U.S. Forest Service · White River National Forest · Carbondale, CO

Silver Queen Campground

Located just outside Aspen, Colorado, Silver Queen Campground is hemmed in by aspen groves, a short walk from Maroon Creek, with views of 14,018 foot Pyramid Peak. The campground sits at an elevation of 8,460 feet, allowing guests to experience warm summer days and cool evenings with probable afternoon thunderstorms. Come prepared for changing weather conditions. Snow is possible even at the peak of summer.

More like this: reservable in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Silver Queen CampgroundSilver Queen Campground
Photos courtesy of Silver Queen Campground · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups5
Host/management1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

5 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFires
001SILVBack-in30GravelPartial8 / 2
002SILVBack-in30GravelPartial8 / 2
004SILVBack-in30GravelPartial8 / 2
005SILVBack-in25GravelFull8 / 2
003SILVER QUEENPull-throughGravelPartial6 / 1Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 11:00 AM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length30 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Silver Queen Campground has five campsites available for advanced reservation which are able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs. Sites are equipped with picnic tables, vault toilets, food storage lockers (bear boxes), campfire rings and drinking water. Electrical hook-ups are not available. Horses are not allowed in the campground.

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

Season & status

ForestWhite River National Forest
Rules5 day stay limit. Check out time is 2:00 p.m. 8 person, two car limit per campsite. Pets must be on a leash at all times while visiting campgrounds AND within designated Wilderness. The leash should not exceed 6 feet in length. Camping in developed campgrounds and/or designated campsites only.

White River National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Silver Queen Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.93 inches of precipitation, 28.1 inches of snowFebruary: 2.23 inches of precipitation, 28.3 inches of snowMarch: 2.59 inches of precipitation, 26.9 inches of snowApril: 2.68 inches of precipitation, 20.9 inches of snowMay: 2.17 inches of precipitation, 7.0 inches of snowJune: 1.06 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowJuly: 1.97 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.75 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.89 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.09 inches of precipitation, 10.2 inches of snowNovember: 2.09 inches of precipitation, 20.5 inches of snowDecember: 2.00 inches of precipitation, 27.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 20.9°F averageFebruary: 23.9°F averageMarch: 31.2°F averageApril: 38.1°F averageMay: 47.5°F averageJune: 56.4°F averageJuly: 61.8°F averageAugust: 60.1°F averageSeptember: 53.4°F averageOctober: 42.5°F averageNovember: 30.5°F averageDecember: 21.1°F average0 in10 in20 in30 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Aspen 1Sw, 5 miles from the campground at 8,175 feet, station USC00050372 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 24 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 171 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coming to Aspen via Independence Pass: Take Highway 82 West from downtown Aspen, 1 mile to the roundabout (rotary). From the roundabout, take Maroon Creek Road 4.7 miles to the Maroon Bells Welcome Station. Continue past the Welcome Station 1.5 miles. Silver Queen Campground is on the left hand side.

Nearest townCarbondale, Colorado
Coordinates39.1331° N, 106.9000° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

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

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

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearUte Mountaineer ↗5.8 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗38.2 mi

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

Explore

  • 0.6 mi
    Maroon Creek
    3.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 0.7 mi
    Lower Maroon Creek
    3 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 1.8 mi
    East Maroon ↗
    8.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.5 mi
    Conundrum Creek ↗
    10.3 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.8 mi
    West Maroon Portal Link Trail
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.8 mi
    West Maroon Portal Trail
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse

Trailheads within three miles

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 →

This campground sits inside Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, which overlaps White River National Forest.

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 Maroon Bells Scenic Area is surrounded by the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. This wilderness is one of the five original Colorado wilderness areas designated by the 1964 Wilderness Act. Its scenic value exudes from its aspen groves, meadows of wildflowers, and dark forests of spruce and fir that rise up from the valleys to alpine landscapes. Here, bighorn sheep, pika, and ptarmigan find habitat above timberline. Towering over glacial valleys at over 14,000 feet in elevation, the Maroon Bells are the most recognizable peaks in the Elk Mountains. The Maroon Bells are unique in the Rockies in that they are made up of metamorphic sedimentary mudstone that gives the peaks their maroon color and unstable nature for climbing.

Recreation

For hikers and backpackers, the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area epitomizes the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Starting from the Deadly Bells Trailhead at Maroon Lake, the West Maroon Trail gains elevation through aspen groves and evergreens, traverses boulder fields, crosses streams, and leads hikers through high-elevation (10,000+ feet) mountain passes. Climbing through alpine terrain, backpackers will find high mountain lakes and a smattering of wildflowers in mid-summer. Check specific regulations for camping in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area. For day hikers and horseback riders, nearby Maroon Creek Trail offers a less crowded alternative to viewing the Maroon Bells, Pyramid Peak and the entire Maroon valley. The gentle, flat terrain offers scenic stops that are great for picnicking.

Nearby

The nearby resort town of Aspen is a popular destination for visitors to the area. From downhill skiing and world-class fly fishing, to dining and resorts, there is a multitude of outdoor and indoor opportunities in this mountain town.

Guidebooks for Colorado

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Silver Queen Campground?

Sites at Silver Queen Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Silver Queen Campground?

Check-in 11:00 AM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Silver Queen Campground have?

6 sites, including 5 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Silver Queen Campground?

The longest site here provides 30 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 Silver Queen Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Silver Queen Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Silver Queen Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. 5 day stay limit.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Silver Queen Campground?

For hikers and backpackers, the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area epitomizes the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Silver Queen Campground?

Carbondale, Colorado. The nearby resort town of Aspen is a popular destination for visitors to the area.

Source: Getting there

What if Silver Queen Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Silver Bell Campground (0.7 mi), Silver Bar Campground (1 mi), and Maroon Bells Amphitheatre (3.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby