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Camping · Colorado

PURGATOIRE CAMPGROUND

USFS · Campground · Fee

Fast facts

Cost
Fee charged
Managed by
USFS
Type
Campground
Hours
Check in: 2 pm'Check out: 12 pm (noon)'Quiet hours: 10 pm to 6 am
Reservations
recreation.gov
Phone
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL (877) 444-6777, FOR OTHER NON REAL TIME INFORMATION CALL THE SAN CARLOS RANGER DISTRICT AT (719) 269-8500.
Coordinates
37.2525, -105.1092
Last verified
September 19, 2026
37.2525° N · 105.1092° W
Last verifiedSeptember 19, 2026

About this place

Overview Purgatoire Campground is nestled near the headwaters of the Purgatoire River in the beautiful Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The primitive campground is laid out on two loops. One is a large grassy meadow with sites that accommodate equestrian campers and one that is wooded with aspen and spruce. Constructed by the Youth Conservation Corp in 1976, Purgatoire was originally named Potato Patch Campground. The river provides nice fishing and a trailhead attracts hikers and horseback riders. Recreation The North Fork Trail # 1309 is located on the north end of the campground and offers non-motorized access to hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. The 5-mile trail delights with mountain vistas and shade from forested terrain. The river, which is creek-sized at these upper reaches, provides opportunities for anglers to cast for trout. Facilities Campsites come with campfire rings, picnic tables and vault toilets. Equestrian sites can fit large horse trailers. Drinking water is from a hand pump and parking aprons are grass and gravel. Trash service is provided. Natural Features The campground is in an aspen and conifer forest near the North Fork River at an elevation of 9,800 feet. The river, also known as the Purgatoire River, flows 196 miles to the confluence of the Arkansas River. Pike-San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (719) 489-2034. Nearby Attractions The nearby towns of Stonewall and Cuchara offer shopping and restaurants. 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 PURGATOIRE CAMPGROUND free?

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

How do I get to PURGATOIRE CAMPGROUND?

To get there from La Veta, drive south on SH 12 for approximately 25 miles to CR34. Turn right onto CR34 and follow it for 4 miles until you reach the Purgatoire Campground.

What are the rules at PURGATOIRE CAMPGROUND?

The following restrictions apply to this campground : Maximum 8 persons per site: 2 tents and 2 vehicles or 1 recreation vehicle. Dogs must be leashed at all times. No discharge of firearms or fireworks. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground. Camping is NOT ALLOWED behind a LOCKED GATE. Drinking water is provided by a well with a hand pump.

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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47.5053° N · 111.3008° W
PURGATOIRE CAMPGROUND, Camping in Colorado - TerrainKit