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Camping · Colorado

CAYTON CAMPGROUND

USFS · Campground · Fee

Fast facts

Cost
Fee charged
Managed by
USFS
Type
Campground
Hours
Mid-May - September
Reservations
recreation.gov
Coordinates
37.7714, -107.9772
Last verified
September 19, 2026
37.7714° N · 107.9772° W
Last verifiedSeptember 19, 2026

About this place

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.

From the USFS.Official page

Is CAYTON CAMPGROUND free?

No. CAYTON CAMPGROUND charges a fee. It is managed by the USFS. Sites are reservable through recreation.gov.

How do I get to CAYTON CAMPGROUND?

From Rico: Travel 6 miles north on Highway 145. The entrance is 1/2 mile east of the highway on the Barlow Creek Road (Forest Rd. 578). From Dolores: Travel 43 miles north on Highway 145. The entrance is 1/2 mile east of the highway on the Barlow Creek Road (Forest Rd. 578). Cayton Campground area map.

What are the rules at CAYTON CAMPGROUND?

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

Nearby

No other services within 50 mi on the record.

SourceData from the USFS. Last synced September 19, 2026. Community reports and photos are submitted by travelers and are not verified by the agency.

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Disclaimer TerrainKit is an independent product with no affiliation with, sponsorship from or endorsement by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service or any other public agency. Site and access information is compiled from publicly available sources and can go out of date without notice. Confirm current rules, closures, fire restrictions and stay limits with the managing ranger district or field office before you camp.
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CAYTON CAMPGROUND, Camping in Colorado - TerrainKit