Saddlehorn Campground

wide angle view looking north from Fruita Canyon overlook near sunrise

Photo · William Woodward

OpenSeason 04-01 – 10-29

ReservableAccess

80Sites

29First-come

59 ftMax rig

The place

Saddlehorn Campground is located within Colorado National Monument which preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. Much more than a monument, towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles. Recreation Colorado National Monument is famous in cycling communities for its majestic views and challenging climbs, but Historic Rim Rock Drive is also a popular motor tour. Keep reading

Hikers flock to the miles of maintained trails, photographers come year round to capture the spectacular views, and geologists study the unique landscape for its scientific value. Climbers come for the towering sandstone, and wildlife lovers may spot Desert Bighorn sheep, golden eagles, collared lizards, and many other special creatures. Facilities Saddlehorn Campground is located near the Saddlehorn Visitor Center, four miles from the west entrance (near Fruita, Colorado) and nineteen miles from the east entrance (near Grand Junction, Colorado), and is the only established campground within the Monument. There are 79 campsites with three camping loops within the Saddlehorn Campground (Loops A, B, and C). Loop A is typically open early April through the end of October. Loop A will remain on a "day of" reservation basis for the summer due to need for scheduled maintenance. All "day-of" reservation sites open at 8AM mountain time on the day of. Loop B is open year-round. Outer loop sites are reservable 6 months in advance, inner loop sites are reservable 2 weeks in advance. Loop C is open early May through mid/late October, weather dependent. Sites 52-69 are reservable on a day of basis, while sites 70-80 are reservable up to two weeks in advance. All "day-of" reservation sites open at 8AM mountain time on the day of. Reservations can be made via www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Due to size of the campground, vehicles longer than 40 feet cannot be accomodated--this includes tow vehicle AND trailer. Restrooms have flush toilets and water available during the summer, and each site has a picnic table and charcoal-only grill. There are no electric hookups, fill or dump stations, or showers. There are three tunnels on Rim Rock Drive . There are two tunnels on the west side and one on the east side of the park; the campground sits between the east and west tunnels. Heights: The clearance above the lanes of traffic ranges from a low point of 10'6" near the edge of the curb to a maximum of 16' above the centerline of the road. Vehicles must be able to stay in their lane; vehicles may not cross the centerline without a pilot vehicle. For a group of 15 people or more, do not book through recreation.gov. Contact the park at 970-858-2800 or colm_campground@nps.gov to make group reservations. Natural Features The campground is nestled within large red rock formations, with pinyon and juniper trees providing adequate shade. There are spectacular views of the Grand Valley to the northwest, and some of the park's most scenic monoliths and canyons to the southeast Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (970) 858-2800. Nearby Attractions The cities of Grand Junction, Fruita, and Palisade boast many urban and agricultural attractions, but there are also abundant recreation areas surrounding the Monument. Among these are McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, James M. Robb Colorado River State Park, Highline Lake State Park, and many Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service areas.

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

The sites · 80

Loop	Site	Type	Max rig	Electric	ADA
A	01 Host	management	59 ft	—
A	02	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A	yes
A	03	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	04	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	05	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A	yes
A	06	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	07	standard nonelectric	21 ft	N/A
A	08	standard nonelectric	36 ft	N/A
A	09	standard nonelectric	36 ft	N/A
A	10	standard nonelectric	36 ft	N/A
A	11	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	12	standard nonelectric	36 ft	N/A
A	13	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	14	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	15	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
A	16	standard nonelectric	21 ft	N/A
A	17	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
A	18	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
A	19	standard nonelectric	36 ft	N/A
A	20	standard nonelectric	28 ft	N/A
B	21	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	22	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	23	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	24	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	25	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	26	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	27	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	28	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	29	standard nonelectric	30 ft	N/A
B	30	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	31	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	32	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	33	standard nonelectric	30 ft	N/A
B	34	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	35	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	36	standard nonelectric	20 ft	N/A
B	37	standard nonelectric	25 ft	N/A
B	38	standard nonelectric	30 ft	N/A
B	39	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	40	standard nonelectric	33 ft	N/A
B	41	standard nonelectric	35 ft	N/A
B	42	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	43	standard nonelectric	35 ft	N/A
B	44	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	45	standard nonelectric	30 ft	N/A
B	46	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	47	standard nonelectric	35 ft	N/A
B	48	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	49	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	50	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
B	51	standard nonelectric	40 ft	N/A
C	52	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	53	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	54	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	55	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	56	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	57	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	58	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	59	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—
C	60	standard nonelectric	20 ft	—

SHOWING 60 OF 80 SITES

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

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

SRC · Rules verified against recreation.gov · 2026-08-24

Fees

The camping fee is$22.00 per night per site. This is in addition to the entrance fee to Colorado National Monument. You may pay the fee upon arrival or in advance. Colorado National Monument also honors valid America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands annual or lifetime (interagency) passes (e.g., Senior, 4th Grade, Military, etc.), Access and Senior Pass holders receive a 50% discount for the camping fee (you must enter a valid pass numner at the time you book and must preset it to campground staff). You may purchase the passes upon arrival at either entrance station during Operating Hours.

SRC · Recreation.gov RIDB full extract · 2026-08-23

Your representative

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

SRC · U.S. Census TIGER · MTJP Scorecard