318 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
San Juan National Forest land wraps around Silverton on most sides, putting dispersed camping within a few miles of town in multiple directions. The elevation runs high here, mostly above 9,000 feet, which means nights are cold even in July and the camping window tightens fast at either end of the season. Free camping outside Silverton covers the no-fee dispersed options on national forest roads, including which access routes hold up for standard vehicles versus high-clearance rigs. Snow can close higher roads by late October and some don't reopen until June.
Ouray is about 24 miles north and gives a backup when Silverton's national forest roads are gated or muddy. Bring warm layers regardless of the forecast. The Dyrt campers logging check-ins here report temperature drops that catch people off guard, particularly at sites above 10,000 feet where afternoon thunderstorms roll through fast and evenings get genuinely cold.
"Beautiful views of surrounding mountains and Alta lakes as well as access to the ghost town of Alta."
"One of those classic colorado vistas, with outdoors feel, safe swimming for children and all round good times."
"I've spent quite a bit of time at various sites around this campground during annual vacations and using it as a base for geological field work nearby."
"Small lake with non-motorized boating and fishing. Level sites, pit toilets, tables, fire rings, and camp store. Kayaks for rent."
from $25 - $45 / night
Check Availability"We parked close to the road tucked in some trees. Wanted to be by the water but it was taken by multiple coach RVs."
"About 5 or so miles from Silverton. 14 day limit. Nice shady spots if you turn immediately off the entrance road when you first come in, make left immediately cool hidden spots if not taken."
"Had a wonderful stay right next to the lake. Woke up to the sounds of birds. Sites include RV/van sites (2?) and at least six tent only sites. Each night only one other site was occupied."
"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."
"The campground is bordered on one side by the San Juan River and by the park on the other side, making a tight but nice campground."
"It's right next to the town and is used a lot for Telluride's summer festivals. Its more than a campground it is also where a lot of town events are held and also has sports venues."
"the sites are full, or snag a hotel near 550 when we don't want to chance a night on a slope."
"Site was clean, easy to access and close to restroom. Great views all around and super close to Ouray and surrounding hiking trails."
from $28 / night
Check Availability"On the way there you will pass several single dispersed campsites next to the river or in the reeds by the beaver ponds, as well as a few semi developed dispersed campgrounds."
"Large campsite near intersection of campground roads; some traffic driving by. Campground wasn't crowded during our stay."
from $40 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful 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"
"Nice little campground on the Million Dollar Highway heading between Durango and Silverton, with the Colorado Trail passing right through the campground."
"Matterhorn Campground, located near Telluride and nestled in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, offers an excellent balance of comfort and outdoor adventure."
"We were happy to have hot showers as we were on day 4&5 of our camping across Colorado honeymoon and it had rained nights 1-4. There were two camp hosts both of the ladies were nice."
from $26 - $40 / night
Check Availability"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."
"In pursuit of the perfect campground in Colorado, Telluride has so many to choose from it makes it near impossible to select just one."
TravelerThere are approximately 8-10 spots along this stretch of road that are all relatively flat. The road is slightly bumpy but most vehicles should be able to tolerate just fine. The views are amazing. We were the only ones here and it was a nice quiet spot. A little bit of road noise from a few passing cars overnight but not too noticeable.
ScoutGreat campground! Clean, quiet, and well maintained with spotless bathrooms and showers. It was nice having laundry, water, and even a Little Free Library. Not every site has a mountain or reservoir view, but I’m pretty sure they all have some shade, which was really nice. I’d definitely stay here again.
TravelerAbsolutely lovely spot to spend a night or a few days! I was concerned at first due to the large number of campers, but the space is so vast that we felt like we were alone as soon as we parked. No service (Verizon or T Mobile) but so close to town that it will probably be covered in the coming years
GuideI had to run south to the auto parts store so on the way back north I wanted to see for myself what this looked like.
First off let’s say this is a lovely setting. Far off the main road (though you’ll get some local traffic noise), you’re in a fairly narrow canyon butting up against a river. The scenery is beautiful. I’d also guess that given the canyon nature, full sun exposure is pretty limited towards the middle of the day.
Basically a figure-8 campground with the main loop having a few power hookups in the center spaces. Expect zero privacy. On the outside loop, and the northern loop, there are some nice sites that afford privacy with some backing immediately up to the river.
Several water spigots.
I didn’t check out the bathrooms but it looked like pit toilets.
There was zero ATT cell service and I’d bet no cell service works there.
I’d definitely stay here!
GuideI did not stay here, but wanted to drive through just to see it for myself. This one is located just up the road from the Marveeso campground (I wrote a review on that as well).
I can think of nothing nicer than a campground in a valley abutting a river. This is yet another one.
The major difference is this feels a bit more spread out and more of a circle in nature. I didn’t catch if it had sites with electric, but there were scattered water spigots. Also pit toilets, though I didn’t check not inspect them.
Don’t expect cell service here.
I would definitely stay here!
ScoutLike most busier camp sites, expect a couple of generators, last time the one next door started at 1:00am, that is simply I don’t care about others!!! Having said that you’re surrounded by amazing 13k peaks and the stream is right there…
ScoutI’m staying in spot 16 and I love it. close to the lake and beautiful views. But the drive up here was very rough. Very spacious for camping but not much going on. It’s definitely a one time thing for me.
GuideThis was a nice spot. Very quiet and we got a first come first serve spot mid day on a Wednesday. The hosts were so kind, friendly, and helpful! We actually overpaid and he came over and gave us some of the money back! Walking distance to the river and the lake was drivable distance. We caught so many fish at the lake, even a salmon! Potable water was easily accessible and the vault bathroom was okay… the host said they were closing it down to repaint and fix them up a bit 😊. We also had lots of animal visitors (deer and chipmunks). The deer are definitely used to being fed because they took food from our hands with no hesitation. Overall it was a nice experience for 4 days.
GuideI was randomly suggested this campground by another traveler at a gas station. Could not have been happier!
I had been staying in Ridgway State Park. It amazingly had hit the mid 90’s and the smoke from the fires kept rolling in and out. I really wanted cool weather, and was able to get in here for a week of 60’s/40’s (days/nights) and lots of intermittent showers. Loving it!
There are about 25 spots here, with a few having full power/water in the center of the park. These also have your least privacy if that’s a concern. The ones on the outer side of the loop are much more private.
There’s an older updated common bathroom that is kept EXCEPTIONALLY clean! Hot water showers too. The two women working as camp hosts are wonderful and very responsive!
The camp itself is nested amongst trees with some views across a valley towards peaks. I personally really love it.
The review says it’s 7 miles from Telluride but I believe it’s a few more than that. The road is in excellent condition.
I would absolutely stay here again if only for the colder weather.
The San Juan Mountains around Silverton provide diverse camping options across elevations typically ranging from 9,000 to 11,000 feet. Little Molas Lake Campground sits at approximately 10,300 feet, requiring campers to prepare for significant temperature drops even during summer months. Forest roads leading to many camping areas become challenging after rainfall, often requiring vehicles with higher clearance.
Hike to Ice Lakes Basin: South Mineral Campground serves as the primary trailhead for the popular Ice Lakes Basin trail. "The trail head for Ice Lake and Island Lake is just across the road. There is a stream that runs along side the campground. The spaces are nice and large," notes one South Mineral Campground visitor.
Explore ghost towns: Alta Lakes Campground offers access to nearby abandoned mining structures. "The ghost town comes before the campground and we did attempt to go to the campground but in one spot we couldn't see what was on the other side of our hood of our truck and chose to turn around," shares a camper at Alta Lakes Campground. "You can't explore any of the buildings, at least not legally, but you can see them and experience what used to be."
Fish for trout: Multiple lakes and streams provide fishing opportunities throughout the area. "The lake is amazing, people were fishing, although I didn't see anyone pulling out fish," reports one visitor to Alta Lakes, while another Molas Lake camper noted watching "an osprey" catching fish.
Lake access with mountain backdrops: Molas Lake Park & Campground offers premium lakeside sites with unmatched views. "This campground has a great location and if you are lucky enough to get a lakefront site, the view is wonderful!" mentions a visitor to Molas Lake Park & Campground.
Proximity to the Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake Campground provides direct access to this famous long-distance trail. "There are great trails heading out of the campground in both directions," explains a camper at Little Molas Lake Campground. "This was a great spot to camp as a home base for hiking the Colorado Trail."
Creekside camping: Many visitors specifically seek out water-adjacent sites. "We parked close to the road tucked in some trees. Wanted to be by the water but it was taken by multiple coach RVs," notes a visitor to Kendall Camping Area. Another camper states, "We were able to get a site right on Mineral Creek, and found ourselves within a great community of people."
High elevation challenges: Campgrounds near Silverton sit between 9,000-11,000 feet, affecting both humans and equipment. One visitor to Matterhorn Campground observed: "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."
Road conditions vary widely: Access to many dispersed sites requires careful driving. "The road up is a bit rough. We managed it barely in all wheel drive vehicles but did get stuck for a bit at one point when we had to stop for someone on their way down," warns a camper at Kendall Camping Area.
Campsite availability challenges: Most free sites fill quickly during peak season. "This campsite fills up quite quickly. We arrived relatively early, but were unable to find a site," notes a visitor to Alta Lakes. Another camper advises, "We arrived around 7PM on Friday during Memorial Weekend and thought I'd be out of luck but it was barely half full!"
Easier hikes for children: Several campgrounds offer gentler trails suitable for younger hikers. At Molas Lake, one camper mentions, "The Colorado Trail runs through the campground and whether you do a quick toddler hike to the waterfall or a much longer hike down to the river there is just so much to do here and to explore."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Many campgrounds offer chances to spot animals safely. "When we were there there was a lot of wind so we were at the top of the valley and the wind would just rush up and you could hear it coming," shares an Alta Lakes visitor. Others report seeing deer, moose, and even a lynx at various campgrounds.
Plan for temperature swings: The high elevation means dramatic temperature changes that affect children especially. "It got pretty chilly at night and rained most of the days," notes an Alta Lakes camper, while another at Priest Lake Dispersed Camping Area advises: "It's up pretty high so make sure you're ready for a cold night!"
Limited hookups available: Most campgrounds offer minimal or no services for RVs. "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," reports a visitor to Little Molas Lake.
Size constraints at higher elevations: Many forest roads have tight turns and steep sections. "The 'parking area' has some rocks and is a bit and uneven. We have a 33ft 5th wheel camper. We had to go slow to not scrap our jacks," notes a Kendall Camping Area visitor. Another camper with similar equipment adds, "Found a spot along the creek. Camper was level, no blocks needed."
Reserve electric sites well ahead: The few campgrounds with hookups book quickly. At Matterhorn Campground, a visitor explains: "28 sites total, 8 sites are full hookups. Most are reservation only. Two restrooms, one is flush toilets and showers and other by tent walk-in sites is a vault toilet."
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there free camping sites available around Silverton, Colorado?
Silverton is surrounded by excellent free camping options. Bandera Mine Dispersed Campsite offers a beautiful meadow setting about two miles up County Road 7 past South Mineral Campground, identifiable by a three-tier beaver pond and old mining buildings. Dispersed Campsites on 591 near 550 (Lime Creek Area) provide quick access to fishing opportunities, though you'll hear some highway noise. Both areas follow the standard 14-day stay limit for National Forest dispersed camping. These free sites typically have minimal amenities—perhaps fire rings and possibly vault toilets—so come prepared with water and waste disposal plans. The trade-off for free camping is spectacular mountain scenery without the cost.
Where are the best campgrounds near Silverton, Colorado?
The San Juan Mountains surrounding Silverton offer stunning camping opportunities. Little Molas Lake Campground is highly recommended for its beautiful sites and access to numerous trails, including the Colorado Trail. It's only a short drive from Silverton and about an hour from Durango. For those seeking a lakeside experience, Molas Lake Park & Campground provides breathtaking views, though be prepared for rustic facilities. The campground offers tent sites and convenient access to Silverton and OHV routes. Both locations provide the perfect base camp for exploring the stunning alpine terrain that makes this region of Colorado so special.
When is the best season for camping in Silverton, Colorado?
The best time for camping in Silverton is late June through early September, when high-elevation mountain weather is most stable. Located at over 9,000 feet elevation, Silverton experiences a short summer season with cool nights even during peak months. Golden Horn Dispersed camping area (9,600 ft elevation) typically becomes accessible by late June when mountain passes open. July and August offer wildflower displays and consistent weather, while September brings stunning fall colors, especially in areas like Owl Creek Pass with its aspen groves. Weather can change rapidly year-round, so pack for temperature swings and potential afternoon thunderstorms regardless of when you visit.
What are the camping options in downtown Silverton, Colorado?
Silverton has limited camping directly in town, but offers facilities that support campers. Silverton Lakes RV Resort provides RV spots within walking distance of downtown. For those staying at nearby dispersed sites, Silverton offers public showers and bathrooms that are convenient for day visits. Most camping options are found just outside town limits, like Kendall Camping Area, which is only about 5 miles from downtown with minimal elevation change. When staying at outlying campgrounds, many visitors appreciate Silverton's amenities for resupplying and accessing services before returning to their campsites. The town serves as an excellent hub for campers exploring the surrounding San Juan Mountains.
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