Can you reserve a site at Cayton Campground?

Yes, Cayton Campground is reservable through Recreation.gov.

What is the maximum RV length at Cayton Campground?

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

Are pets allowed at Cayton Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Cayton Campground.

Are campfires allowed at Cayton Campground?

Campfires are allowed at Cayton Campground. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Cayton Campground, Colorado — 27 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

Cayton Campground is located along the San Juan Skyway (Colorado Highway 145) and the Dolores River. Visitors enjoy the area for its great fishing, hiking and scenic driving opportunities.

Recreation

The Dolores River is a popular fishing destination that can often be crowded on summer weekends. Anglers will find rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout.

The area boasts some excellent trails. The Colorado Trail follows the ridge across Bolam Pass. The Lizard Head and Cross Mountain Trails near Lizard Head Pass lead to alpine basins surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks.

The Barlow Creek Road continues past the campground and crosses Bolam Pass with spectacular views. Road conditions near the pass often limit travel to four-wheel drive vehicles. The route eventually connects with the Hermosa Park Road, behind Durango Mountain Resort, and leads to U.S. Highway 550.

Facilities

The campground offers 27 single-family campsites, many of which are situated along the river. Eighteen sites offer electric hookups. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and a dump station are provided.

Natural Features

The campground is situated near the banks of the Dolores River, in a grassy meadow surrounded by fir and aspen trees. At an elevation of 9,400 feet, campers should expect cool evenings.

Nearby Attractions

The Priest Gulch Trailhead, 11 miles southwest of Rico, leads to the alpine country west of the campground. The Bear Creek Trail, 14 miles south of Rico, heads southeast into the La Plata Mountains. Other nearby trails include the Calico National Recreation Trail and the Rico-Silverton Trail.

Highway 145, which runs between the campground and Telluride, offers some of the most majestic scenery along the San Juan Skyway, including views of the "14ers," which are peaks over 14,000 feet.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellations

Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.

A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.

Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.

No-Shows

A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.

No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.

Refunds

Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.

Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.

For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.

In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

The facts

Season: Mid-May – September — USDA Forest Service, Aug 24, 2026
27 bookable sites
Vehicles up to 70 ft
Up to 8 people per site
Loops: Loop A, Loop B

Site types

19 Standard Electric
8 Standard Nonelectric

Amenities

Electric hookups
Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed
Water hookups — not available
Sewer hookups — not available

Book on Recreation.gov

27 campsites at Cayton Campground

Check-in 2:00 PM · Check-out 12:00 PM

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Grade	Water	Max rig	People
10	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
11	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	48 ft	8	🐾
12	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	45 ft	8	🐾
13	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	43 ft	8	🐾
14	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	30 ft	8	🐾
15	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	50 ft	8	🐾
16	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
17	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
18	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	60 ft	8	🐾
19	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	60 ft	8	🐾
2	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
20	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	65 ft	8	🐾
3	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
4	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	50 ft	8	🐾
5	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
6	Loop A	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	42 ft	8	🐾
7	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
8	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
9	Loop A	Standard Electric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	Riverfront	70 ft	8	🐾
1	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Pull Through	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
21	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
22	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
23	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
24	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
25	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
26	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾
27	Loop B	Standard Nonelectric	Back In	Gravel	Slight	—	60 ft	8	🐾

Getting there

From Rico, travel northeast on Colorado Highway 145 for 6 miles. Turn right (east) on Forest Road 578 (Barlow Creek Road). The campground entrance is a half-mile further.

37.77139, -107.97722 · 37°46'17.0"N 107°58'38.0"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	3.5	3.5	3.3	3.3	2.6	0.9	1.9	2.4	2.5	2.4	3.0	3.1

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 2.7 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Common questions about Cayton Campground

Can you reserve a site at Cayton Campground?: Yes, Cayton Campground is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Cayton Campground have?: 27 sites.
What is the maximum RV length at Cayton Campground?: 70 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Cayton Campground?: Yes, pets are allowed at Cayton Campground.
Does Cayton Campground have hookups?: Electric.
Are campfires allowed at Cayton Campground?: Campfires are allowed at Cayton Campground. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Also listed by

Cayton Campground also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Cayton Campground's operator.

USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026

Standard: $27 Electric Hookup: $36

Restrictions:

Quiet time is typically between 10pm - 6am. Please be a good neighbor and limit use of generators to no more than one hour at a time.
Dogs must be leashed or otherwise physically restrained. Do not leave pets unattended.
Check-out time: 12:00 pm; Check-in time: 2:00 pm - if the site is empty, campers may come in anytime.
Standard single site occupancy is 8, but a single family with > 8 members is acceptable.
Equipment with wheels (RVs, campers, cars) must fit in the parking spur. There is not any overflow parking available.
Max RV size = 50 ft

USDA Forest Service's own page

Camping near Cayton Campground

Burro Bridge 5.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Matterhorn Cabin 7.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Matterhorn 7.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Woods Lake 9 mi · Campground · we watch it
Sunshine 9.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Cross Mountain Trailhead 2.8 mi · Facility
Priest Lake Designated Camping Area - Norwood RD 6.8 mi · Campground
Matterhorn Campground - Norwood RD 7.3 mi · Campground
Sunshine Campground - Norwood RD 9.4 mi · Campground
Alta Lakes Campground (Designated) - Norwood RD 10.4 mi · Campground
Sig Creek Campground 10.8 mi · Campground
South Mineral Campground 11.3 mi · Facility

Contact

Email rlynd@goexplorus.com
Book Recreation.gov

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

Cayton Campground