Established Camping
Junction Creek Campground
About
National Forest
San Juan National Forest
Overview
Junction Creek Campground is located close to Durango, Colo., near the beginning of the Colorado Trail. Visitors enjoy the area for its excellent hiking and biking opportunities in a scenic natural setting.
Recreation
The Colorado Trail, also known as the Junction Creek Trail, begins nearby and stretches almost 500 miles to Denver as it rises through subalpine forests and alpine meadows above the timberline. Mountain biking is very popular on the Colorado Trail and the Logchute Trail System, which is nearby. Junction Creek offers fishing for rainbow and brook trout. Skilled anglers may have luck near the campground, but chances improve upstream.
Facilities
The campground offers single- and double-family campsites, many with electric hookups. A group campsite is available that can accommodate up to 50 people. An accessible large-group, day-use picnic shelter, with electricity, can accommodate up to 65 people. Group sites are equipped with picnic tables, serving tables, campfire rings and grills and have access to a volleyball court and horseshoe pits. Single and double sites have tables and campfire rings. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided.
Natural Features
The campground is situated on a south-facing hillside, a quarter-mile above Junction Creek. A forest of ponderosa pine and gambel oak covers the campground, which sits at an elevation of 7,300 feet.
Nearby Attractions
Haviland Lake is a 35-minute drive from the campground. The 80-acre, no-wake lake offers boating, canoeing and fishing opportunities. Accessible fishing docks are located on the lakeshore. The small town of Durango is just minutes away, offering whitewater rafting, a river trail, shops and restaurants. It is also home to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
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. Group Sites Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): A visitor who cancels a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use 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.
Location
Junction Creek Campground is located in Colorado
Directions
From Main Street in Durango, travel west on 25th Street (across from the fairgrounds entrance) for just over three miles, to the forest boundary. Continue just over a mile to the campground entrance. The day-use area loops to the left.
Address
1499 FDR 171
Durango, CO 81301
Coordinates
37.3361111 N
107.915 W
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Stay Connected
- WiFiGood
- VerizonAvailable
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Water Hookups
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Great spot
Camp ground was perfect, very clean, the spots were very well maintained and being able to have a fire was worth the steep drive you on the dirt road. All spots looked nice and big but we got the double pull through and it was perfect
- (4) View All
Super clean
Stayed here over Labor Day Weekend and it was quiet and clean.
We accidentally booked the double spot, but enjoyed having the extra space and being tucked away.
The vault toilets were super clean and had plenty of TP. The camp host was friendly as well.
The road up to the campground was a bit rough but we had no problems towing up our TT.
Amazing campground!
Very nice campground in a beautiful area near Durango. The bathrooms were very clean and the lots were all in good spots. Very close to part of the Colorado Trail!
- (12) View All
Great Spot
Really nice sites. They have a lot more first come first serve than is listed I believe. Recreation.gov only has 3 loops and there are like 5. Sites are big and well maintained. There is a day use area with a volley ball court and a pavilion.
- (5) View All
Well Cared For and Clean!
Arrived for a first come first serve after gate was closed past Animas Overlook (early May). Forested sites, extremely clean amenities, camp hosts were very helpful and friendly , and quiet. Very spotty Verizon service. Down the road from Log Chutes and CO trail mtb. Can ride from camp spot. $26 a night.
Beautiful, national forest campground very close to Durango.
Beautiful forest campground just outside of Durango. Dispersed sites with lots of space. Tables, firepits, pit toilets. Friendly camp host. Firewood for sale. Quiet. Colorado trail starts down by Junction Creek. Downside, no AT&T cell service or internet. Recommend!
Amazing
This is a beautiful National Forrest campground. The park is very well kept. The park hosts are very friendly and helpful. The views are wonderful.
Awesome
This campground is a jem. The views are beautiful, it is closer to Durango but high enough in the mountains to not hear any city noise. The park hosts keep this park in beautiful condition. When we were they they road into the park needed to be grated.
Nice Spot
This is a nice place close to Durango. Sites are good. The C- Loop spots are a little un-level but good overall. Very quiet and the camp host was very friendly as well. I’ll be back for sure.
- (8) View All
Awesome campground!
We stayed here coming and going on a long trip from Oregon to New Mexico. We didn't expect a whole lot, since it was a Forest Service campground, but we were so impressed. The hosts were very friendly, the camp was immaculate, bathrooms clean, and lots of space between campsites for privacy. Will definitely stay here again.
Camp hosts
I am disabled and had an issue with getting up.The camp hosts were amazing in helping me get up. However,when their boss showed up he was very rude to me. He questioned why I was camping as a disabled person.I guess in his mind disabled people can't camp. And C3 is not disabled accessible but is an amazing site close to water and restrooms.
Great Campground near Durango
We stay here when in Durango. Perfect spot!
Fun and chill
We drove in, early afternoon and were surprised to find an available spot. The camp hosts recommended B4 cause it was a little secluded and had a level parking spot. Bathrooms were clean and convenient, mountain bikers were going by every couple of minutes.
Best campground yet!
This has been our favorite campground yet! It’s a bit of a rough road getting up the mountain but it’s worth it. Lots of washboarding on the road up but it’s fine if you just coast over the bad areas and go slow. Our site was level, clean, and very spacious! Staff was around on golf carts frequently, cleaning bathrooms and sites, but never bothersome.
Beautiful, spacious with access to the Colorado trail
Really nice campground. We had a site in the D loop. Lots of space between sites and no one behind us. No water or electric in this loop, but we dry camp all the time and bring our own water. We will go back. Ten miles on the Colorado trail was just a taste.
Absolutely beautiful!
One of the most beautiful campsites ever! Our site was huge and very private. We had a great free space behind us in the forest for some fun exploring and a clearing for stargazing. Camp hosts were very helpful with questions and kept the bathrooms very clean. Access to water. No cell service at all for AT&T users though. The last mile or so up the road near the campground is gravel. Definitely passable but may be a bit more challenging for a very large RV. They can definitely make it but may not want to drive it often. Wish we could have stayed longer!
Really felt like I was away
Spent a few days at Junction Creek campground over Labor Day. Tough to get a reservation, but checked daily until there was a cancellation and was able to snag a great double site (Loop E #14) with electric hookups. The double site allowed us to put our 24-foot trailer across both spots with our front door facing the back of the campsite with nothing but beautiful national forest behind us! 🌲🌲🌲
Practical things: Double site has two picnic tables, two RV/trailer spots, two electrical hookups, a fire pit, and a tent pad. Separate men and women put toilets are very clean. Loop E is the only one with electric hookups. There are no water or sewer hookups here, which was perfect in my mind.
Important things: Sites are nicely spread out so you feel like you have privacy and space. It’s extremely quiet and we enjoyed the sound of crickets and campfires at night. Very close access to hiking on the Colorado Trail. You’ll pass by one of the Trail entrances just before you enter the campground. Only 5 miles out of town, so it’s easy to grab the necessities you need from City Market or enjoy dinner out in historic downtown Durango. Highly recommend this campground.
- (7) View All
Close to Durango but feels remote
Campground features shady sites that will accommodate big rigs. If you are tent camping you might feel surrounded, but most spaces are so far apart, we never heard a peep from our neighbors. Overall the campground was well run with super clean bathrooms in each loop. 15 minute drive to town makes this a great home base to explore Durango and the Animas Valley.
Beautiful Campground
This is a great campground. The sites are huge. The views are spectacular. Electric at some sites, double sites available also.
- (4) View All
Pristine ponderosa pine forest, spacious campsites, not to be missed
This lovely campsite is just minutes from town, but feels like you are miles into the wilderness. Spacious, well kept campsites with fire ring, picnic tables, restrooms and potable water available. Hiking and biking trails are easy to access and provide stunning views. We can’t wait to return!