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.
"Big wide dispersed camping spaces. Plenty of nice hiking - especially Brown's Creek area. Great location with easy drive to Buena Vista & Salida & Mt. Princeton."
"Awesome location between Salida and Buena Vista. Keep driving thru the gate and find your own piece of paradise. We have a 24’ RV and out spot, buried in the tall pines, was an easy in and out."
"Awesome location, beautiful views of the collegiate peaks and about 20 minutes away from Salida. There are lot of spots in this area (some side roads lead you to 360 views)."
"Good spot for Boondocking Salida is ten miles away with all the amenities including Walmart."
"This spot is one of the best kept secrets for dispersed camping in Colorado. The road has plenty of camping spots all the way up to the lake. Most spots are wooded and offer plenty of shade."
"There are a few tent camping spots at the bottom right before you cross the bridge."
"As a Salida local, the sites at the base of Shavano were always some of my favorite for a quick and accesible trip."
"The creek was directly behind us and made beautiful sounds all night. There were a ton of mosquitos, but I never saw any animals or signs of animals."
"We were headed to another location we found in Dirt but the snow was still to much for us. We decided to go to this spot at Fooses."
$28 / night
"Amazing to be right on the river but camp sites are pretty close to one another. Not much sun cover (camp map through state shows which sites have shade) and super windy. 360 views. So beautiful."
$10 / night
"Slept perfectly on a sandy tent pad listening to the river flow. This site has an in-tact bear safe, picnic tables and designated campfire ring. Will go back."
$4 - $10 / night
"Vault restrooms. No trash on site, pack in pack out. Ramp to launch rafts, kayaks..."
"After a nice meal in nearby Buena Vista, Co, we headed out on the 7-8 mile drive to the trailhead. Now 7-8 miles on a CR isn’t always the same as a similar distance on a paved road."
"A lot of spots the further up you drive towards trailhead. Found a spot right next to the creek with room for several cars and framed in by trees. Sounds of water is awesome."
"Right off the highway so a little noisy at night but calms down. The river runs right by spots, relaxing sound and plenty of water. Even surface and easy to set up."
"An easy to find camp right off the road with a few different entrances and a creek running alongside."
GuideThis campground used to be free when I first found it years ago while visiting the Royal Gorge. Since the city has invested money into fixing up the campsites with fire rings, tent pads, and what seems to be pretty good county road maintenance, it’s definitely understandable why they charge a fee.
No water is available. There are vault toilets.
There are NO bear boxes.
Rules worth nothing (according to the sign upon entering camp):
There’s lots of hiking and mountain bike trails near the campground, which brought lots of mellow mtb riders in during my stay.
Because of the rules/amenities, i felt the price was a little steep as others have mentioned. However it is clean, close enough to Cañon city that you can go to town if needed, but far enough away to “unplug” from the world in a beautiful location. Overall I’d recommend visiting this campsite! I’ll happily return.
TravelerI gave this a 4 star because of the crowds.I backpacked to a high alpine lake called Kroenke Lake in the Collegiate Peaks wilderness area near Buena Vista, CO in August to catch some high country Cutthroats. This is a very popular hike during the summer. Camping can be congested but there are enough trees in between spots for some privacy. The designated camp sites we kept very clean by the previous visitors. There was not any trash in or around the fire ring that I often come across in other areas. The people that have previously visited, practiced leave no trace with the exception of the designated fire ring. The scenery was beautiful with a gorgeous lake with peaks of granite in the background. All of the people on the trail were friendly and courteous. It does get congested on the weekend being so close to Buena Vista and Salida. If you go little further, you can escape the congestion. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone looking for a weekend backpack trip.
GuideReally gorgeous camping spot with easy access to tons of different outdoor activities. Tent sites are very well maintained and very beautiful. Walk-in sites are very close to parking, I would barely consider them walk-in sites. My only complaint is that the tent pads are made of gravel and therefore extremely hard to properly stake down tents.
ScoutThe reservoir and surrounding areas are beautiful, but we don't plan to return to this campground. The roads in are so rough and created so much vibration that it was actually damaging to our A-Liner camper (with an off-road package). The speed limit is 55 and we weren't able to go much faster than 10 mph without the vibration becoming unbearable. The campsites are totally exposed with no tree cover, but it was too windy to set up our shade tent. The winds were so strong that we slept poorly; a neighbor in a tent said the wind ripped off two of his rain fly straps overnight. We chose Site 612 because the sites in that loop looked more private and spacious, but we failed to note that there was no bathroom on that side of the campground, with the nearest facilities being a short drive away. We left after the first night.
TravelerI travelled to Twin Lakes the weekend after Memorial Day weekend to explore more of Colorado. The drive from Denver was beautiful and the Twin Lakes topped it all. Sitting at the base of several 14'ers this campground featured dispersed camping with options for walk-in, drive-in, and drive-in 4x4 camping. We found ourselves on the North side of the upper side of the neighboring lake since we arrived late Friday afternoon. We found 4-5 sites without anyone around, a quiet spot nestled in the trees for shade.
Bears were reported to be active in the area but we didn't see any. Some camp sites, as we walked around, were littered with people's waste and trash. Sad to see but not everyone follows the leave no trace attitude.
RangerOne of my favorite campsites! We pulled in late night and were able to find a site(it was a thursday). The self pay system was easy and convenient. the campsite was small but nice with a great picnic table and fire ring. The current fire ban in that area meant no campfire, but the stars were amazing. You have a great view of Mt elbert and the twin lakes. There are also hiking trails down to the lake and vault toilets dispersed throughout the campground.
LegendSalida East is a 25 site campground run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife through an agreement with the Bureau of Land Management. Unfortunately, that means you pay $7/day for a "day use" pass (or purchase an annual pass for $70) in addition to the camping fee of $10 or $18. The price of a site is on the post at the site. A site with a picnic table, fire ring and tent pad (on pebbles) is $18. It's $10 if the site only has a fire ring.
I thought the sites were not reservable, but then I saw some upcoming reservation tickets on a few sites. This campground is part of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. Look for that area on the Colorado Parks and Wiildlife website to make a reservation
There are no hookups and no potable water at the campground, but there are vault toilets and a couple porta potties. There is no place to dispose of trash. Haven't had that happen before!
This is really just a camping spot. I'm not sure why a day use fee is necessary because there is nothing else to do there unless you have a boat. There's a boat ramp. There is nothing else to do in the campground.
Being next to the Arkansas River is nice and being able to look at mountains in the distance is nice, but the sites are on gravel/dirt. It's adequate for a one night stay close to Salida, but I wouldn't want to hang out here during the day. You can use the pool and shower at the aquatics center for $5.
One more thought - BLM has Colorado River campgrounds in Utah with beautiful views for $10/night. They turned this site on the Arkansas River over to Colorado, so it's $10/$18 plus $7 for "park" access. Kinda greedy in Colorado and not impressed with Colorado park sites. We'll try to stick with federal sites.
LegendSites: 17
Fee: $22.00 per night $7.00 day use
Reservations: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov
Open: Mid May- Mid Sep
Check out 12 PM Prior to Memorial Day, sites may be FCFS but water and host might not be available.
Fire ring, picnic table, tent pad, pit toilets, doggie poo bags, bear box, no showers, electric hookups This is a beautiful campground and you just can't go wrong on this mountain. The surrounding mountain views are just amazing. The creek is cascading along the rocky creek bed and is the perfect way to zen out. The ghost town of St Elmos intriguing so make sure you head up to the top of the mountain to check out a Colorado ghost town.
LNT
BTWYFI
Safe travels
LegendFee: $22.00 Day use fee $7.00 There is a self service tube available
Check out 12:00 noon Quiet time 10:00 pm to 6:00 am
Fire ring/grill, picnic table, tent sites, pit toilets, doggie poo bags, some bear boxes Pads and road have a base of gravel
Before Memorial Day weekend the sites may be FCFS, but host and water may not be available.
During peak season you may reserve by calling 800-444-6777 or on line at recreation.gov No showers or electrical hookups are available. There are two handicapped-accessible toilets. Water is by way of a handpump
Mt. Princeton Campground is located in the Chalk Creek Canyon and not only is it a beautiful drive but you have St Elmo to look forward to. St Elmo is a ghost town from the 1800's. The mountains are just beautiful.
Directions: From Buena Vista travel south on Highway 285 for 7 miles then turn right on County Road 162 and travel west, passing the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort then 8.5 miles to campground
LNT
Better than when you found it
Stay safe Happy travels
Tent camping near Salida, Colorado offers a unique blend of stunning natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Salida, CO is Browns Creek (South) Dispersed Camping with a 4.7-star rating from 10 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 45 tent camping locations near Salida, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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