Durango is surrounded by the San Juan National Forest, and some of its best campgrounds are a short drive from downtown. Within an hour you can camp on a creek at the start of the Colorado Trail, beside a mountain lake under the Hermosa Cliffs, at the edge of the Weminuche Wilderness, or near Mesa Verde's cliff dwellings.
Here are the best campgrounds near Durango, grouped by direction, with what each one costs and how to get a site.
Durango campgrounds at a glance
| Campground | Direction | Sites | Elevation | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junction Creek | Northwest, 4 mi | 45 | 7,300 ft | $32–$150 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Haviland Lake | North, 18 mi | 41 | 8,705 ft | $32–$98 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Vallecito | Northeast | 79–80 | 8,000 ft | $32–$45 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Pine Point | Northeast, Vallecito Reservoir | 30 | 7,900 ft | $31–$39 | Reservable + walk-up |
| Florida | Northeast, Lemon Reservoir | 20 + group | — | $27; group $150 | Walk-up; group reservable |
| Transfer Park | Northeast, Lemon Reservoir | 25 | — | $22 | First come, first served |
| Kroeger | West, La Plata Canyon | 10 | — | $22 | First come, first served |
| Morefield (Mesa Verde) | West | 267 | — | $38–$51 | Reservations recommended |
Prices are per night from Recreation.gov and the National Park Service; the higher figures are for electric, double or group sites. Site counts are from Recreation.gov and the Forest Service.
Junction Creek Campground
Best for: staying close to town, mountain biking and the Colorado Trail.
Junction Creek is the closest Forest Service campground to Durango: just over three miles west on 25th Street to the forest boundary, then another mile. It sits on a south-facing hillside of ponderosa pine and Gambel oak at 7,300 feet, a quarter mile above the creek.
- Single and double sites, many with electric hookups, plus a 50-person group site.
- Accessible vault toilets and drinking water; a host on site.
- The Colorado Trail starts nearby and runs almost 500 miles to Denver. The Logchute trail system, popular with mountain bikers, is close too.
- Some sites are first come, first served.
- There's no dump station; the nearest are in Durango and Cortez.
In late season the campground can switch to first-come sites with the water turned off, so check the notices on Recreation.gov before a fall trip.
Haviland Lake Campground
Best for: lakeside sites and paddling.
Haviland Lake is 18 miles north of Durango on Highway 550, then a mile down Haviland Lake Road. The campground sits right on the shore of an 80-acre no-wake lake under tall ponderosa pines at 8,705 feet, with views across the water to the Hermosa Cliffs.
- Single and double sites, many with electric hookups; many have lake views and easy shore access.
- Accessible vault toilets, drinking water and an accessible fishing dock. Anglers fish for rainbow and brown trout (a Colorado fishing license is required).
- The Forebay Lake Trail starts in the campground.
- First-come sites must be claimed in person; the phone line can't tell you what's free, so arrive early.
Vallecito and Lemon Reservoir
Northeast of Durango, around Bayfield, two reservoirs sit below the Weminuche Wilderness.
Vallecito Campground
One of the largest campgrounds in the San Juan National Forest, with 80 single-family sites on Vallecito Creek at 8,000 feet, in ponderosa pine, aspen and oak. Most sites are large and fairly level, and a few have electric hookups. The Vallecito Creek Trail, a main gateway to the Weminuche Wilderness, starts at the entrance; it's for hikers and horses only. Vallecito Lake is four miles away.
Pine Point Campground
On the shore of Vallecito Reservoir at 7,900 feet, with many shaded lakefront sites under ponderosa pine. The reservoir is known for brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout, kokanee salmon and northern pike, and for boating and water skiing. Vault toilets and drinking water.
Florida and Transfer Park Campgrounds
Near the north end of Lemon Reservoir, about 20 miles from Bayfield:
- Florida Campground is a lightly used spot in blue spruce, Douglas fir and aspen beside the Florida River, with 20 first-come sites, drinking water and a reservable group site. Lemon Reservoir, three miles away, is stocked with rainbow trout and kokanee salmon.
- Transfer Park, a mile further on, was an ore transfer station in the mining era. Its 25 first-come sites sit on two loops above the river, and water is available in season. The Burnt Timber Trail starts here.
Kroeger Campground, La Plata Canyon
Best for: a small, quiet first-come site west of town.
Kroeger is in La Plata Canyon, with 10 sites under spruce, fir, aspen and cottonwood. Most sites don't suit large RVs; there's one pull-through and one site for a long rig. It's first come, first served at $22 a night, paid on site with Scan and Pay where available. Respect the private property next to the campground.
Mesa Verde: Morefield Campground
Best for: combining Durango with the cliff dwellings.
Morefield, four miles inside the Mesa Verde National Park entrance, is run by the concessioner Aramark. It has 267 sites, including 15 full-hookup RV sites, plus a camp store, showers, laundry and a dump station in season. Dry sites are $38 a night and full-hookup sites $51, based on two people. It's open from spring to fall (in 2026, April 24 to October 18). See our Colorado campgrounds guide for the other national parks.
Free camping near Durango
The San Juan National Forest's dispersed camping rules are more generous than most in Colorado:
- Stay up to 16 days in one dispersed area, then move at least 5 road miles.
- Camp at least 100 feet from streams and within 150 feet of the road.
- No dispersed camping within one mile of developed campgrounds.
- Use the free Motor Vehicle Use Map to find roads open to camping.
Read our guide to dispersed camping in Colorado for the details.
Before you go
- Bears: the Forest Service flags this as bear country. Lock food in your vehicle or a bear-resistant container.
- Walk-up sites are claimed in person only; the phone line can't check availability.
- Download the Recreation.gov app before you leave town; cell coverage is patchy and some campgrounds use Scan and Pay.
- Firewood: buy it locally.
