Best Tent Camping near Walsenburg, CO

We loved this camp site! It was our first time to tent camp in Colorado and it was great. Several sites to choose from. Some have views of the dunes, some are more secluded. Bathrooms were clean. Very spacious tent site with a fire pit. Our tent sleeps 6 and we had no trouble fitting in the spot.

We grabbed a tent site for our small teardrop for a night and decided to stay 2. Staff was very freindly. Store had essentials including a gas pump. Only a handful of folks in the tent area and it was nice and quiet. fantastic views of the dunes and plenty of shaded sites. Bathroom in the tent sites were clean

There are several spots for tent camping in the Smith Creek Campground. Great area to hike and climb. Great stream that runs most of the year.

First off - we tent camped in this RV heavy campground. sites were a little too close for comfort. Coin-operated showers were nice but got dirty and gross quickly. Not far from town, and lake has lots of fun opportunities.

A little close together and close to the highway. Expect some traffic noise throughout the night. Large park with fishing, hiking and more. Picnic tables (some with shelters), fire rings and vault toilets available thoughout the tent camping site, rv hookups and playground also available.

Main building offers nice amenities including small museum exhibits about the local area and ample information on the area as well. Sites are nice though fairly close together. Cost $25/night for a tent site.

We had site 68 and 70. Site 70 had trees that made it hard for RV . I would recommend this campsite for people who tent camp. RV sites are challenging to get into and some sites have no room for tow vehicle. Campsites are close to each other. Nice to be close to Sand Dunes.

Parties late on weekeds, despite official  quiet times.  No rangers after 5pm.  If need one, call State Police to maybe get one on-call.   Do NOT hold your breath.

Over 10 years EVERY State Park I tried to camp in had drunken parties late on weekends. CPW does not care.

 Tent sites often have trailers with generators.  6am to 10pm.  🙄

Nice campground amongst pinons and juniper trees. Not your typical rows of spaces. Sites are spread out along several wandering loops.

Different size spaces and tent sites! No walk ups, must reserve online.

WalMart just south of Trinidad CO; which is full of interesting history.

Fire pits and firewood available.

Full hook ups at $41 and nine dollar park fee daily.

Lots of shore birds at the lake. Lake wasn’t visible from our site but nearby. 

This campground far exceeded our expectations. We arrived a bit earlier on a stoo over than we had planned. That gave us a bIt more tIme to explore the lake and traIils. We tent camped overlooking the lake and it was an amazing view and sunrise. The bathroom was the nicest I have seen yet in a camp. Very clean but the showers are quarters only. There is a change machine just outside though. InsIde the bathroom facilities there is also a laundry mat. It’s a great place to bring your boat and kids as there is a nice playground area as well.

Camped in a small RV in site 13 which had a fairly level gravel pad. There was a tent site, but it looked to have been washed away. This site had great views of the mountain and lake. Enjoyed the short hike on Levsa - a one mile loop with up high views of Lake Trinidad. The Carpios trail was steep and rocky. Didn't have time for the 3 other trails. Showers and Laundry nice. Saw some deer and a wild hare. Somewhat nearby is Capulin Volcano National Monument. Highly recommended.

BE PREPARED FOR HIGH ALTITUDES! Stay hydrated. Get here early. This a VERY POPULAR area. About a miles beyond the quandary Point trail head, but easily accessible to public. Not everyone will stay, but come and go all night. No phone service. Very remote if you can get a spot on the other side of the lake. Unsure how many sites, if I have to guess 15-20. You do not need 4x4 or high clearance, but will make the drive easier, as it is very rocky at points. Perfect for tent camping and disconnecting from your phone and reconnecting to nature. No facilities - Water, power, toilets.

This site isn’t really big enough for an RV of any size. It didn't affect us, as we were tent camping, but we saw our neighbors really struggling for like an hour trying to get into their site. That said, the view of the dunes and mountains from #25 is spectacular. It backs up to the restroom (flush toilets), which was only a minor nuisance due to extra foot traffic around our site. There is a camp store in the campground with firewood and water and whatever else you may have forgotten (like jiffy pop and s’mores sticks)! All of the sites have their own bear boxes, too.

We were heading to the Flagstaff/GC NP area from a friends house in Arkansas and randomly found Pinion Flats/ The Dunes on a google search. We booked a tent site 1 day in advance for $20ish. When we arrived we just loved everything about this place! What a view! Loop A has great Dunes views. The sites are pretty close together and the restrooms were under construction(outhouses only), but our view was worth it! Check out the map to select a site with a view:) And don’t forget to rent a sled and spend a day on the dunes!

Northern Plains campground, Yucca Flats. Great little spot. There is plenty of room for our 30-foot trailer. Electric hook-ups only, 20, 30, and 50 amp. The picnic table had a nice metal shade. Fire pit. Spot well groomed and clean. Small Russian Olive tree, minimal shade.

About a five minute walk to the lake, great little Cliff side fishing spots. Batbroom a 2 minute walk, free showers, and clean. Spot had plenty of room to also park a RAM 2500.

Temperatures got upward of 99+ when we were here, so if you're tent camping in late July, be prepared!

Lake Pueblo is huge, with multiple boat docks, beaches, and places to swim and explore. If you like lakes, this is a great place to visit!

The road to Zapata Falls is super rough but passenger cars shouldn't have any problem as long as you keep it slow. The campground itself is zigzagged along the hillside. There are big firepits, picnic tables and bearsafe lockers for your food at every site. Some sites have tarps laid out where ideal tent sites are. There are multiple RV sites as well. The camp host is super friendly and does a good job upkeeping the grounds. The is no water access and pit-toilets. There is hand sanitizer in every bathroom though. Just a heads up, the country store down the road towards Great Sand Dunes was closed for the season when we visited, so make sure you have plenty of ice and gas.

Nice, level gravel sites. Only a handful of FHU’s. Most are water/electric in the section nearest the ranger station. Lots of electric only sites in a pretty area with Great Lake views. Many tent sites. This campground has a laundry facility with 3 washers and 3 dryers. Also has vending machines with snacks and cold drinks. Restrooms are super clean. You have to pay to take a shower, it takes quarters only and based on time. There are great hiking trails and you can hike to the lake. Sites are fairly close together, and many are not long enough for large RV’s. This is an expensive park that is well maintained. We paid $41 a night for a FHU, and on top of that there is a $9 per day park entrance fee.

Absolutely beautiful Sand dunes in the mountains, it actually smells like an ocean beach and makes you feel like your on another world. The Dunes are 30 square miles and you can camp anywhere in them with a free permit available at the visitor center, just have to hike in past the first ridge aka the day use area. It's tent camping only, and no pets are allowed in the back country dunes. You also need to pack everything you need in with you and leave no trace. The winds blow often and hard, moving enough Sand to cover you tracks in minutes. The views of the sky and stars are absolutely mesmerizing, one of the most beautiful Sand fields in the world. The creek that runs through the day use area can fluctuate in size daily, it wasn't high when we were there, but it was still flowing half way through the day use area. A must see destination if your in the San Luis Valley.

I really enjoy staying at Pinyon Flats, of all the park service campgrounds this is on the top of my list. If you get the right sight you will have amazing views of the dunes and surrounding mountains. The sites have plenty of room for the tent camping folks, things can get tight for RVs. Some of the site are pretty close to each other, but spacing for most is quiet nice. The restrooms were very clean with flush toilets, and dish washing facilities outside. Each site has a picnic table, metal fire rings, and bear proof food lockers. Be sure to watch the dunes in the evening as the low setting sun cast shadows over the sand dunes. Get hiking opportunities in the park, but one of the best is hiking through the dunes. Campground roads and parking pads are paved. Campground takes reservations so it can get difficult during the summer months to find a spot if you don't have a reservation. This last visit in the beginning of October we found plenty of open sites for the night. Campground has 88 sites at$20 a night.