U.S. Forest Service · Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands · Salida, CO

Mount Princeton

Mount Princeton Campground is located in beautiful Chalk Creek Canyon in central Colorado. This popular facility is within 4 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly.

Closed for the seasonPartly reservable19 sites45 ft maxNo hookupsPets okFires ok

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in Colorado · reservable in Colorado · big rigs in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Mount PrincetonCampsite with rees, picnic tableand fire pitcampsite with picnic table and fire pit with blue sky and mountains in background.Campsite with picnic table, fire pit and mountains in background
Photos courtesy of Salida Ranger District · Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Willow · 38 mi away · 7,359 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups19
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

19 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntrySurfaceShadeWater / sewerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
001Back-inGravelNo / No8 / 2Yes
002Back-inGravelPartialNo / No8 / 2Yes
003Back-inGravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront8 / 2Yes
004GravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront8 / 2Yes
005Back-inGravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront8 / 2Yes
006Back-inGravelNo / No8 / 2Yes
007Back-inGravelPartialNo / No8 / 2Yes
008Back-inGravelFullNo / No8 / 2Yes
009Back-inGravelPartialNo / NoRiverfront8 / 2Yes
010Back-inGravelNoneNo / No8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length45 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 016, 017, 018, 019 are listed accessible

The campground offers single-family sites, a few of which are wheelchair accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill. Wheelchair accessible vault toilets are provided. Firewood is sold on-site. Parking spurs are gravel. Sites #1, and 14-17 are "walk-up", first-come, first-served sites. All other sites are reservable. Site #2 is used by the host from mid-May to Labor Day weekend, after that it is available as a "walk-up", first-come, first-served site.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestPike-San Isabel National Forests
BookingSites may be reserved by visiting www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777 at least 4 days in advance. (Friday and Saturday 2-night minimum required stay for weekend reservations.
Fees$25 per site for overnight camping. Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. $10 for a third vehicle. $10.00 fee for day use if not camping overnight. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. Self-servicing fee tube is available.
RulesMaximum 8 persons per site: 2 tents and 2 vehicles or 1 recreation vehicle (RV). Maximum RV length is 45 ft. Dogs must be leashed at all times. No discharge of firearms or fireworks. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground.

Pike-San Isabel National Forests recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mount Princeton20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.33 inches of precipitation, 6.2 inches of snowFebruary: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 7.4 inches of snowMarch: 0.62 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowApril: 1.02 inches of precipitation, 8.1 inches of snowMay: 1.17 inches of precipitation, 3.2 inches of snowJune: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.51 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.57 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowOctober: 0.80 inches of precipitation, 3.1 inches of snowNovember: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 5.1 inches of snowDecember: 0.43 inches of precipitation, 7.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 25.8°F averageFebruary: 28.1°F averageMarch: 35.8°F averageApril: 41.6°F averageMay: 51.1°F averageJune: 60.9°F averageJuly: 66.2°F averageAugust: 63.7°F averageSeptember: 56.8°F averageOctober: 45.6°F averageNovember: 34.6°F averageDecember: 25.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Buena Vista 2S, 9 miles from the campground at 7,954 feet, station USC00051071 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 49 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Buena Vista, Colorado, take Highway 285 south to Nathrop. Turn west on County Road 162 and travel 7 miles to the campground.

Nearest townSalida, Colorado
Coordinates38.7142° N, 106.2228° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    38 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained

  • Prescribed
    O'Brien 2 Broadcast Rx

    48 mi from the campground · 267 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗10.1 mi
Outdoor gearColorado Kayak Supply ↗10.2 mi
RV sales & serviceHoliday RV ↗15.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Mt Princeton Campground - 2025 Campground Recon

Worth a stop

Take a day trip to the historic ghost town of St. Elmo, just 15 minutes from the campground. An old saloon, county courthouse and many other historic structures remain from the days of its mining glory. Rock hounds come to the area in search of quartz and aquamarine. The city of Salida and Town of Buena Vista are only a short drive away where visitors can enjoy unique restaurants, shops, and art galleries. The area boasts more than 100 miles of Arkansas River to raft, fish, float or kayak, as well as fifteen 14,000 ft. mountains. Visitors can choose from recreational activities like hiking, biking, ATV/UTV riding, kayaking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, ziplining and swimming.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.5 mi
    Cascade Creek Trail
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.1 mi
    Narrow Gauge ↗
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.1 mi
    Mt. Princeton
    2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.8 mi
    Little Browns Creek
    4.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4 mi
    Wagon Loop
    1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 4.4 mi
    Browns Creek ↗
    6.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Browns Canyon National Monument begins about 7.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground is situated at an elevation of 8,600 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. A stand of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir offers partial shade in the campground. Chalk Creek can be accessed from the campground. It flows 27 miles eastward from the Collegiate Peaks before joining the Arkansas River. Chalk Lake is about a mile west of the campground.

Recreation

Stream fishing is best above Cascade Falls, about 2 miles west of the campground. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Nearby ATV/UTV and 4X4 rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes.

Guidebooks for Colorado

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Mount Princeton?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Mount Princeton?

$25 per site for overnight camping. Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. $10 for a third vehicle.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Mount Princeton?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Mount Princeton?

Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.

Source: Charges and cancellations

Is Mount Princeton open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Mount Princeton have?

19 sites, including 19 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Mount Princeton?

The longest site here provides 45 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Mount Princeton?

Yes, pets are allowed at Mount Princeton. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Mount Princeton?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 2 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum 8 persons per site: 2 tents and 2 vehicles or 1 recreation vehicle (RV).

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Mount Princeton?

Sites 016, 017, 018, and 019 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Mount Princeton?

Stream fishing is best above Cascade Falls, about 2 miles west of the campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Mount Princeton?

Salida, Colorado. Take a day trip to the historic ghost town of St.

Source: Getting there