U.S. Forest Service · Rio Grande National Forest · CO

Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)

Group of Aspen TreesPhoto · Scenic Canyons Recreational Services, inc.
Not publishedStatus
ReservableAccess
47Sites
60 ftMax rig

The place

Big Meadows is located in the San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado, about 11 miles west of South Fork. The campground is lightly wooded with spruce trees, creating a beautiful meadow atmosphere. The Rio Grande National Forest spans 1.86 million acres in south-central Colorado. The Continental Divide runs for 236 miles along most of the forest's western border, presenting a myriad of ecosystems from alpine desert to dense wilderness. Recreation An accessible fishing pier, located on the north shore of the reservoir, allows anglers to cast for rainbow, brown and brook trout. Keep reading

Hunting, boating and hiking are also popular pastimes. Hikers and horseback riders will enjoy the 6-mile Archuleta Trail. The trail accesses the Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado's largest wilderness, which boasts the headwaters of dozens of major streams and rivers that feed into the Rio Grande and San Juan rivers. Facilities Each site has a campfire ring and picnic tables. Drinking water is available. The nearest dump station is 13 miles away, and a boat ramp is located on the north shore of the reservoir. Natural Features The campground meanders up a mountainside above Big Meadows Reservoir in a series of loops. As a sub-alpine region, the campground gets more rainfall than the opposite side of the lake, resulting in plentiful wildflowers and aspens surrounding the campsites. Nearby Attractions The surrounding area has plenty to keep visitors busy, with attractions like Great Sand Dunes National Park, Native American ruins, remnants of the Spanish Conquistadors and gold rush ghost towns. The Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Ranges are laced with trails for avid hikers. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (805) 434-1996.

The sites · 47

LoopSiteTypeMax rigElectricADA
HOST SITE014standard nonelectric40 ft
HOST SITE033standard nonelectric40 ft
HOST SITE034standard nonelectric40 ftyes
LOWER LOOP001standard nonelectric47 ftyes
LOWER LOOP002standard nonelectric50 ftyes
LOWER LOOP003standard nonelectric45 ftyes
LOWER LOOP004standard nonelectric50 ftyes
LOWER LOOP005standard nonelectric30 ftyes
LOWER LOOP006standard nonelectric45 ftyes
LOWER LOOP007standard nonelectric40 ftyes
LOWER LOOP008standard nonelectric50 ftyes
LOWER LOOP009standard nonelectric50 ftyes
LOWER LOOP010standard nonelectric50 ftyes
LOWER LOOP011standard nonelectric40 ftyes
LOWER LOOP012standard nonelectric50 ftyes
LOWER LOOP013standard nonelectric42 ftyes
LOWER LOOPGSAgroup tent only area nonelectric20 ft
MIDDLE LOOP015standard nonelectric38 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP016standard nonelectric50 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP017standard nonelectric34 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP018standard nonelectric30 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP019standard nonelectric34 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP020standard nonelectric35 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP021standard nonelectric36 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP022standard nonelectric24 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP023standard nonelectric50 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP024standard nonelectric60 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP025standard nonelectric31 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP026standard nonelectric25 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP027standard nonelectric45 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP028standard nonelectric45 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP029standard nonelectric45 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP030standard nonelectric42 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP031standard nonelectric35 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP032standard nonelectric37 ftyes
MIDDLE LOOP035standard nonelectric34 ftyes
UPPER LOOP037standard nonelectric45 ftyes
UPPER LOOP038standard nonelectric40 ftyes
UPPER LOOP039standard nonelectric50 ftyes
UPPER LOOP040standard nonelectric50 ftyes
UPPER LOOP041standard nonelectric37 ftyes
UPPER LOOP042standard nonelectric48 ftyes
UPPER LOOP043standard nonelectric50 ftyes
UPPER LOOP044standard nonelectric30 ftyes
UPPER LOOP045standard nonelectric37 ftyes
UPPER LOOP046standard nonelectric34 ftyes
UPPER LOOP047standard nonelectric40 ftyes

Booking

183 daysBooking window before arrival

Recreation.gov default: most campsites can be booked six months prior to arrival date. Most campgrounds go on sale at 7am PT / 8am MT / 10am ET, but not always; check the facility Seasons and Fees tab. Some locations also offer shorter supplemental booking windows.

Book on recreation.gov

Your representative

This campground sits in CO-03. This member’s public-lands record →

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