Rio Grande National Forest River Hill Campground

Lovely small campground with lots of shady, generous campsites, some by the Little Squaw Creek and upper Rio Grande River, and others up next to rock bluffs. The site and facilities were very clean and the camp hosts extremely nice and well versed on this area of Rio Grande National Forest! No electric or sewer hookups, with community well water pumps, and restrooms. Fishing was really good, artificial lures only! Wildlife included elk, moose, bear, deer, chipmunks, rabbits, magpies, ravens, hummingbirds, swallows, and Spring flora were everywhere! Road to camps are rock/dirt, and not very RV friendly (lots of washboards and fallen rock), and if you're not good with heights, some of the road narrows with drop off sides and no railing/barriers. We were there in late May and the nights got down into the 20s, with some heavy wet snow that melted off the next day. Took a drive up past Lost Creek Campground to one of the high meadows and it was breathtaking! Did I mention the elevation of over 10,000 feet? There is a large forested area that has burned, but aspens and other new growth are coming back. Overall, this has been one of our favorite campgrounds. Some sites are reservable and the rest are FCFS. America the Beautiful and Golden Age Passes are accepted.

Because out-of-staters tend to over-book this campground (and then abandon their reservations), it is worth making a reservation for a site here rather than gamble on one of the two first-come sites being open (20 sites total). Chances are the campground will be full, especially on holiday weekends, but sites are generously spaced and non-intrusive. The drive in can be tedious if the washboard tendencies of the gravel road have not been recently graded, but the relative seclusion and beautiful Rio Grande headwaters scenery is well worth the tooth-rattling ride. Except during high spring runoff, the Rio Grande offers endless fishing opportunities, as do the many tributaries and small reservoirs scattered around the area. Hiking trails abound, and exploration farther up the Rio Grande is limited only by high-clearance and 4WD capabilities. A good Trails Illustrated map of the area and GPS are recommended for stress-free exploring. Nights are almost always cold, days are often sunny.  Clear Creek Falls is nearby (off of CO149 back where the gravel road started) and is a photographer's favorite, as are the vast panoramas from the higher viewpoints. Camping sites are mostly level and well-maintained. We especially recommend this campground for multi-day family camping. Just keep in mind that there are no stores or facilities of note any nearer than Creede, about a 50-minute drive one-way.