Bristol Head Campground
This campground contains 15 sites (11 are pull through) ranging from 35 to 55 feet in length. There are both dead end spurs and pull throughs. Sits in a meadow on a bench above South Clear Creek. A short trail from campground leads to an overlook of the Clear Creek Canyons and a waterfall. The campground stretches 0.6 mile along a "bench" (a level area) above South Clear Creek. The grassy field between camping sites and creek are dotted with wild flowers. Every site has a view of towering mountains dominated by Bristol Head Peak. Spruce and Aspen line the meadow and provide some shade. The campground is an excellent area for viewing wild life, especially moose. Quiet & secluded.
More like this: first-come in Colorado
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Season | Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend |
| Forest | Rio Grande National Forest |
| Booking | None taken. |
| Fees | Single Site - $26 to $30/night. $12 per day-use picnicking. Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Creede, CO, take Hwy 149 south (toward Lake City) 21.6 miles to North Clear Creek Road sign (Forest Rd. 510). Turn right at sign onto Rd. 510 (gravel) and go 0.3 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground.
| Coordinates | 37.8189° N, 107.1459° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireGold Mountain
33 mi from the campground · 39,747 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedHigh Mesa Piles Rx
35 mi from the campground · 324 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 17.1 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Ouray Mountain Sports ↗ | 32 mi |
| RV sales & service | RV sales & service ↗ | 33.3 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
No site-by-site records, no amenities, no fee schedule or photos in the Recreation.gov record. What is here comes from the agency's own listing. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the record fills in.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 1.3 mi
- 3.3 mi
- 4 miRoad Canyon Boat Ramp ↗Boat launch
- 6.2 miFern Creek Trailhead # 815 ↗Trailhead
- 12.5 miLove Lake Picnic Site ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.5 miSo Cl Cr Falls Nature0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.7 miSo. Clear Creek0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2 miBristol Head Overlook ↗0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.7 miWillow Creek ↗6.4 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
This campground sits inside Rio Grande National Forest.
- inRio Grande National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,937,280 acres
- 1.4 miWeminuche Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 497,111 acres
- 3.3 miSan Juan National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,094,539 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Sevenmile BridgeStructure · Creede · 9.2 mi
- Zang’s Hotel and AnnexBuilding · Creede · 12.2 mi
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 Bristol Head Campground?
No. Bristol Head Campground is first-come, first-served. None taken. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Bristol Head Campground?
Single Site - $26 to $30/night. $12 per day-use picnicking. Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.
Source: Forest Service
Is Bristol Head Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
Source: Forest Service status
Is there cell service at Bristol Head Campground?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What if Bristol Head Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Silver Thread Campground (1 mi, first-come), North Clear Creek Campground (1.1 mi, first-come), and Road Canyon Campground (5.1 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby