Uncompahgre National Forest Thistledown Campground, near Ouray, Colorado, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without breaking the bank. With sites that are mostly along a creek, you can enjoy stunning views and the soothing sounds of water as you settle in for the night.

This campground is a great choice for tent campers and RV enthusiasts alike, though keep in mind that it’s not set up for big rigs. Visitors have mentioned the unique experience of camping in a more isolated area, especially at the walk-in sites, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of larger campgrounds. One camper noted, “I enjoyed hearing the sound of the creek every night as I fell asleep.”

While there are no showers or drinking water available, the vault toilets and bear boxes at each site help keep things manageable. The campground is open from mid-May to mid-September, making it a prime location for summer adventures. If you’re up for a little hike, the nearby trails lead to breathtaking views and rock climbing opportunities.

Some campers have pointed out that the vault toilets could use some attention, but the overall experience of camping here, especially with the beautiful aspen trees and the surrounding wilderness, makes it worth it. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Thistledown Campground offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of Colorado’s stunning landscape.

Uncompahgre National Forest Thistledown Campground

Ouray, CO is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Ouray. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Ouray and user-submitted reviews.

Ouray

The Best Camping Near Ouray, Colorado

There are about 8 sites,  most of them relatively close to each other (within sight). When we arrived ---for two days--- bathrooms were in a bad shape. But the campground host seemed to just have arrived,  and the next day things looked better (still, it's close to Ouray and relatively highly frequented; incl. people stopping by on their way up Camp Bird rd to the various trailheads). Fire rings at this site do not have grills. 

Nice site along the creek (traffic up nearby road audible but not too loud)

Nothing wrong with the campsites but it was pretty crowded. I think we got the last open spot and the stinkiest vault toilets ever. Burned my eyes to go in there. 🤢 

We stayed here for the Mount sneffels hike. We drove as close to the trailhead as we could with a 4x4 vehicle but didn’t have high enough clearance to make it all the way up. 

Sadly there was too much snow/ice for us to summit and had to turn around at 13,900 ft. 

Beautiful aspen trees

This was our third choice after Amphitheater and Angel Creek. We were so happy that no sites were available at the first two campgrounds. Thistledown was beautiful. Our site #3 was right along the creek with views of the cliffs. There were three additional small tent pads in addition to the provided gravel pad. All sites are provided a bear box and vault toilets and trash dumpster are available. Creek was silty due to rain so was not a reliable water source. $10/night.

Stunning views along creek

A lot of people say this campground contains 9 sites.  That is incorrect.  There are 12 sites!  There are 4 additional sites up the road from Sites 1-8.  Sites 10-12 are walk in camping.  You must haul all of your stuff up the hill but the pluses are: no trailers/rvs and headlights shining into your tent as people depart in the early mornings, very isolated and only fellow tent campers allowed. I enjoyed hearing the sound of the creek every night as I fell asleep.  We camped in site #12 and it was the farthest up the hill.  We hauled all of our stuff up and down every day because there is a lot of bear activity in the area.  My husband got a peek at him our second night and the campers at site 9 (down the hill) also were visited by him.  Sites 10 and 11 share a bear box.  Site 12 has their own box up the hill from the campsite.  The biggest negative is that the walk to the vault toilet is 20 minutes round trip from Site 12.  Cheap camping and a very unique experience.  Highly recommend!

Pure Colorado

Mostly empty in October. Good price $10. Close to town. Vault toilet. 

Photos of Uncompahgre National Forest Thistledown Campground

Real photos from real campers