Riverside (Co)

Campground · Colorado · 18 bookable sites ·

Managed by the USDA Forest Service

Pike National Forest (NF) · Open Access

18
Bookable sites
50 ft
Max rig length
up to 8
People per site
1
Accessible site
9,069 ft
Elevation
Riverside Campground
Photo: Kim Petrarca · Recreation.gov

Overview

Riverside Campground lies across the road form South Platte River, providing a scenic base camp for fishing, hiking and rock climbing. The campground is tucked in the Eleven Mile Canyon, a delightful place to view polished granite walls surrounding the open valley of the river.

Wildlife is abundant in the surrounding areas, with opportunities to see elk, mule deer, chipmunks and porcupines.

Recreation

Hard Rock Interpretive Trail, accessible from the campground, is a 1-mile self-guided interpretive walk that leads to an impressive overlook of the canyon. The trail explores the diverse life of the region and offers a chance to see plenty of wildlife and take photos of the sweeping views.

Rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout can be caught from the South Platte River. Benches along the river allow anglers to relax in comfort while waiting for fish to bite.

Facilities

Riverside Campground offers nearly 20 reservable campsites. Parking aprons are grass and gravel and can fit RVs up to 30 feet in length. Tent sites are walk-in only. Each site has a picnic table and a campfire ring. Vault toilets are onsite. Bring your own drinking water.

Natural Features

Riverside has large, open campsites at an elevation of 8,000 feet. The South Platte River flows on the other side of Route 96. Eleven Mile Canyon was carved by the river and is bordered by polished gray granite cliffs.

Downriver is the Eleven Mile Reservoir, spanning 3,405 surface acres and 5 miles in length.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors enjoy the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado.

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

  • 18 bookable sites
  • 19 sites in total, including non-bookable
  • 1 accessible site
  • Vehicles up to 50 ft
  • Up to 8 people per site
  • Loops: RIVERSIDE

Site types

  • 11 Tent Only Nonelectric
  • 7 Standard Nonelectric
  • 1 Management

Amenities

  • Campfires allowed
  • Fire pits
  • Picnic tables
  • Shade
  • Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, grills.

Book on Recreation.gov

19 campsites at Riverside (Co)

Check-in 2:00 PM · Check-out 12:00 PM

SiteLoopTypeEntrySurfaceAccessMax rigPeople
001RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricBack InGravel—50 ft8♿ 🐾
002RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
003RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
004RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
005RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
006RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
007RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricBack InGravel—30 ft8 🐾
008RIVERSIDEManagementBack InGravel—45 ft8 🐾
009RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricBack InGravel—45 ft8 🐾
010RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricParallelGravel—35 ft8 🐾
011RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricBack InGravel—50 ft8 🐾
012RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricBack InGravel—32 ft8 🐾
013RIVERSIDEStandard NonelectricPull ThroughGravel—40 ft8 🐾
014RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
015RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
016RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
017RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
018RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾
019RIVERSIDETent Only Nonelectric——Hike In—8 🐾

Getting there

From Lake George, turn off Highway 24 onto County Road 96. Follow the road for about one mile. Turn right at Eleven Mile Canyon entrance.  Riverside Campground is located on the left side, not far from Eleven Mile Canyon entrance.

38.94389, -105.44111 · 38°56'38.0"N 105°26'28.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F————————————
Low °F————————————
Precip in0.50.61.31.81.81.42.82.51.30.90.60.7

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 2.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

More photos

Member photos

Common questions about Riverside (Co)

Can you reserve a site at Riverside (Co)?
Yes, Riverside (Co) is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Riverside (Co) have?
19 sites in total, of which 18 can be booked.
What is the maximum RV length at Riverside (Co)?
50 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Riverside (Co)?
Yes, pets are allowed at Riverside (Co).
Are campfires allowed at Riverside (Co)?
Campfires are allowed at Riverside (Co). Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Riverside (Co)

Comments

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-06-18.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.