U.S. Forest Service · Rio Grande National Forest · Antonito, CO

Elk Creek Campground

Elk Creek Campground is located in Conejos County, approximately 23 miles west of Antonito, Colorado. Located in the lower portion of the Conejos Canyon a short distance from Highway 17, it is an easily reached destination for visitors to the area. Elk Creek runs alongside the campground. The elevation of the campground is 8,500 ft.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov38 sites60 ft maxElectric hookupsPets okFires ok

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Elk CreekDeer at Elk Creek CampgroundRestroom & Dumpster at Elk Creek CampgroundDeer at Elk Creek Campground
Photos courtesy of Scenic Canyons Recreational Services, Inc · Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Martinez Fall Rx (prescribed burn) · 34 mi away
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups37
Standard with electric1
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 60 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessibleRating
01StandardBack-in40GravelPartialNoRiverfront8 / 2YesYesStandard
02StandardBack-in30GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
03StandardPull-through45GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
04StandardPull-through50GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
05StandardPull-through60GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
06StandardBack-in50GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
07StandardBack-in30GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
08StandardBack-in30GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
09StandardBack-in50GravelPartialNo8 / 2YesYesStandard
10ElectricBack-in40GravelPartial30 amp8 / 2YesYesStandard

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

HookupsElectric
Max vehicle length60 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 01, 02, 03, 04 and 29 more are listed accessible

This campground contains a variety of campsites including single and double sites which can accommodate RVs or tents. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Most sites are equipped with accessible tables, grills and fire rings.

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.
SeasonMemorial Day weekend to The second Monday of September
ForestRio Grande National Forest
BookingReservations can be made up to 6 months in advance, but they must be made at least four days prior to your intended arrival date.
FeesSingle site - $29 to $33/night Special site - $34 to $38/night $12 for day use (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.

Rio Grande National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Elk Creek Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.04 inches of precipitation, 22.6 inches of snowFebruary: 1.94 inches of precipitation, 23.0 inches of snowMarch: 1.45 inches of precipitation, 13.9 inches of snowApril: 1.51 inches of precipitation, 5.9 inches of snowMay: 1.59 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowJune: 0.80 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.32 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.02 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.32 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 1.73 inches of precipitation, 2.1 inches of snowNovember: 1.69 inches of precipitation, 9.7 inches of snowDecember: 1.94 inches of precipitation, 13.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 22.3°F averageFebruary: 25.8°F averageMarch: 33.4°F averageApril: 40.2°F averageMay: 48.5°F averageJune: 57.6°F averageJuly: 63.2°F averageAugust: 61.7°F averageSeptember: 54.7°F averageOctober: 43.9°F averageNovember: 32.3°F averageDecember: 22.9°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Chama, 18 miles from the campground at 7,850 feet, station USC00291664 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 22 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 92 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Antonito, CO, take US 285 south 0.3 miles to Hwy 17. Continue straight on Hwy 17 and go 22.6 miles to campground sign. Turn right onto dirt road and go 0.1 miles to a "T" intersection. Turn left, go 0.4 miles to a "Y" intersection. Bear right and turn into campground.

Nearest townAntonito, Colorado
Coordinates37.1251° N, 106.3684° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Martinez Fall Rx

    34 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Mesa Juan Domingo Fall Rx

    49 mi from the campground

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

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗18.9 mi
Outdoor gearKristi's Mountain Sports ↗35.5 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗39.6 mi

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

Explore

Video

Elk Creek Campground - Rio Grande National Forest

Worth a stop

Nearby Elk Creek has fishing, including brown and rainbow trout. Two hiking trails are also nearby and lead into the south San Juan Wilderness. These trails access Dipping Lakes and Duck Lake and are an easy to intermediate hike.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.6 mi
    Old Highway Bridge
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
  • 0.6 mi
    Elk Creek ↗
    19.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.8 mi
    Hidden Lake
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
  • 1 mi
    Duck Lake
    3.7 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 3.6 mi
    Red Lake Cut-Off
    2.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.9 mi
    Valle Victoria ↗
    11.6 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 →

South San Juan Wilderness begins about 8.1 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 is lightly wooded with spruce and some ponderosa pine trees. The understory is grass with some campsites located next to Elk Creek. The campground is conveniently located within close proximity to the South San Juan Wilderness Area.

Recreation

Consider a day trip to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (steam) which offers a 64-mile journey through abandoned mining towns. One access to the train is in Antonito, CO, about 23 miles from the campground. Fishing, hunting, hiking, scenic driving and wildlife watching are some of the popular activities in the area. Elk Creek and Duck Lake trailheads are a short distance away, both of which are access points to the South San Juan Wilderness Area.

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 Elk Creek Campground?

Sites at Elk Creek Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance, but they must be made at least four days prior to your intended arrival date. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Elk Creek Campground?

Single site - $29 to $33/night Special site - $34 to $38/night $12 for day use (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Elk Creek Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Elk Creek Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Memorial Day weekend to The second Monday of September.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Elk Creek Campground have?

38 sites, including 37 standard sites without power and 1 standard site with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Elk Creek Campground?

The longest site here provides 60 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

Does Elk Creek Campground have hookups?

Yes, electric hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Elk Creek Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Elk Creek Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Elk Creek Campground?

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.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Elk Creek Campground?

Sites 01, 02, 03, and 04 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 33 sites in all. 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 Elk Creek Campground?

Consider a day trip to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (steam) which offers a 64-mile journey through abandoned mining towns. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Elk Creek Campground?

Antonito, Colorado. Nearby Elk Creek has fishing, including brown and rainbow trout.

Source: Getting there