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Established Camping

Elk Creek Campground

About

National Park Service

Curecanti National Recreation Area

Overview

Elk Creek Campground is on the north shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir. The lake is Colorado's largest body of water with 96 miles of shoreline and the largest Kokanee Salmon fishery in the United States. Elk Creek Campground is located off of US HWY 50 -15 miles west of Gunnison Co. at Mile Marker 142. The campground is part of the Curecanti National Recreation Area, which was named after a Ute Indian chief of the mid-19th century.__ The Elk Creek area is a hub for water based activities year round.

Recreation

Anglers delight in catching salmon and rainbow trout, while water sports fans find excitement in windsurfing and water skiing. Swimming is permitted throughout the 20-mile long reservoir and birders can find bald eagles here year round.

Facilities

Campfire programs are in full swing during the summer months. Cell phone service is limited. Electric hookups are in Loop D for both 30 and 50 amps.__ Elk Creek, Lake Fork and Iola boat ramps are OPEN for the season.__

Natural Features

At an altitude of 7,540 feet, Elk Creek is surrounded by a vast expanse of sagebrush. Trees are minimal because the reservoir gets less than 12 inches of rain a year. Curecanti National Recreation Area is sandwiched between the towns of Montrose and Gunnison, Colorado. It spans three reservoirs, named for corresponding dams on the Gunnison River. These include the Crystal Reservoir, Morrow Point Reservoir and Blue Mesa.

Nearby Attractions

Visit the Cimarron Rail Exhibit to see railcars and the last remaining railroad trestle on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison route.

Charges & Cancellations

Fee Info

<p>There is an additional $6:00 electricity attribute fee for Standard Electric sites.</p>
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Location

Elk Creek Campground is located in Colorado

Detail location of campground

Directions

Elk Creek is located off of US Hwy 50 between Gunnison and Montrose, along Blue Mesa reservoir.

Address

24830 US Hwy 50
Gunnison, CO 81230

Coordinates

38.4677778 N
107.1758333 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Poor
  • Verizon
    Fair
  • AT&T
    Fair
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • Market
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • WiFi
  • Drinking Water
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Pull-Through Sites
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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5 Stars

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1 Star

25%
54%
22%
0%
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4.0

out of 5

28 Reviews

PThe Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jun. 15, 2023

Great views for a good price

The spot we were in was right next to the bathrooms that had modern plumbing with sinks and soap dispensers, not a simple outhouse. There’s also an amphitheater right next to the spot we were in where a park ranger would do a program every night about different topics. The only thing I would say to give anyone a heads up about coming here is the wind is pretty bad. Seems like it gets windy every day from 12pm to 6pm like clockwork as confirmed by the park rangers and the camp host. If you’re ok with wind then this place is really great. We also rented a pontoon at the marina that’s right next to this campground and spent a day on the water. Would highly recommend!

SiteA32
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Patrick B., June 15, 2023
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Patrick B., June 15, 2023
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Patrick B., June 15, 2023
  • (5) View All
sThe Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jun. 2, 2023

Great place if you like fishing and boating

Stayed 8 nights in C loop. That loop is first come first served always. No electric sites. Paid $8/night with senior pass. Nice quiet stay

Month of VisitJune
M
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2022

Nice campground, but Rodent problems abound

Nice campground with minimal tree cover, clean bathrooms with running water. Dump station and access to the lake by foot or by boat. One electric loop that is generally fairly full, the rest are non-electric and sparsely populated.

We stayed 10 days here, 7 in electric sites, 3 in non-electric sites. The views are incredible. A lot of wind as you're sort of in a valley between mountains and everything pushes through.

The main issue here is this place has a serious rodent issue. There are, with no exaggeration, thousands of chipmunks and field mice in this area moving in and around campsites. Even when completely closed up and self-contained, they tend to crawl into the underbelly of the vehicles/RVs or slip into tents. They'll crawl in and around tents. If you have dogs (and thus dog food), or near by someone who does, that also seems to be an issue.

In 10 days there we had two chipmunks and a mouse get into our RV, and heard several other tent campers and RV campers complain about the same problem. Clearly a lot of these guys are being fed or just picking up scraps as none of them have any fear of dogs or humans.

Would rate this campground higher if not for the serious rodent problem. 5/5 for access, scenery, power accessibility, clean bathrooms. 1/5 for serious rodent issue.

Month of VisitSeptember
Jessica D.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jul. 13, 2022

Wildlife, beautiful location, quiet

We tent camped here in June. The temperature was beautiful 24/7 (70 during the day and down to about 40 at night). Just bring layers and a good sleeping bag. Our campsite was number 7 (on a clearing surrounded by a creek with a few other campsites). Campsites are close in proximity, but we had awesome campers around us who we befriended. We saw moose in the afternoon into evening- they came right into the campsite to graze. You need to give them 75 feet, which is manageable at this site. At night we could hear wolves howling in the distance & we even had a bear visit our tent. We could hear the bear snarling and sniffing near where our heads were. Bear spray may be a good idea. Seemed like he was just curious and exploring. Of course all food was away from the campsite and locked in a box locked in our car. There are no bear boxes on sight. Next morning we saw fox & deer. The campground owners were friendly and informative- check in was easy. The bathrooms were VERY clean. There is a game room with old school arcade games for the kids, a decent camp store and a playground for kids. Campground is dog friendly & host to many RVs and a handful of primitive cabins. Campsite was for the most part level.

Site7
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jessica D., July 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jessica D., July 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jessica D., July 13, 2022
  • (16) View All
Elizabeth M.
Reviewed Jan. 14, 2022

We will return

My kids just asked that we go back every year. So it will be. We loved how clean and quiet the grounds were!

Month of VisitSeptember
k
Reviewed Sep. 25, 2021

Nice campground for short stays

It’s a good little campground for a night or two. After that it’s pretty boring as there’s no trails on the grounds. It’s fun to walk near the reservoir but right now it’s off limits to anyone but fishers or boaters due to toxic algae.

SiteA15
Month of VisitOctober
MThe Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Sep. 8, 2021

New modern amenities and good availability.

We planned a short overnight stop here on our way to Ouray.  It might be busier in the heat of the summer, but we had no problem getting a reservation over Labor Day weekend.  All have large flat pads and the campground has great amenities, showers etc.  Very well maintained. Loop D has electrical hookups.

Downsides: It's a bit baren, with no shade and views of your neighbors.  Our site was far from the water.

L
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2021

Not for tents

RVs everywhere and very close sites. Windy and no shade or privacy.

SiteA21
Month of VisitSeptember
shinya Y.
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2021

Walk to the lake

We had no reservation when we visited here in mid July 2021. Since it was Thursday there were some tent site available. We got one of them close to the lake. It is very open wide ground. Many people were there but did not feel crowded at all. There is a tiny beach in a walking distance. Bathrooms are clean. Everything was great here.

Sitetent site
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by shinya Y., August 7, 2021
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by shinya Y., August 7, 2021
Jesse D.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Aug. 3, 2021

Wide Open

The scenery was beautiful. That said it is wide open so you can't help but see all of your neighbors. I camped there in early June and it was one of the coldest nights of camping I can remember.

Site77
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jesse D., August 3, 2021
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jesse D., August 3, 2021
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jesse D., August 3, 2021
Christopher R.
Reviewed Jul. 29, 2021

Well kept, nice views

Stayed in an RV site for two nights. Everything was in order and clean. The showers near the marina are not good and we didn’t use them. The on-site marina was great and the camp host was friendly and helpful.

SiteD-10
Month of VisitAugust
L
Reviewed Jul. 26, 2021

Great location

Stayed in loop B. Nice view of lake and surrounding mesas. No shade. Nice flush toilets

SiteB70
Month of VisitAugust
K
Reviewed Jun. 28, 2021

Midpoint between Black Canyon and Crested Butte

We stayed at this campsite for 2 nights and we were pleasantly surprised. We dry camped so we used the bathrooms on site, and they were clean. There are some small trails in the area but not much, and there is no cover. The campsite is well run though and it was relatively quiet with the exception of 1 or 2 groups. Also there is a free dump site which we didn't see noted util we got there. We chose this spot to be at a midpoint between Black Canyon and Crested Butte for our trip and it worked out perfectly being right off the main road.

SiteB62
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Kate , June 28, 2021
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Kate , June 28, 2021
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Kate , June 28, 2021
D
Reviewed Jun. 22, 2021

Nice flat sites and great view

We enjoyed our base camp for day trips to Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP and other areas. Wind kept it cool during the day and it was in the 40s at night foe great sleeping.

SiteD18
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by DaveAdele C., June 22, 2021
Christopher W.
Reviewed Oct. 4, 2020

Not terrible

This campground is right off the highway so its a little noisy at night. There are NO full hookups or camper site water. You have to get water from the boat inspection station. Not much to see except the small marina but theres a decent hike about 5 miles down the highway at Dillon Pinnacle. The rv camp is sparse with vegetation, no trees. Each rv site is nicely distanced from the others and there is both 30 and 50 amp available on loop D. Cost is $16 a night without electric, $22 with electric.

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Christopher W., October 4, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Christopher W., October 4, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Christopher W., October 4, 2020
  • (6) View All
D
Reviewed Sep. 16, 2020

Great views!

If you are tent camping I would try and get a site that is next to the reservoir. Makes for a great sunset view! Overall the campsite is well maintained. Each tent site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Everyone is generally spread out enough that noise isn't an issue.

SiteA29
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by David L., September 16, 2020
K
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2020

Nice campground, mountain views

Great spot, with lots of spaces RV, cabin and tent camping. Five minutes from Grand Lake Village where there is access to the Lake. A family of moose are often seen there.

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by KIM V., July 31, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by KIM V., July 31, 2020
Lexi M.
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2020

beautiful

this place was stunning. we loved it! good facilities, sites were far enough apart. there wasn’t any privacy however due to no trees. we will be back. the black canyon is less than an hour from here and is well worth the visit.

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Lexi M., July 31, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Lexi M., July 31, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Lexi M., July 31, 2020
  • (6) View All
D
Reviewed Jul. 24, 2020

Beautiful, peaceful

Excellent campground with good sites and close access to the lake. Peaceful and relaxing, clean bathrooms, and polite hosts.

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Dawn K., July 24, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Dawn K., July 24, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Dawn K., July 24, 2020
  • (5) View All
Lindsey C.
Reviewed Jul. 18, 2020

Amazing

We planned an impromptu road trip from MO to Colorado. Best vacation ever, nothing was planned to we ended up driving to Blue Mesa and found this campground off the main road we were on. It was over Memorial Day weekend so it was pretty busy....and once we arrived there were only a few spots left and not ideal for our tent. We spoke to the staff and they went above and beyond to accommodate us. They ended up giving us the best spot possible, please see my pictures, these were all taken from out spot. Words can not describe the view and overall atmosphere of this place. We even got to see an actual meteorite on one of the educational nights they held.

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Lindsey C., July 18, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Lindsey C., July 18, 2020
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Lindsey C., July 18, 2020
  • (4) View All
Charles C.
Reviewed Jun. 21, 2020

Great location, No privacy

This campground is very conveniently located right on the lake but unfortunately there is no privacy between sites at all. Otherwise it is a very nice campground. I highly recommend driving into one of the more private beach areas like bay of chickens for the day.

Katie S.
Reviewed Sep. 27, 2019

Love!!

We have stayed her a few times!! I love this place it’s amazing to SUP at. It can be alittle windy so if you have a canopy just drop it at night. You have to walk into the camp spots but it’s not bad. Will definitely be back!!

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Katie S., September 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Katie S., September 27, 2019
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Katie S., September 27, 2019
  • (8) View All
Sadie D.
Reviewed Jun. 5, 2019

Enjoyed our stay!

Our first camping trip we spent here with our two small boys. We had a great time and enjoyed all the amenities. The boys loved the tetherball, playground and small creek. The bathrooms, showers and laundry were well kept and clean. Propane and firewood were sold on site as well. Town was just two minute drive with two beautiful lakes and many great hiking trails. Great park.

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Sadie D., June 5, 2019
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Sadie D., June 5, 2019
Aubrey B.
Reviewed May. 20, 2019

Cute and Simple

We were the only people there so we got our pick of campsites. We choose one right next to the creek. There was plenty of space for all our stuff and another tent if we needed. When we arrived there was no one at the front office, so we waited around for a while before we could finally pay for the site. At around 830PM the staff decided they wanted to run the back hoe. This was incredibly disturbing to our otherwise peaceful camping trip. Over all a great spot though!

  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Aubrey B., May 20, 2019
Jennifer C.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018

Great place to camp to explore this area of Colorado.

I had a fun and enjoyable trip to this campground, but be aware there are little to no trees or shade. Summer trips get hot, so a canopy is needed for shade. Most sites are close enough to the water to walk down to the reservoir but there was also plenty of parking spaces. I had consistent cell service for both phone service and 4g. I did several trips into Gunnison and Crested Butte for hiking and exploration. Great place to camp to explore this area of Colorado.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jennifer C., August 21, 2018
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jennifer C., August 21, 2018
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Jennifer C., August 21, 2018
Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Jul. 31, 2018

Views & Spectacular Wildlife

I drove through this area looking for something a little different in the slow pace tour I was taking of Colorado. I kept seeing these amazing views off the side of the road with this beautiful water and it drew me to the Elk Creek Campground. A lot of the areas campgrounds had closed for the season in way of tent camping and mostly only RV areas were still accessible, however this one was welcoming me with open arms as I looked forward to a fall Colorado experience.

It is more than a little removed feeling from the rest of the world around you. I had just passed through several communities with bustling populations but I couldn't have felt further away as I set up for the evening. While I wasn't far from civilization the sites and the woods around them offered retreat from all of that.

Wifi availability reminded me I wasn't completely out in the middle of nowhere, lol.

I was pleased to that night see a moose roaming near camp, it was a first and very cool!!

The campsites themselves were pretty standard, but the view was nothing standard it was amazingly unique.

The next day I was close enough to take the hike I had been wanting to take at Hanging Lake and before I left out for my day the attendant had more than a few very useful tips for my hike, which I was very happy I had been given!!

Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Crystal C., July 31, 2018
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Crystal C., July 31, 2018
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Crystal C., July 31, 2018
  • (4) View All
K
Reviewed Jun. 6, 2018

Not really roughing it, but the wildlife was amazing!

This campground has tent and everything sites. The sites are fairly close to one another, but there is still a feeling of being further away than you really are. There are wonderful facilities (showers and flush toilets) if that is a benefit to your camping style. This campground is very close (drive) to 2 lakes that afford fishing, boating, kayaking etc. The highlight for us was the wildlife. We saw Moose everyday (stayed here over Memorial Day weekend). The moose did not bother anyone, were not aggressive, merely wanted to nibble on all the willow in the area.

Site36
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Kris O., June 6, 2018
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Kris O., June 6, 2018
  • Review photo of Elk Creek Campground by Kris O., June 6, 2018
  • (7) View All
C
Reviewed May. 8, 2018

Spring Camping

Stayed at elk creek campground. Full for the weekend. Only one loop is electric. No water at dump station due a problem was inconvenient.

Site60
Month of VisitJune