Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Walsenburg, CO is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Walsenburg. Find the best campgrounds near Walsenburg, CO. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
Camping opportunities abound at Lathrop. Lathrop’s two campgrounds have 103 sites that can accommodate motor homes, trailers and tents, and offer either a basic or improved camping experience. Improved Sites provide 20/30/50 amp electricity at the site, but do not provide water or sewer hookups. Piñon Campground is ideal for large camping units. Click the "Fees" link on the left side of this page for campsite prices.
Winter camping is available.
$36 / night
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is in the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado at an elevation of 8,175 feet. The dunes lie on the eastern edge of the valley at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Range. The dunefield is part of the nearly 150,000 total acres of the park and preserve that also protects alpine lakes, tundra, six peaks over 13,000 feet, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands. The park is part of a fragile, dynamic system that influences and sustains the tallest dunes in North America. President Herbert Hoover established the park unit as a national monument by presidential proclamation on March 17, 1932 through the Antiquities Act. The Works Progress Administration constructed the Superintendent___s Residence, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But otherwise, GRSA did not see a great deal of development during the New Deal. Park development did not occur in earnest until Mission 66. During this period, the NPS was able to construct a Visitor Center, the Pinon Flat Campground (88 sites), a picnic area, five comfort stations, six single family residences and a triplex, while also building or improving roads and trails through the park. The Visitor Center shows the motivation of the Western Office of Design and Construction to configure designs to corresponding regions using principles of ___regional modernism.___ Built in the Pueblo Revival style, the Visitor Center mimics adobe construction through modern materials and forms blended with traditional materials and forms seen during the CCC-era in Cecil Doty___s work. Following Mission 66, Congress designated nearly 91% of the monument as wilderness in 1976, which certainly limited the park___s ability to further develop visitor and administrative facilities. GRSA became a national park and preserve in 2000, which also included a transfer of land from the Rio Grande National Forest.The dunes have long stood as a landmark for travelers from ancient North Americans to Southern Ute, Jicarilla Apaches, Navajos, early explorers, gold miners, homesteaders, ranchers, farmers and migrant field workers, to you - today's park visitor.
Great Sand Dunes' wide range of natural features provides endless outdoor recreational activities. The park is perfect for kids, who love exploring the dunefield on foot or by sled. Medano Creek, at the base of the dunes, is a popular place in the summertime. Kids and adults alike love to splash in the cool water. Many kid-friendly, ranger-led activities and a junior ranger program are available. Many miles of hiking and backpacking trails lead through the park's forests and alpine terrain, including the Mosca Pass Trail, Dunes Overlook/Sand Ramp Trail and Indian Grove Trail.
Reservations are required to stay in Pinon Flats campground. The campground offers 86 campsites. The park recommends making a reservation in advance, especially for peak summer months from May through September. Private first-come, first-served camping is also available just outside the park boundary. For more information about camping, visit www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/camping.htm. Due to the historic design, the campground may not be able to accommodate all large, modern size vehicles. During visitor center operating hours, you can see a park film, experience interactive exhibits, speak with a helpful ranger and visit the Western National Parks Association store. Kids of all ages can pick up a Junior Ranger booklet or participate in the Junior Ranger Explorer program.
Great Sand Dunes are the magnificent centerpiece of a natural system that includes high mountain peaks, sparkling streams, vast grasslands and lush forests. The campground is situated among pinon pines and sagebrush beneath the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Most sites have beautiful views of the snow-covered peaks. A wide variety of grasses and wildflowers can be found throughout the area, and mule deer are commonly seen in and around the campground.
Zapata Falls is just south of the national park off Highway 150. A short but slippery 1/2-mile hike leads to a 25-foot high cascade. Simply driving to the trailhead provides an excellent view of the entire dunefield and San Luis Valley, especially at sunrise or sunset. San Luis State Wildlife Area is located at the western edge of Great Sand Dunes National Park. It features a large natural lake popular for boating, water skiing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing.
$80 / night
Blue Lake Campground is located in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest at an elevation of 10,500 ft. Views of the nearby Culebra Range Mountains with aspen and spruce forests offer campers a genuine Colorado experience.
A well-marked trail system between Bear Lake and Blue Lake is open to foot and horse traffic. Across the road from the campground FSR 436, a rough jeep road, provides access to Trinchera Peak where Big Horn Sheep are often seen.
This rustic campground has 16 campsites, each with a table and fire ring. Some are shaded; others provide full sunlight. An on-site camp host offers firewood bundles for sale. Vault toilets and drinking water are available. No electric or septic hook-ups are available. Both reservation and first-come, first-served sites are available.
A tributary of the Cuchara River runs through the campground. Blue Lake is 1/2 mile from the campground, and Bear Lake is one mile away. Both of these small lakes are stocked several times during the summer providing for good fishing.
The nearby mountain town of Cuchara offers shopping and visitor information. The town of La Veta offers a grocery store, gas stations, and shops. The Spanish Peaks Wilderness, 14 miles from the campground, is a popular hiking destination.
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.
$24 / night
A short drive up the gravel road that leads to the Bureau of Land Management___s Zapata Falls Campground (CG) will let visitors to the area see the San Luis Valley and Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve from a whole new perspective. The campground offers bird___s-eye views of the valley floor below, the San Juan Mountains to the west, the adjacent Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and several 14er___s and many other towering peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range that Zapata Falls CG sits on ___ not to mention spectacular sunrises, sunsets and night skies!____ Zapata Falls CG has 23 single campsites, 1 group site and 1 camp host site nestled among pi__on pines along two one-mile long loops. The sites on one loop are designed for tent campers. Parking spurs on the second loop vary a little in length but in general can handle RVs, towed campers, or other configurations of vehicles up to about 50 feet long.____ A new trailhead in the campground supplies a link to the South Zapata Creek Trail and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. A second trail, next door to the campground in the day-use area, leads visitors on a mildly steep half-mile hike to Zapata Falls, which gives the campground its name.
Zapata Falls Recreation Area is a destination known for its waterfall viewing and sweeping vistas of the San Luis Valley, its soaring mountain ranges, and the adjacent Great Sand Dunes National Park. From the waterfall, the trail continues onto the Rio Grande National Forest, for those seeking a backcountry experience in the high country above and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.__ Recreation Sites ___ Standard Nonelectric ___ Rv Nonelectric ___ Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric ___ Overnight
___ Road signs from highway to Recreation Area. ___ Improved gravel roads in Recreation Area (no pavement). ___ No public drinking water system. ___ 6 vault (or pit-type) toilets. ___ Trash bins throughout campground and day-use areas. ___ 23 Individual sites (11 Tent, 12 RV, 1 Group Tent, 1 CG Host Site, 7 Picnic sites. ___ Standard campground amenities-table, tent pads, fire ring, food storage locker, parking. ___ Interpretive, informational, and directional signs. ___ Trailhead and overflow parking areas. ___ Foot and horse trails. ___ All facilities open year-round. ___ Cell phone service is good.
Zapata Falls Special Recreation Management Area The Zapata Falls Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) is rich in history and geology and offers opportunities to hike, camp, mountain bike and view spectacular scenery. Zapata Falls and the 628 acres surrounding them are State Trust Lands owned by the Colorado State Land Board and are also a designated Colorado Natural Area. They are cooperatively managed with the Bureau of Land Management. History The name ___Zapata___ is the Spanish word for shoe and is tied to the history of settlement in the San Luis Valley. In 1864, Mexican families established the community of Zapata at the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and raised sheep and other livestock. In the 1870s, cattleman consolidated land holdings and established one of the San Luis Valley___s first and largest cattle ranches know as Zapata Ranch, which remains an active ranch today.__ Geology Zapata Falls SRMA perches on the edge of an active rift valley. The San Luis Valley was formed when geologic activity along the Rio Grande Rift, a giant crack in the earth___s top layers, caused the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains to rise and the flat plain of the San Luis Valley to sink. Bedrock lies 5,000 to 13,000 feet below the valley floor, beneath layers of gravel, soil, and water. Approximately two million years ago, alpine glaciers inched down the steep slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Water flowing from the glacier and snowfields in the valley above found a weak spot near the end of a moraine ___ a huge rock pile deposited thousands of years ago by a glacier. For thousands of years, water has carved its path, forming Zapata Falls. Don___t Take the Plunge at Zapata Falls The cold waters of South Zapata Creek drop more than 25 feet through a narrow, rocky canyon. Please use extreme caution when hiking or wading around the base of Zapata Falls. In spring and summer, the water is cold, the current may be strong, and the rocks are slippery. In winter, climbing to the base of the falls is a slick proposition. Zapata Creek freezes into a sheet of ice blanketed by snow. Beware, the ice may not be thick enough to support your weight. There is no view of the falls from above; trying to climb the rocky walls is dangerous to you and to people below you. The falls are home to the black swift, a rare and elusive bird that nests only in the misty reaches of waterfalls. Stay on the trails to keep from disturbing the birds nesting in the cliffs.__
Zapata Falls Trail__ To reach Zapata Falls, you will need to take a short but arduous hike to Zapata Creek. The falls are upstream from where the trail meets the creek. The only way to view the falls is to get your feet wet by wading carefully upstream to the base of the falls. Length: 1/2 mile each way Elevation: 9,000 to 9,400 feet Connections: South Zapata Lake Trail (U.S. Forest Service Trail #852)____ Other Nearby Attractions: ___ NPS-Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.____ ___ USFS-Rio Grande National Forest and Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. ___ BLM-Blanca Wetlands Recreation Area. ___ USFWS-Baca and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuges. ___ Great Sand Dunes Oasis-Restaurant, gift shop, and lodge (near GRSA Park entrance). ___ Ft. Garland Museum and Cultural Center. ___ Colorado Gators Reptile Park. ___ UFO Watchtower. ___ Sand Dunes Hot Springs Pool. Other Nearby Campgrounds: Pinyon Flats CG, Great Sand Dunes NPP
$25 - $169 / night
This recreation area is part of Trinidad Lake. The Carpios Ridge Campground, including a new camper services building, is fully operational with sites 1-23 open from October 15 to May 1. The camper services building has restrooms, pay showers and laundry.
All 63 sites now have 30- and 50-amp electrical service and four sites--1, 3, 6, and 63--offer full hookups.
$36 - $41 / night
Camping opportunities abound at Lathrop. Lathrop’s two campgrounds have 103 sites that can accommodate motor homes, trailers and tents, and offer either a basic or improved camping experience. Improved Sites provide 20/30/50 amp electricity at the site, but do not provide water or sewer hookups. Piñon Campground is ideal for large camping units. Click the "Fees" link on the left side of this page for campsite prices.
Winter camping is available.
$36 / night
Camping opportunities abound at Lathrop. Lathrop’s two campgrounds have 103 sites that can accommodate motor homes, trailers and tents, and offer either a basic or improved camping experience. Improved Sites provide 20/30/50 amp electricity at the site, but do not provide water or sewer hookups. Piñon Campground is ideal for large camping units. Click the "Fees" link on the left side of this page for campsite prices.
Winter camping is available.
$36 / night
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is in the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado at an elevation of 8,175 feet. The dunes lie on the eastern edge of the valley at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Range. The dunefield is part of the nearly 150,000 total acres of the park and preserve that also protects alpine lakes, tundra, six peaks over 13,000 feet, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands. The park is part of a fragile, dynamic system that influences and sustains the tallest dunes in North America. President Herbert Hoover established the park unit as a national monument by presidential proclamation on March 17, 1932 through the Antiquities Act. The Works Progress Administration constructed the Superintendent___s Residence, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But otherwise, GRSA did not see a great deal of development during the New Deal. Park development did not occur in earnest until Mission 66. During this period, the NPS was able to construct a Visitor Center, the Pinon Flat Campground (88 sites), a picnic area, five comfort stations, six single family residences and a triplex, while also building or improving roads and trails through the park. The Visitor Center shows the motivation of the Western Office of Design and Construction to configure designs to corresponding regions using principles of ___regional modernism.___ Built in the Pueblo Revival style, the Visitor Center mimics adobe construction through modern materials and forms blended with traditional materials and forms seen during the CCC-era in Cecil Doty___s work. Following Mission 66, Congress designated nearly 91% of the monument as wilderness in 1976, which certainly limited the park___s ability to further develop visitor and administrative facilities. GRSA became a national park and preserve in 2000, which also included a transfer of land from the Rio Grande National Forest.The dunes have long stood as a landmark for travelers from ancient North Americans to Southern Ute, Jicarilla Apaches, Navajos, early explorers, gold miners, homesteaders, ranchers, farmers and migrant field workers, to you - today's park visitor.
Great Sand Dunes' wide range of natural features provides endless outdoor recreational activities. The park is perfect for kids, who love exploring the dunefield on foot or by sled. Medano Creek, at the base of the dunes, is a popular place in the summertime. Kids and adults alike love to splash in the cool water. Many kid-friendly, ranger-led activities and a junior ranger program are available. Many miles of hiking and backpacking trails lead through the park's forests and alpine terrain, including the Mosca Pass Trail, Dunes Overlook/Sand Ramp Trail and Indian Grove Trail.
Reservations are required to stay in Pinon Flats campground. The campground offers 86 campsites. The park recommends making a reservation in advance, especially for peak summer months from May through September. Private first-come, first-served camping is also available just outside the park boundary. For more information about camping, visit www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/camping.htm. Due to the historic design, the campground may not be able to accommodate all large, modern size vehicles. During visitor center operating hours, you can see a park film, experience interactive exhibits, speak with a helpful ranger and visit the Western National Parks Association store. Kids of all ages can pick up a Junior Ranger booklet or participate in the Junior Ranger Explorer program.
Great Sand Dunes are the magnificent centerpiece of a natural system that includes high mountain peaks, sparkling streams, vast grasslands and lush forests. The campground is situated among pinon pines and sagebrush beneath the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Most sites have beautiful views of the snow-covered peaks. A wide variety of grasses and wildflowers can be found throughout the area, and mule deer are commonly seen in and around the campground.
Zapata Falls is just south of the national park off Highway 150. A short but slippery 1/2-mile hike leads to a 25-foot high cascade. Simply driving to the trailhead provides an excellent view of the entire dunefield and San Luis Valley, especially at sunrise or sunset. San Luis State Wildlife Area is located at the western edge of Great Sand Dunes National Park. It features a large natural lake popular for boating, water skiing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing.
$80 / night
Blue Lake Campground is located in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest at an elevation of 10,500 ft. Views of the nearby Culebra Range Mountains with aspen and spruce forests offer campers a genuine Colorado experience.
A well-marked trail system between Bear Lake and Blue Lake is open to foot and horse traffic. Across the road from the campground FSR 436, a rough jeep road, provides access to Trinchera Peak where Big Horn Sheep are often seen.
This rustic campground has 16 campsites, each with a table and fire ring. Some are shaded; others provide full sunlight. An on-site camp host offers firewood bundles for sale. Vault toilets and drinking water are available. No electric or septic hook-ups are available. Both reservation and first-come, first-served sites are available.
A tributary of the Cuchara River runs through the campground. Blue Lake is 1/2 mile from the campground, and Bear Lake is one mile away. Both of these small lakes are stocked several times during the summer providing for good fishing.
The nearby mountain town of Cuchara offers shopping and visitor information. The town of La Veta offers a grocery store, gas stations, and shops. The Spanish Peaks Wilderness, 14 miles from the campground, is a popular hiking destination.
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.
$24 / night
A short drive up the gravel road that leads to the Bureau of Land Management___s Zapata Falls Campground (CG) will let visitors to the area see the San Luis Valley and Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve from a whole new perspective. The campground offers bird___s-eye views of the valley floor below, the San Juan Mountains to the west, the adjacent Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and several 14er___s and many other towering peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range that Zapata Falls CG sits on ___ not to mention spectacular sunrises, sunsets and night skies!____ Zapata Falls CG has 23 single campsites, 1 group site and 1 camp host site nestled among pi__on pines along two one-mile long loops. The sites on one loop are designed for tent campers. Parking spurs on the second loop vary a little in length but in general can handle RVs, towed campers, or other configurations of vehicles up to about 50 feet long.____ A new trailhead in the campground supplies a link to the South Zapata Creek Trail and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. A second trail, next door to the campground in the day-use area, leads visitors on a mildly steep half-mile hike to Zapata Falls, which gives the campground its name.
Zapata Falls Recreation Area is a destination known for its waterfall viewing and sweeping vistas of the San Luis Valley, its soaring mountain ranges, and the adjacent Great Sand Dunes National Park. From the waterfall, the trail continues onto the Rio Grande National Forest, for those seeking a backcountry experience in the high country above and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.__ Recreation Sites ___ Standard Nonelectric ___ Rv Nonelectric ___ Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric ___ Overnight
___ Road signs from highway to Recreation Area. ___ Improved gravel roads in Recreation Area (no pavement). ___ No public drinking water system. ___ 6 vault (or pit-type) toilets. ___ Trash bins throughout campground and day-use areas. ___ 23 Individual sites (11 Tent, 12 RV, 1 Group Tent, 1 CG Host Site, 7 Picnic sites. ___ Standard campground amenities-table, tent pads, fire ring, food storage locker, parking. ___ Interpretive, informational, and directional signs. ___ Trailhead and overflow parking areas. ___ Foot and horse trails. ___ All facilities open year-round. ___ Cell phone service is good.
Zapata Falls Special Recreation Management Area The Zapata Falls Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) is rich in history and geology and offers opportunities to hike, camp, mountain bike and view spectacular scenery. Zapata Falls and the 628 acres surrounding them are State Trust Lands owned by the Colorado State Land Board and are also a designated Colorado Natural Area. They are cooperatively managed with the Bureau of Land Management. History The name ___Zapata___ is the Spanish word for shoe and is tied to the history of settlement in the San Luis Valley. In 1864, Mexican families established the community of Zapata at the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and raised sheep and other livestock. In the 1870s, cattleman consolidated land holdings and established one of the San Luis Valley___s first and largest cattle ranches know as Zapata Ranch, which remains an active ranch today.__ Geology Zapata Falls SRMA perches on the edge of an active rift valley. The San Luis Valley was formed when geologic activity along the Rio Grande Rift, a giant crack in the earth___s top layers, caused the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains to rise and the flat plain of the San Luis Valley to sink. Bedrock lies 5,000 to 13,000 feet below the valley floor, beneath layers of gravel, soil, and water. Approximately two million years ago, alpine glaciers inched down the steep slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Water flowing from the glacier and snowfields in the valley above found a weak spot near the end of a moraine ___ a huge rock pile deposited thousands of years ago by a glacier. For thousands of years, water has carved its path, forming Zapata Falls. Don___t Take the Plunge at Zapata Falls The cold waters of South Zapata Creek drop more than 25 feet through a narrow, rocky canyon. Please use extreme caution when hiking or wading around the base of Zapata Falls. In spring and summer, the water is cold, the current may be strong, and the rocks are slippery. In winter, climbing to the base of the falls is a slick proposition. Zapata Creek freezes into a sheet of ice blanketed by snow. Beware, the ice may not be thick enough to support your weight. There is no view of the falls from above; trying to climb the rocky walls is dangerous to you and to people below you. The falls are home to the black swift, a rare and elusive bird that nests only in the misty reaches of waterfalls. Stay on the trails to keep from disturbing the birds nesting in the cliffs.__
Zapata Falls Trail__ To reach Zapata Falls, you will need to take a short but arduous hike to Zapata Creek. The falls are upstream from where the trail meets the creek. The only way to view the falls is to get your feet wet by wading carefully upstream to the base of the falls. Length: 1/2 mile each way Elevation: 9,000 to 9,400 feet Connections: South Zapata Lake Trail (U.S. Forest Service Trail #852)____ Other Nearby Attractions: ___ NPS-Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.____ ___ USFS-Rio Grande National Forest and Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. ___ BLM-Blanca Wetlands Recreation Area. ___ USFWS-Baca and Alamosa National Wildlife Refuges. ___ Great Sand Dunes Oasis-Restaurant, gift shop, and lodge (near GRSA Park entrance). ___ Ft. Garland Museum and Cultural Center. ___ Colorado Gators Reptile Park. ___ UFO Watchtower. ___ Sand Dunes Hot Springs Pool. Other Nearby Campgrounds: Pinyon Flats CG, Great Sand Dunes NPP
$25 - $169 / night
