We're here to help you find where to go horse camping in San Juan National Forest. Finding a place to camp in Colorado with your horse is easier than ever. The Dyrt can help you find the perfect equestrian sites that are scenic and easy to access.
Echo Basin Cabin And Rv Resort. Located in Mancos, Colorado. It is perfectly situated in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado. Specializing in Colorado destination weddings, reunions, and family vacations, Echo Basin Resort has had the honor of hosting numerous events each summer season for over two decades.
This small campground has sites available for $15 a night on a first come first serve basis only. There is no water available at this campground. Tables and fire grates are at each site. A toilet is in the parking lot adjacent to the Hermosa Creek Trailhead. The parking lot is large enough for vehicles and horse trailers
$20 / night
Target Tree Campground, located between Durango and Mancos off Highway 160, has 28 sites on a south-facing hillside overlooking Thompson Park. There are 17 barrier-free sites. Many sites are shady, but can be hot on sunny days. Most large and pull-thru sites require mechanical leveling of RVs.
Three campsites have corrals for overnight camping with horses.
The campground's group campsite group site has been converted into individual sites and is no longer available as a group site.
Services include potable water, trash pickup, composting vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire grates. There are no electrical hookups, dump station, firewood, or showers.
Quiet time is typically between 10pm - 6am. Please be a good neighbor and limit use of generators to no more than one hour at a time. Dogs must be leashed or otherwise physically restrained. Do not leave pets unattended. Check-out time: 12:00 pm; Check-in time: 2:00 pm - if the site is empty, campers may come in anytime. Standard single site occupancy is 8, but a single family with > 8 members is acceptable. Equipment with wheels (RVs, campers, cars) must fit in the parking spur. There is not any overflow parking available. Max RV size = 45 ft
$22 - $75 / night
Target Tree Campground is located 7 miles east of Mancos on the north side of Highway 160 at an elevation of 7,643 feet. It is the ideal camping spot for day trips to Mancos, Durango and Mesa Verde National Park. The name, "Target Tree," refers to the Ute Indians' use of the area to harvest sap and bark from Ponderosa pines as food supplements. They also used the trees for target practice, leaving several scarred trees throughout the area.
Visitors may enjoy taking a short, accessible interpretive trail to view a historic target tree. The campground is also known for its great birding opportunities, with a sign in the campground that lists species found in the area. The Narrow Gauge Trail begins within the campground and climbs 3.4 miles to an old railroad grade. The rails were placed just three feet apart to allow trains to navigate through the rugged mountains.
The campground sits on a south-facing hillside overlooking Thompson Park. A Ponderosa pine and Gambel oak forest provides shade in many sites. The area is hot during the summer, but cools off significantly at night.
Southwestern Colorado, part of the Four Corners region, contains over 4,000 archaeological sites and over 600 cliff dwellings. Mesa Verde National Park is 1 hour and 45 minutes south, close enough for a day trip. Other sites within a few hour's drive include the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores, Canyon of the Ancients and Hovenweep National Monument.
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. Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use 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.
$24 / night
$28 / night
Transfer Campground, located approximately 11 miles north of Mancos, Colorado in the San Juan National Forest, is known for its access to many area recreation trails.
Recreational opportunities abound at and near this facility for horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking and ATV riding. Many campers bring their ATVs and motorbikes to ride on the Aspen Loop Trail (just 1/2 mile north of the campground). There are a number of trailheads nearby the campground, including Big Al Interpretive Trail, Rim Trail and Box Canyon Trail. More trails are available in the surrounding area including: Chicken Creek Trail, Morrison Trail, Gold Run Trail and West Mancos Trail.
The campground is situated at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Surrounded by whispering aspen and making for a great camping atmosphere, visitors will enjoy the sounds of birds and the occasional horse neighing in the corrals across the road.
Visit the Jackson Gulch Reservoir, just six miles south of the campground for a relaxing day of fishing or hike one of the many trails nearby the campground. Visit the historic town of Mancos and learn about the Ancestral Puebloans who inhabited this area from approximately AD 1 to AD 1300.
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. Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use 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.
$24 / night
McPhee Recreation Complex is located on the south shore of McPhee Reservoir near the town of Dolores in southwestern Colorado. Visitors enjoy the area for its boating, water skiing and fishing opportunities.
McPhee Reservoir, the largest within the San Juan National Forest and second-largest in Colorado, has 50 miles of shoreline. Boating, water skiing and fishing are popular activities. A boat ramp and fish cleaning station are located within the complex. The half-mile Can Do Trail climbs to a scenic overlook with panoramic views of the reservoir and the beautiful peaks surrounding Mesa Verde to the south.
The campground is situated on a mesa 500 feet above the reservoir, at an elevation of 7,400 feet. Pinyon and juniper trees offer shade throughout the campground.
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Southwestern Colorado, part of the Four Corners region, contains more than 4,000 archaeological sites and more than 600 cliff dwellings. Many sites offer glimpses of the ancient Anasazi culture for which the area is known. Anasazi Heritage Center is 10 minutes away in Dolores. Mesa Verde National Park is one hour south of the campground. The Canyon of the Ancients is an hour southwest and Hovenweep National Monument is an hour west.
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. Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use 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.
$110 / night
$15 - $60 / night
Scout
Beautiful place! It's pretty easy to get into, there are more secluded places up the hill a ways but it gets kinda rough. You can hear the highway, but it's not much. Just ambient background noise. I got a spot with shade all day, so that was awesome. There was one night an inconsiderate person parked his company truck and camper as close to me as was possible with wide open space all over and ran his generator. Luckily he was gone the next day.
Guide
We stumbled upon this campsite through Dyrt. We left on a 10 day honeymoon to the mountains with no real plans. This was our first time to the Silverton area and this spot was perfect for us to spend two nights. The spot we camped at was the first one when you pull in. This spot would be great for large campers or campers with horses/trailers. It had several large pines for us to put our tent between to help with the rain coverage as it rained both nights we were there. This spot is closer to the highway but we weren't there during the day and at night there was not a lot of road noise. We did have to drive to the bathrooms from this site due to the rain and distance. Would stay here again.
Traveler
A very nice campground with first-come, first-served sites for $20 a night. The internet reception ranges from okay to excellent, depending on the site. The pit toilets are impeccable – they really couldn't be cleaner. Unfortunately, there is no water or trash station. However, you can refill portable water affordably at the Hydration Station in Durango or for free at the Durango Montessori School. I think $20 is a bit too expensive for the campground, but it is still appealing due to its clean pit toilets and very nice sites.
TravelerStayed for 2 nights. Right next to Hermosa Creek trail. Such a beautiful place. The bathrooms are clean, the camp host is an awesome guy. Would definitely stay again.
Guide
We came on July 4th, and although many activities were going on, this place was quite like a mouse by Sunday. This place has everything: a massive field for dogs to play off-leash (they must be on in the park), a great restaurant, laundry, propane, a swimming pool, and a massive amount of outdoor activities.
Oh, and supper friendly staff.
Guide
Right off of the highway, and that means you can hear said highway. Friendly host.
ScoutWe stay at EB every year. It is our favorite campground. There are lots of things to do and the sites are good sized with plenty of shade. The restraunt/bar has a great atmosphere!
ScoutThis place is the best, we had a blast and there are plenty of things to do for adults and children.
TravelerWent there for the great reviews and outstanding local nature attractions. Sadly, this RV resort was in the middle of some sort of family reunion across from our site: At least 40 or more folks hooting and hollering and playing loud music that could be heard across the valley, going on for hours without any type of drop-in from the resort management. Despite a previous reservation, I was stuck in a site with no shade from the sun or the reunion’s party. It didn’t help that the site’s pump water was mostly dirt and plugged my filter…
Scout
13.50. - 36.00 per site. 21 first come spacious, wooded sites with or W/O electric. Peaceful and quiet. Easy access. Clean restrooms. 5 water stations. Friendly hosts. Mountain biking trails galore! Hiking, fishing, swimming nearby. Great base camp allows 30 day stay limit! Don’t miss this hidden gem of a campground!!
Ranger
Not a spectacular view, but 6 large spots close to the free shuttle, bike path and rec center (totally worth the day pass) . Great for the price to spend a few days in durango or take the scenic train. Angela at the office is great!
GuideWhat a find in the middle of Durango. Yes it is dusty and really there is nothing cute about it but you can’t beat the location. We had access to the trails by the river. There are only 6 spots with water and 30 or 50 amp electric. It was $28 for a night. Angela at the front desk was super helpful. Must call in advance. On main street turn at 25th street, google will send you to 26th and that is not good. You could park a semi in there. You can’t beat being in Durango for that price.
ScoutFine, especially when nothing else is available and you need a place to stop for a night. USFS access roads weren’t open for the season yet.
ScoutAbsolutely stunning! We had the whole lake to ourselves!
Traveler
Pros: Really nice big camping spots, pit toilets not too far of a walk, firewood available from hosts, convenient location
Cons: first come first served (I think some people missed out even this late in the season), quite a bit of road noise at times due to being next to a big hill on the motorway
GuideBeautiful campsite with easy access to lots of fun trails, including the CO trail. Only a short drive from Silverton and an hour or so outside Durango
RangerAmazing views at this free, dispersed campground. Stayed here in a tent in July 2015.
RangerI stayed here for three days last summer. I had just picked up my newly built out camper van in Durango and was doing a four day “shake down trip” to check out all the systems before driving back to Maryland.
Everything at Echo Basin was top notch, the staff, the camp site, the bathrooms and showers and the location. The campground is so well done and maintained. My only regret is that the restaurant was not open the days I was there.
It is not in the city but Durango is a short drive away.
Traveler
I had an excellent experience. Friendly staff, clean facilities, quiet nights. I will be back. Beautiful area with lots of hiking near by.
GuideWe stayed at Echo Basin for 2 weeks and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The views of the surrounding mountains are spectacular. The grounds are clean and well kept. The pool was closed for the season so we didn't get to use it, but we did visit the on-site bar/grill. We were expecting mediocre bland food, but the food was REALLY good. The people making the food really know what they're doing. The staff was very friendly. The sites aren't crowded together. We stayed in one of the spots that has 50 amps and full hookups. Everything worked as expected. We'll definitely return to this park the next time we're in the area. Highly recommend.
GuideBeautiful well kept campground. Nearby highway is a little noisy. Friendly campground host.
Traveler
There are 6 campsites up a dirt road off the main road. Two are suitable for small RVs. The photos on The Dyrt must be very old. This place is run down and filthy. The "chuckwagon" is an antique, and I would never consider using these facilities to cook a meal. The shower house is 0.13 miles up a dirt road up a short hill. There was a nice view from the campsite, however. Very disappointed for a $50/night minimum 2-night stay. We left as soon as we could after the first night.
ScoutPeaceful...quiet...clean...good cell..nice and small...18 sites...$20,a nite...very nice host
Guide
Great campsite in the aspens. Access point for good hikes. One harder hike down to the river and an easier wheelchair accessible hike to an overlook and a view of the peaks.
LegendWonderful stay the campsite host was great. He had wood for sale the water is spectacular! Vault toliets no showers. Campsites are well spaced out.
Guide6/28/22 - 7/12/22: This was a nice retreat for us. It is a very popular place on the weekend, but during the week it is much quieter. Most of the weekend traffic is heading to the trailhead for hiking or biking. There are 8 sites here, several large enough for my 34’ fifth-wheel trailer, one is a pull-through with two sites. Vault toilet, no water or dump station. There was 1-bar 5G Verizon, and 2-bars AT&T 4G that were both spotty; cloud cover between the lake and Silverton caused occational intermittent connectivity. Elevation is about 10,300 and posed a problem for our generator that caused severe spark-plug fouling. But, re-jetting the carburetor from a #61 to #58 solved the problem.
GuideLoved loved loved our stay here! Tucked away from the highway and far enough from any big city, you want nature and stars at night? This is the place! We backed up to a huge green field. The gentleman that helped us back our 42 foot rig into our site gave PERFECT directions, telling my husband which was to turn our wheel which make this a first try back in. The owner was the kindest man we enjoyed getting to know. No dog park, but a large open field we're allowed to utilize, letting the pups off leash. They LOVED it! Mesa Verde NP with the cliff dwellings are a short drive away, perfect day trip. We should have stayed here a whole week!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near San Juan National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near San Juan National Forest is Echo Basin Cabin and RV Resort with a 4.6-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near San Juan National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near San Juan National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
