U.S. Forest Service · Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG · Morrison, CO

Columbine Campground

Columbine Campground is located just off the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway/Highway 119, west of Denver, in north central Colorado. This campground is popular with off-road enthusiasts and many jeep roads can be reached from the campground.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
ColumbineCOLUMBINE CAMPGROUNDCOLUMBINE CAMPGROUNDCOLUMBINE CAMPGROUND
Photos courtesy of Local staff · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups41
Walk-in5
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 55 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
001COLUStandardBack-in45GravelPartial8 / 1
002COLUStandardBack-in40GravelPartial8 / 1
004COLUStandardBack-in35GravelFull8 / 1
005COLUStandardBack-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
006COLUStandardBack-in35GravelPartial8 / 1
007COLUStandardBack-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
008COLUStandardBack-in45GravelPartial8 / 1
009COLUStandardBack-in25GravelFull8 / 1
010COLUStandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 1
011COLUStandardBack-in30GravelPartial8 / 1

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length55 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed

This campground has 46 sites on two loops. Five of these sites are suitable for tents only; the others are suitable for both RV and/or tents. Each site has a picnic table and campfire ring. Other amenities include vault toilets, water spigots and trash service. Bundled firewood is for sale by the onsite campground manager. RV units are not permitted to fill tanks from the water spigots. All of the sites are non-electric.

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.
ForestArapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
BookingMake reservations at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777
RulesA single site may hold up to eight people. Tents must fit on the pads provided. RVs, trailers or other vehicles must fit on the parking spur. Driving or parking off road is not permitted. The parking length ranges from 25 to 55 feet. Dogs must be leashed at all times.

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Columbine Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.00 inches of precipitation, 17.4 inches of snowFebruary: 1.32 inches of precipitation, 23.2 inches of snowMarch: 2.68 inches of precipitation, 35.6 inches of snowApril: 3.79 inches of precipitation, 42.0 inches of snowMay: 3.24 inches of precipitation, 16.6 inches of snowJune: 2.19 inches of precipitation, 0.9 inches of snowJuly: 2.89 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.84 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.86 inches of precipitation, 2.7 inches of snowOctober: 1.66 inches of precipitation, 16.1 inches of snowNovember: 1.23 inches of precipitation, 18.4 inches of snowDecember: 1.13 inches of precipitation, 21.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 24.5°F averageFebruary: 24.4°F averageMarch: 30.7°F averageApril: 35.2°F averageMay: 44.0°F averageJune: 54.0°F averageJuly: 60.3°F averageAugust: 58.6°F averageSeptember: 51.7°F averageOctober: 40.8°F averageNovember: 31.0°F averageDecember: 24.0°F average0 in10 in20 in30 in40 in50 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Coal Creek Canyon, 10 miles from the campground at 8,950 feet, station USC00051681 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 26 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 195 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From the town of Central City, follow Gilpin County Route 3 west to NFSR 176.1. NFSR 176.1 access is a rough section of dirt road. County Route 3 is a rough section of gravel and dirt road.

Nearest townMorrison, Colorado
Coordinates39.8148° N, 105.5518° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. Late cancellations are subject to additional fees. Customers and contact center agents cannot modify reservations on or after the check-in date.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Harris Park Broadcast Rx

    20 mi from the campground · 390 acres

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

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearClear Creek Outdoors ↗5.4 mi
Dump stationDump Station ↗6.8 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗20 mi

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

Explore

Video

Columbine Campground Review #campground

Worth a stop

The historic mining town of Central City is nearby. Popular events there include Lou Bunch Day and the Central City Opera and Jazz festivals. Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a short drive from the campground. This scenic park offers over 35 miles of hiking trails. Mountain biking and horseback riding are allowed on some trails. Every stream and pond in the park is open to fishing.

  • 5 mi
    St Marys
    0.4 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 →

James Peak Wilderness begins about 4.8 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.

Natural features

The campground's two loops are situated in a grove of aspen and lodgepole pine, at an elevation of 9,200 feet.

Recreation

Many hiking and biking trails are found nearby. Scenic driving is available along Highways 119 and 72, which is also known as the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. Numerous creeks, rivers and lakes in the area provide fishing opportunities. Off-road enthusiasts will find many jeep roads in the vicinity.

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 Columbine Campground?

Sites at Columbine Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Make reservations at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777 Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Columbine Campground?

Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Columbine Campground?

A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation.

Source: Charges and cancellations

Is Columbine Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Columbine Campground have?

47 sites, including 41 standard sites without power and 5 walk-in sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Columbine Campground?

The longest site here provides 55 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 Columbine Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Columbine Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Columbine Campground?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Columbine Campground?

Many hiking and biking trails are found nearby. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Columbine Campground?

Morrison, Colorado. The historic mining town of Central City is nearby.

Source: Getting there

What if Columbine Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Pickle Gulch (2.5 mi), Cold Springs (3.6 mi), and Kelly Dahl (8.6 mi, partly first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby