Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, San Juan National Forest, CO has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near San Juan National Forest, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"Dispersed camping, no amenities, but beautiful location. Little streams running nearby, wildlife viewing, the drive up the slope is beautiful as well"
"There is also a decommissioned forest service campsite on the north side about halfway in with tables and fire rings still. Creek was a bit high but not bad."
"Perfect lake views, snow capped mountain tops, and wildflowers for days."
"Beautiful views of surrounding mountains and Alta lakes as well as access to the ghost town of Alta."
"We had plenty of room on our site to set up camp around the picnic table and fire ring.
We snagged the last site with a picnic table and fire ring around 10AM on a Friday morning."
"Pulled into this area late one evening on a fall camping trip across Colorado. Totally expected it to be full but there were a couple areas left to setup thankfully."
"We were heading west and found this spot off the highway. Far enough off the highway and light traffic that would couldn’t hear cars that much.
Fish were JUMPING so get your fly rods ready!"
"Awesome spot, TONS of places to pitch a tent or park a camper.
That being said - lots of generators, moderate views, cars driving by often."
"Only con is there were a whole bunch of cows, making noise allllllll night long. If you can deal with that, then it’s a great spot!"
"We almost went to the wrong spot though, as there is another Lime Creek dispersed area in Creede, several miles down the highway."
"Smaller RVs can pull off at South entrance to the road and high clearance can continue on to the lake and trailhead further up the road.
Tent spots are available the entire way up. "
"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."
ScoutThis was a great site for our group of 3 couples. We had plenty of room on our site to set up camp around the picnic table and fire ring.
We snagged the last site with a picnic table and fire ring around 10AM on a Friday morning. Throughout the weekend more people showed up and there seemed to be a bit more space to camp throughout.
The sites vary from right out in the open to being completely tree covered. Ours was right near a stream and had good shade during the day.
There's nothing but a vault toilet here so be sure to bring lots of water. If you're in need of a shower, head down to Trout Lake for a quick dip.
TravelerSunshine is a first come-first serve campground with 15 sites. There are several sites with beautiful views and full sun, but those were taken when we arrived. We stayed in site #8 which was quite lovely, tucked in the aspen trees with a picnic table and fire ring. The small pond behind our site was dried up, probably due to the ongoing drought. There is a short viewing trail just off site #9 that provided spectacular views of the mountains. We set up a couple of chairs on the trail and watched the fabulous sunset. The vault toilets were closed and the sign said they’d be closed through the ‘22 season. Portable toilets were provided in their place. The camp hosts, Don & Linda were super helpful by providing us with info about the adjacent bike trails and a short cut to get to Telluride. The campground was very quiet and while we heard some road traffic when we first arrived we never heard any during the night. I got 2 bars of AT&T cell service, enough to stream a movie on my iPad!
Camp fees are $20/day or $10/day with a Senior America the Beautiful Pass. We’ll definitely stay at this gem again!
GuideNice campground if you can get a spot, we've stayed at several different sites. The hosts are nice and will let you know the best one available. No running water or electricity or anything fancy. It's quiet, the stars are amazing, and there are good hikes in the area. Downsides are that it fills up fast (I think just 25 sites) and there can be a lot of mosquitoes. Bears may wander through too.
Vault toilets, bear boxes, picnic table, fire ring.
You can walk to the lake from the campground.
GuideStayed 2 nights in July 2024. The campsites are well spaced apart with a variety of sizes for just about anyone except large Class As and long toy haulers. Most sites were occupied. You can reserve sites in advance. I would recommend booking at least a month out. Most sites were densely shaded. Not much option for solar. Quiet hours 10pm-6am. Generators allowed. Sites in the E loop have electricity. Restrooms were well maintained vault toilets. No showers anywhere in campground. Park host live on-site. Firewood for sale at host sites. Potable water is available. The gravel road leading to the campground is VERY rough wash-board. Secure your stuff and be ready for the bumpy ride.
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.
LegendFantastic national forest campground. Mountain views all around. Woods Lake itself was a short hike away. Enjoyed fishing there with beautiful views. The campground is over 9400 feet in elevation. I did some huffing & puffing while walking around there. Our campsite, #4, was narrow & deep; no problem for a camper van. It has a table, metal fire ring/grill, lantern poll and a tent pad set back deeper in the woods. Surrounded by aspens. Camped there in early June. Vault toilets were not yet open, but clean portable chem toilets were provided. Potable water stations were not yet turned on. Helpful camp host was on duty. Firewood was available at $10/bundle. Our site, as well as others, were private & reasonably separated from others. No shower and hookups. Deer everywhere. Saw sign of mountain lions & bears on the nearby hiking trails. This is one of the prettiest national forest campgrounds that I ever camped in.
LegendDeluxe Camping in Telluride, and by that I mean that they have flush and vault toilets, showers, drinking water, trash collection and hook ups for your RV or tent. If you have no “roughing it” bone in your body this is the campground for you!
I went here to check out the site since I had heard it was so improved and yes indeed I was impressed by the amenities.
Each site had the typical fire ring and picnic table and with two loops you can choose from either a more wooded feel or more open feel depending on your preference.
Tent sites here have a nice even feel to them clear of obstructions and sharp rocks which for me meant an easy 5 minute set up of my camp. That to me means that I can immediately start enjoying my stay without having to work hard to just prepare my site.
I chose site #12 which was an unimproved tent site, one of only a few they have. I didn’t feel just because I was at a campground that had electricity I needed to pay for it since I didn’t need it. There is a cost of $8 just for electricity. I paid $18 for my site.
My views here were nice and there were not a lot of people at the site mid week, however when I spoke to someone in town (only about 10 minutes away) they said this campground is the weekenders destination during September before it closes and during summer is busy throughout the week with vacationers.
At night this place was a little chilly in September but during the day the weather was ideal. I had a light jacket I carried with me for hiking and I made sure to have my 40 degree sleeping bag for night when temps dropped.
The views here area spectacular much like all of those in Telluride area. In the distance you always will see a snow capped mountain and in September you start to see the fall leaves emerge with their golden tones.
The only negative I could see from this campground was in cell signal for those looking to not be “roughing it” being plugged in with AT&T was a little tough. I had to leave the camp and go toward town before I picked up on signal and even then it was a bit spotty at times.
RangerPulled into this area late one evening on a fall camping trip across Colorado. Totally expected it to be full but there were a couple areas left to setup thankfully. Everything in this area was filled by 630p however.
Clean toilet which is a bonus if needed and designated parking for each little area. Some sites needed to walk in a bit but no big deal.
Beautiful area all around and one in awhile you could hear road noise but not an issue. In fall you can’t hear Elk as well which is really cool and obviously being surrounded by the colors is great too.
Fire rings in most spots but double check fire bans before.
LegendStayed at campsite #17 in early June. Large campsite near intersection of campground roads; some traffic driving by. Campground wasn't crowded during our stay. Site was across road from vault toilets, and a few sites away from the nearest water station. Vault toilets were very clean & had tp. Elevation of campground is over 9800 feet. Snow was still on the ground in places. Overnight temperatures around 30 degrees F. Firewood was available for sale. Campground hosts were great! Kept the campground clean & safe. Campsite included metal fire ring & table. Site had great views of nearby mountains. The trailhead for Ice Lakes Trail is near campground entrance. Forest road accessing the campground was easy to drive for any vehicle. Pass a handful of walk-in dispersed tent sites on the way. South Mineral Creek & Clear Creek flow along side campground, providing fishing opportunities. Overall beautiful campground.
Tent camping near San Juan National Forest in Colorado offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, with a variety of scenic spots and outdoor activities to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near San Juan National Forest is Hermosa Park Road Dispersed with a 4.8-star rating from 10 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 34 tent camping locations near San Juan National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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