road and it was quiet and peaceful!
TravelerPretty smooth mountain road, lots of site options. We found one that was down back from the main road and near the creek. Needed 4WD to get down there, but other sites 2WD would be fine. Appears to be a local cow wandering around, she approached our campsite but went the other way.
Guide
Went with the family and had a great time. We got a site because of a cancellation and, unfortunately it was next to the bathroom. Didn't bother us though. It was our first trip using our new popup and it was def a learning experience. That all being said we were able to hit up Mount Princeton hot springs AND visit the St. Elmo ghost town. By the end of the trip the kids were begging to go back asap.
Guide
We had a great time. 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. Aside from the aforementioned, there was a small store on site with ice and wood (can't bring your own wood) and the food they served at the mess hall was fire.
Scout
This dispersed camping area was extremely small but a convenient place to camp the night before summiting Sherman. It was a bit tricky to find/decipher what was dispersed and what was the intentional campground. Honestly not even sure if the place I found was the actual dispersed area. By other reviews left, it felt right to me. My friend and I car camped here, we had a quiet night. The neighbors were all very quiet and respectful of quiet hours and personal space. The vault toilet was extremely clean with no odor. I enjoyed the washboard road! During our time there were advisories for bear activity in the area.
Guide
This place was great! 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. The camp sites were simple but great and you have total access to all hot springs, bathrooms, showers, sauna, AND a communal outdoor kitchen. We participated in the clothing optional experience but didn’t feel like we had to. Great people all around from guests to staff. Highly recommend!
Guide
We got a spot with amazing views just past Cottonwood Lake campground. It’s awesome here. There is a creek full of Brook Trout right across the street.
Guide
I’ve always thought Twin Lakes was the perfect middle ground to do a lot of different activities over a few days.
The spots here were easy and felt like a regular campsite. Not too much coverage next to each site, but enough space where it doesn’t bother you.
GuideA lot of stuff if the road. I was pulling a popup trailer so we didn’t go too far up the road just in case it got choppy. Seemed like there is quite a few spaces. Talked to a few people who had been staying there for around a week.
Camping near Salida, Colorado, offers a mix of stunning views, outdoor activities, and a chance to connect with nature. Whether you're a seasoned camper or just starting out, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore in this beautiful area.
Camping near Salida, Colorado, is a fantastic way to enjoy the great outdoors, with plenty of options for everyone. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to relax or an adventure-filled getaway, you'll find it here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Salida, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, Salida, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 306 campgrounds and RV parks near Salida, CO and 100 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Salida, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Salida, CO is Ruby Mountain Campground — Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 24 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Salida, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 100 free dispersed camping spots near Salida, CO.
What parks are near Salida, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 17 parks near Salida, CO that allow camping, notably Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands and Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.
