Buena Vista sits in the Arkansas River valley under the Collegiate Peaks, a line of fourteeners several of which are named after universities. Within half an hour of town you can camp in a canyon of white chalk cliffs, beside an alpine lake, or among granite domes on BLM land. Most of the campgrounds are run by the Forest Service, cost $20–$25 a night, and fill up every summer weekend.
Here are the best ones, what they cost, and how to actually get a site.
Buena Vista campgrounds at a glance
| Campground | Manager | Sites | Elevation | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collegiate Peaks | Forest Service | 56 | 9,800 ft | $25 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Mount Princeton | Forest Service | 19 | 8,600 ft | $25 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Chalk Lake | Forest Service | 19 | 9,000 ft | $25 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Cascade | Forest Service | 21 | 9,000 ft | $25 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Cottonwood Lake | Forest Service | — | — | $22 | First come, first served |
| Turtle Rock | BLM | 24 | 8,290 ft | $20–$40 | Reservable + walk-up |
None of them have hookups. Prices are per night as listed on Recreation.gov.
Collegiate Peaks Campground
Best for: high-country camping with trailheads next door.
Collegiate Peaks is 11 miles west of Buena Vista on the paved road up Cottonwood Pass (Highway 306), along Middle Cottonwood Creek. At 9,800 feet it's the highest campground on this list, set in mixed conifers and aspen, with some sites right on the creek.
- 56 sites on three loops, each with a picnic table, fire ring and grill. Vehicles up to 50 feet.
- Vault toilets and drinking water; a campground host in summer.
- Site 1 and sites 18–30 are first-come, first-served walk-up sites; the rest are reservable.
- The Denny Creek Trailhead, for Kroenke Lake and Mount Yale, is less than a mile away. Ptarmigan Lake Trailhead is under three miles.
Expect cold nights and afternoon thunderstorms in summer.
Chalk Creek Canyon: Mount Princeton, Chalk Lake and Cascade
Best for: hot springs, fishing and the St. Elmo ghost town.
Chalk Creek Canyon runs west from Nathrop, about 7–9 miles up County Road 162 from Highway 285. Its white cliffs are kaolinite clay left by hot springs, and a private hot springs resort sits a few miles down the road. Three Forest Service campgrounds take reservations here:
- Mount Princeton (8,600 ft): 19 sites under ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Vehicles up to 45 feet. Sites 1 and 14–17 are walk-up.
- Chalk Lake (9,000 ft): 19 sites next to a small lake stocked with rainbow, brook and brown trout; no motorboats. Vehicles up to 30 feet. Sites 4–9 and 14 are walk-up. The Cascade Loop Trail starts across the road, and the Colorado Trail is about 2 miles east.
- Cascade (9,000 ft): 21 sites in fir and aspen near Cascade Falls, with the best stream fishing above the falls. Vehicles up to 73 feet. Sites 2–7, 11 and 12 are walk-up.
All three have picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilets (accessible at Mount Princeton and Chalk Lake) and a host in summer, and sell firewood at $10 a bundle. Recreation.gov lists drinking water at Chalk Lake and Cascade. Reservations open six months ahead. A site includes two vehicles (or one RV and its tow vehicle); a third vehicle is $10.
Iron City, the fourth campground in the canyon, takes no reservations at all.
Camping rules in Chalk Creek Canyon
Camping and campfires in the canyon are restricted to the four developed campgrounds. A San Isabel National Forest order covers all Forest Service land within half a mile of Chalk Creek, from the forest boundary to St. Elmo. The order runs through December 1, 2026, unless rescinded. If the campgrounds are full, the Forest Service points to three alternatives:
- above the St. Elmo townsite on County Road 267 (4WD only),
- near the Hancock townsite, 5 miles south on Forest Road 295,
- the Browns Creek area south of County Road 162.
Cottonwood Lake
Best for: anglers who don't need a reservation.
Cottonwood Lake Campground sits on an aspen-covered slope a short walk from the lake, west of Buena Vista on the Cottonwood Pass side. It's first-come, first-served only, at $22 a night, paid on site (Scan and Pay through the Recreation.gov app where available, so download it before you lose signal).
- There's no water, so bring all you'll need.
- It fills quickly on weekends.
- If it's full, the Forest Service allows dispersed camping along road 344 beyond half a mile west of Cottonwood Lake. Closer to the lake, the South Cottonwood Creek drainage is limited to developed and designated sites.
Turtle Rock Campground (BLM)
Best for: climbers, mountain bikers and spring or fall trips.
Turtle Rock is a Bureau of Land Management campground 3.5 miles north of Buena Vista, at 8,290 feet in piñon and juniper at the foot of a granite dome that climbers love. It sits in the Fourmile Recreation Area, with trails for hiking, biking and OHVs right from camp.
- 24 sites, including one group site. Most are sized for tents and vans; RVs and trailers over 35 feet aren't allowed.
- Open March 1 to November 30, longer than the high-country campgrounds.
- Sites 5–21 are reservable three months ahead; sites 1–4 and 22–24 are first come, first served.
- No water, no trash service, no hookups. One vault toilet.
- Up to 8 people and 2 vehicles per site; 14-day maximum stay; quiet hours 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Along the Arkansas River
Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area along the river, with 318 campsites across the whole area. Its Chaffee County campgrounds are Railroad Bridge, Ruby Mountain, Hecla Junction and Salida East. Book through the CPW shop like any Colorado state park, and expect the state park vehicle pass on top of the site fee.
Getting a site on a summer weekend
The Forest Service says its Chalk Creek and Cottonwood Pass campgrounds are normally full from Friday, sometimes Thursday. To get in:
- Reserve six months out for Collegiate Peaks, Mount Princeton, Chalk Lake and Cascade, or three months out for Turtle Rock.
- Arrive midweek for walk-up sites. A walk-up site has to be occupied the same night it's paid for.
- Have a dispersed backup. Read our guide to dispersed camping in Colorado for the San Isabel rules before you go.
Before you go
- Bears: Chalk Creek campgrounds ask campers to keep all food in approved containers or locked in a vehicle.
- Elevation: these campgrounds sit between 8,300 and 9,800 feet. Take it easy on the first day if you're coming from sea level.
- Firewood: buy it locally rather than bringing it from home, to avoid spreading tree pests.
- Fire restrictions: check the San Isabel National Forest and Chaffee County restrictions the week you go.
