U.S. National Forest Campground Guide

Uncompahgre National Forest

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CAMPGROUND NAME: Amphitheater

VISIT DATE: 07/11/1999

UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018

STATE: Colorado

REGION: Rocky Mountain

RANGER DISTRICT: Ouray

NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Ouray

RESERVATIONS: 1-877-444-6777 or make on-line reservation

DIRECTIONS:
In Ouray, CO, off US Rt. 550 (south end of town), turn at
campground sign and go 1 mile to campground entrance.

GENERAL COMMENTS:
The elevation is 8,400 ft.

The campground is located on the side of a mountain above Ouray. 
It is tightly designed with loops and spurs among Gambel oaks and
mixed conifers.  There is a scenic overlook from the campground
of Ouray and the "Amphitheater," which was formed by a volcanic
explosion.  A nice day trip is into Ouray for the small mountain
town feel and gift shopping.  There is also a hot spring in the
town.  Firewood is available for a fee.

The campground is best suited for tenters, but RVrs can utilize
sites 3 through 15; take the second right and follow the
"trailer" signs.  The total RV length should not exceed 35 feet.

This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques.

SEASONS
Open Seasonal: Yes
Open All Year: No

Seasonal Comment:
Open May 18 through September 30

RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED
Rate: $24 per day
Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 7

CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION
No. RV Sites: 0
No. Tent Sites: 19
No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 11
   
   Total Sites: 30

Tent Pads: Yes
Open Sites: No
Wooded Sites: Yes
Equestrian Camping: No

No. Tables on Sites: 30
No. Grilles on Sites: 30

RV INFORMATION
Hookups: None
No. RV Pull Throughs: 2
Waste Station: No
Average Parking Apron Size: 10' X 34'

Comments:
The parking aprons are dirt.  See the General Comments about RV
size.

FACILITIES
Vaults: Yes
Flush Toilets: No
Hot Showers: No
Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: No

Public Phone: No
Playground: No
No. Water Spigots (non-site): 7
  No. Threaded: 1

WATER SPORTS - None

HIKING
Upper Cascade Falls Trail #213 (foot) - 2 miles

FISHING - No

CAMPGROUND NAME: Beaver Lake VISIT DATE: 07/19/1999 UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018 STATE: Colorado REGION: Rocky Mountain RANGER DISTRICT: Ouray NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Cimarron RESERVATIONS: No DIRECTIONS: From Cimarron, CO, take US Rt. 50 east 2.2 miles to Forest Access/Silver Jack Reservoir sign. Turn right onto gravel road and go 6.1 miles to an intersection (RDP 77). Bear left onto RDP 77 (dirt - rocky and rough in places) and go 9.9 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground. GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 8,300 ft. The campground is on one side of Beaver Lake with camping sites nestled under spruce trees. Some sites have view of lake, open meadow and towering cliffs, while tent sites, located on a dead end spur, are nicely secluded. The campground has robust population of chipmunks and ducks. There are limited groceries available at El Rancho Cimarron, a short distance north of campground on RDP 77. Firewood is available for a fee. SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: Yes Seasonal Comment: Services provided May 19 through September 15. September 16 through November 13 - no fee, limited services RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $12 per day Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 4 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 6 Total Sites: 10 Tent Pads: No Open Sites: Yes Wooded Sites: Yes Equestrian Camping: No No. Tables on Sites: 10 No. Grilles on Sites: 10 RV INFORMATION Hookups: None No. RV Pull Throughs: 0 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 12' X 35' Comments: The parking aprons are gravel and dirt. There is a waste station available at the Cimarron campground (National Park Service) in Cimarron, CO - no fee. FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: No Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 2 No. Threaded: 0 Comments: Hot showers available at El Rancho Cimarron - fee is $4 with towel, $3.50 without. WATER SPORTS Lake: Yes Swimming (provided): No Sailing: No Boat Ramp: No Boat Carry Down Access: Yes Power Boating: No Boating (no power): Yes Water Skiing: No Rafting (whitewater): No Kayaking (whitewater): No Comments: Beaver Lake is 2 acres. HIKING Beaver Lake Shoreline Trail (foot - wheelchair friendly) - 0.75 miles. FISHING Brown and Rainbow trout

CAMPGROUND NAME: Big Cimarron VISIT DATE: 07/19/1999 UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018 STATE: Colorado REGION: Rocky Mountain RANGER DISTRICT: Ouray NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Cimarron RESERVATIONS: No DIRECTIONS: From Cimarron, CO, take US Rt. 50 east 2.2 miles to Forest Access/Silver Jack Reservoir sign. Turn right onto gravel road and go 6.1 miles to an intersection (RDP 77). Bear left onto RDP 77 (dirt - rocky and rough in places) and go 9.5 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground. GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 8,600 ft. The campground stretches along the Big Cimarron River with about half the camping sites adjacent to the river. The sites are shaded by a mix of spruce and Cottonwood trees. There are public horse corrals across from campground. Firewood is available for a fee. This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques. SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: Yes Seasonal Comment: Srvices provided Memorial Day weekend through September 15 RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $12 per day Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 4 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 8 Total Sites: 12 Tent Pads: No Open Sites: No Wooded Sites: Yes Equestrian Camping: Yes No. Tables on Sites: 12 No. Grilles on Sites: 12 RV INFORMATION Hookups: None No. RV Pull Throughs: 0 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 15' X 40' Comments: The parking aprons are gravel, dirt and rock. There is a waste station in the Cimarron campground (National Park Service) in Cimarron, CO - no fee. FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: No Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 0 No. Threaded: 0 WATER SPORTS - Nearby Silver Jack Reservoir offers boating, swimming and fishing.None HIKING - No FISHING Rainbow and Brown trout

CAMPGROUND NAME: Matterhorn VISIT DATE: 07/11/1999 UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018 STATE: Colorado REGION: Rocky Mountain RANGER DISTRICT: Norwood NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Telluride RESERVATIONS: 1-877-444-6777 or make on-line reservation DIRECTIONS: From Telluride, CO, take State Rt. 145 west 2.8 miles to where Rt. 145 splits left to Rico, CO. Turn left at Rico sign and go 9.3 miles to campground sign. Turn left at sign into campground. GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 9,480 ft. The campground is a single loop adjacent to State Rt. 145. Most sites, on outside of loop, are heavily wooded. Sites on inside of loop are open. Most sites have pleasant views, but the walk- in tent sites in particular having an unobstructed, panoramic view of the mountains. All sites have lantern poles. Firewood is available for a fee. The campground is convenient to Telluride, its shops and a cook's night out. SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: No Seasonal Comment: Open May 23 through October 1 RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $24 per day - no hookups $32 per day - full hookups Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 7 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 3 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 25 Total Sites: 28 Tent Pads: Yes Open Sites: Yes Wooded Sites: Yes Equestrian Camping: No No. Tables on Sites: 28 No. Grilles on Sites: 28 RV INFORMATION No. Full Hookups (includes waste): 8 No. Water and Electric Only: 0 No. Water Only: 0 No. Electric Only: 0 No. RV Pull Throughs: 5 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 14' X 50' Comments: Paved and gravel aprons. FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: Yes Hot Showers: Yes Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: Yes Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 3 No. Threaded: 1 Comments: The showers are wheelchair friendly. WATER SPORTS - None HIKING - No FISHING - No

CAMPGROUND NAME: Silver Jack VISIT DATE: 07/19/1999 UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018 STATE: Colorado REGION: Rocky Mountain RANGER DISTRICT: Ouray NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Cimarron RESERVATIONS: No DIRECTIONS: From Cimarron, CO, take US Rt. 50 east 2.2 miles to Forest Access/Silver Jack Reservoir sign. Turn right onto gravel road and go 6.1 miles to an intersection (RDP 77). Bear left onto RDP 77 (dirt - rocky and rough in places) and go 11.2 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign and go 0.3 miles to campground. GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 9,000 ft. This attractive campground is composed of three loops - Chipeta, Ouray and Sapinero. Each loop is heavily wooded with Aspen and a few spruce trees and an understory of tall grass and wildflowers. This vegetation provides a lacy shade to the camping sites. The campground is convenient to the Silver Jack Reservoir and a network of trails around the Cimarron Ridge. Firewood is available for a fee. This is bear country; practice safe food storage techniques. SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: No Seasonal Comment: Open June 15 through Labor Day RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $14 per day Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 0 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 58 Total Sites: 58 Tent Pads: No Open Sites: Yes Wooded Sites: Yes Equestrian Camping: No No. Tables on Sites: 58 No. Grilles on Sites: 58 RV INFORMATION Hookups: None No. RV Pull Throughs: 30 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 12' X 53' Comments: The parking aprons are paved. There is a waste station at the Cimarron campground (National Park Service) in Cimarron, CO - no fee. FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: Yes Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 7 No. Threaded: 1 Comments: The threaded spigot is located adjacent to site #50. There is no wheelchair friendly vault in the Sapinero loop. Hot showers are available for a fee at the El Rancho Cimarron. WATER SPORTS - None Comments: The 300-acre Silver Jack Reservoir (no motors) is 1.9 miles south of the campground on Forest Rt. 858 HIKING - No FISHING - No Comments: The nearby Silver Jack Reservoir has Rainbow and Brown trout.

CAMPGROUND NAME: Sunshine VISIT DATE: 07/08/1999 UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018 STATE: Colorado REGION: Rocky Mountain RANGER DISTRICT: Norwood NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Telluride RESERVATIONS: No DIRECTIONS: From Telluride, CO, take State Rt. 145 west 2.8 miles to where Rt. 145 splits left to Rico, CO. Turn left at Rico sign and go 5 miles to campground sign. Turn right into campground. GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 9,560 ft. The campground is a single loop among Aspen with grass understory and has a dispersed camping feel. The campground is convenient to Telluride, its shops and a cook's night out. SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: No Seasonal Comment: Open May 23 through October 1 RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $18 per day Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 7 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 2 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 13 Total Sites: 15 Tent Pads: No Open Sites: Yes Wooded Sites: Yes Equestrian Camping: No No. Tables on Sites: 12 No. Grilles on Sites: 13 RV INFORMATION Hookups: None No. RV Pull Throughs: 0 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: 10.5' X 35' Comments: The parking aprons are gravel. The interior road is narrow and rough. The loop is tear-drop shape making a second pass for RVrs impossible. FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: No Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 2 No. Threaded: 1 WATER SPORTS - None HIKING - No FISHING - No

CAMPGROUND NAME: Woods Lake VISIT DATE: 5/25/2009 UPDATE DATE: 3/26/2018 STATE: Colorado REGION: Rocky Mountain RANGER DISTRICT: Norwood NEAREST CITY/TOWN: Placerville RESERVATIONS: No DIRECTIONS: From Placerville, CO, take State Rt. 145 east 2.4 miles to Forest Rt. 618 (Falls Creek Rd.). Turn right onto Falls Creek Rd. and go 7.4 miles to Forest Rt. 621. Turn onto Rt. 621 and go 1.2 miles to campground. NOTE: Generally, follow signs to Woods Lake. After 3.7 miles, Forest Rt. 618 becomes a gravel, two-lane road. GENERAL COMMENTS: The elevation is 9,400 ft. NOTE: The campground was upgraded from dispersed to developed after the authors completed their research of the Uncompahgre National Forest. All information is provided by the Norwood Ranger District Office. The campground, located 0.4 miles from Woods Lake and 0.75 miles from Lizard Head Wilderness, is situated in a thick stand of Aspen. It is comprised of three loops, one of which is designed for horses. This horse loop has a corral with five paddocks and a watering trough. A large parking lot is available for parking horse trailers. The campground is an excellent base camp for hikers and equestrians to access the Lizard Head Wilderness. Mountain bikers and motorized dirt bikers can take on the challenges of the 11.5-mile Wilson Mesa Trail. There are incredible views looking south from the campground of mountains in Lizard Head Wilderness. And, of course, the "quaking" leaves and majestic fall colors from the Aspen, add to the draw of this campground. Enjoy the quaint, picturesque mountain town of Telluride, CO for shopping and a cook's night out - about 13.4 miles east on State Rt. 145 from the Falls Creek Rd. intersection. SEASONS Open Seasonal: Yes Open All Year: No Seasonal Comment: Open May 27 through September 15 - weather dependent RATE AND MAXIMUM STAY PERMITTED Rate: $16 per day $18 per day - equestrian campers Maximum Stay Permitted (days): 14 CAMPGROUND SITE CONFIGURATION No. RV Sites: 0 No. Tent Sites: 0 No. Combined Sites (Tent or RV): 41 Total Sites: 41 Tent Pads: Yes Open Sites: No Wooded Sites: Yes Equestrian Camping: YesNo No. Tables on Sites: 41 No. Grilles on Sites: 41 RV INFORMATION Hookups: None No. RV Pull Throughs: 0 Waste Station: No Average Parking Apron Size: See RV Comments Comments: The parking aprons are gravel and all are about the same size - 12' X 45'. FACILITIES Vaults: Yes Flush Toilets: No Hot Showers: No Wheelchair Friendly Toilets: Yes Public Phone: No Playground: No No. Water Spigots (non-site): 4 No. Threaded: 4 WATER SPORTS Lake: Yes Swimming (provided): No Sailing: No Boat Ramp: No Boat Carry Down Access: No Power Boating: Yes Boating (no power): Yes Water Skiing: No Rafting (whitewater): No Kayaking (whitewater): No Comments: Woods Lake is about 20 acres. HIKING Woods Lake Trail #406 (foot and horse) - 4.5 miles Lone Cone Trail #426 (foot and horse) - 10.5 miles Wilson Mesa Trail #421 (foot, mountain bike, dirt bike & horse) - 11.5 miles NOTE: Woods Lake Trail travels through the Lizard Head Wilderness. Lone Cone Trail accesses northern sections of the Wilderness. FISHING Rainbow trout NOTE: During 2004/2005, the state plans on converting Woods Lake for Colorado Cutthroat. At that time, fishing will be catch and release only. Check with the Norwood Ranger District Office for status.




Fred and Suzi Dow