Can you reserve a site at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?

Yes, Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO) is reservable through Recreation.gov.

What is the maximum RV length at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?

60 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?

Yes, pets are allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO).

Are campfires allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?

Campfires are allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO). Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO), Colorado — 47 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

Big Meadows is located in the San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado, about 11 miles west of South Fork. The campground is lightly wooded with spruce trees, creating a beautiful meadow atmosphere.

The Rio Grande National Forest spans 1.86 million acres in south-central Colorado. The Continental Divide runs for 236 miles along most of the forest's western border, presenting a myriad of ecosystems from alpine desert to dense wilderness.

Recreation

An accessible fishing pier, located on the north shore of the reservoir, allows anglers to cast for rainbow, brown and brook trout. Hunting, boating and hiking are also popular pastimes.

Hikers and horseback riders will enjoy the 6-mile Archuleta Trail. The trail accesses the Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado's largest wilderness, which boasts the headwaters of dozens of major streams and rivers that feed into the Rio Grande and San Juan rivers.

Facilities

Each site has a campfire ring and picnic tables. Drinking water is available.

The nearest dump station is 13 miles away, and a boat ramp is located on the north shore of the reservoir.

Natural Features

The campground meanders up a mountainside above Big Meadows Reservoir in a series of loops. As a sub-alpine region, the campground gets more rainfall than the opposite side of the lake, resulting in plentiful wildflowers and aspens surrounding the campsites.

Nearby Attractions

The surrounding area has plenty to keep visitors busy, with attractions like Great Sand Dunes National Park, Native American ruins, remnants of the Spanish Conquistadors and gold rush ghost towns. The Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Ranges are laced with trails for avid hikers.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (805) 434-1996.

The facts

47 bookable sites
44 accessible sites
Vehicles up to 60 ft
Up to 40 people per site
Loops: HOST SITE, LOWER LOOP, MIDDLE LOOP, UPPER LOOP

Site types

46 Standard Nonelectric
1 Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric

Amenities

Campfires allowed
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, fire pits.

Book on Recreation.gov

47 campsites at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Grade	Water	Max rig	People
014	HOST SITE	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	40 ft	8	🐾
033	HOST SITE	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	40 ft	8	🐾
034	HOST SITE	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	40 ft	8	♿ 🐾
001	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	47 ft	16	♿ 🐾
002	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
003	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	45 ft	8	♿ 🐾
004	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
005	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	30 ft	8	♿ 🐾
006	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	45 ft	8	♿ 🐾
007	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	40 ft	8	♿ 🐾
008	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
009	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
010	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
011	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	40 ft	8	♿ 🐾
012	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
013	LOWER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	42 ft	16	♿ 🐾
GSA	LOWER LOOP	Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	Riverfront	20 ft	40	🐾
015	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	38 ft	8	♿ 🐾
016	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
017	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	34 ft	8	♿ 🐾
018	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	30 ft	8	♿ 🐾
019	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	34 ft	8	♿ 🐾
020	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	35 ft	8	♿ 🐾
021	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	36 ft	8	♿ 🐾
022	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	24 ft	8	♿ 🐾
023	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
024	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	16	♿ 🐾
025	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	31 ft	8	♿ 🐾
026	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	25 ft	8	♿ 🐾
027	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	45 ft	8	♿ 🐾
028	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	45 ft	8	♿ 🐾
029	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	45 ft	8	♿ 🐾
030	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	42 ft	8	♿ 🐾
031	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	35 ft	8	♿ 🐾
032	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	37 ft	8	♿ 🐾
035	MIDDLE LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	34 ft	16	♿ 🐾
037	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	45 ft	8	♿ 🐾
038	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	40 ft	8	♿ 🐾
039	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
040	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
041	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	37 ft	8	♿ 🐾
042	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	48 ft	8	♿ 🐾
043	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	50 ft	8	♿ 🐾
044	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Moderate	—	30 ft	8	♿ 🐾
045	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Moderate	—	37 ft	8	♿ 🐾
046	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	34 ft	8	♿ 🐾
047	UPPER LOOP	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	40 ft	8	♿ 🐾

Getting there

From South Fork, Colorado, take Highway 160 for 13 miles west, turn onto Forest Road 410 SW, and go 1.8 miles to Big Meadows Campground.

37.53806, -106.79611 · 37°32'17.0"N 106°47'46.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Low °F	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Precip in	5.4	5.7	5.1	4.0	2.9	1.1	2.3	3.4	3.5	4.2	4.7	5.3

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 4 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Common questions about Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)

Can you reserve a site at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?: Yes, Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO) is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO) have?: 47 sites.
What is the maximum RV length at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?: 60 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?: Yes, pets are allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO).
Are campfires allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)?: Campfires are allowed at Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO). Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)

Big Meadows Campground and Picnic Area less than 0.1 mi · Campground
Big Meadows Reservoir Boating Site 0.4 mi · Facility
Big Meadows/Archuleta Trailhead # 839 0.4 mi · Facility
Big Meadows Trailhead 1.4 mi · Facility
Lobo Trailhead 3.2 mi · Facility
Tucker Ponds Campground 3.6 mi · Campground
CDNST - Wolf Creek Trailhead 3.8 mi · Facility
Wolf Creek Ski Area 4.4 mi · Facility
Park Creek Campground 5.1 mi · Campground
Tewksberry Trailhead #842 6 mi · Facility
Upper Beaver Creek Campground 8 mi · Campground
Highway Springs Campground 8.5 mi · Campground

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)