Saved Account Join
A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Matterhorn

Forest Service campground in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest, San Miguel County, Colorado. 2.8 miles from Ophir.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest
Sites
28 21 standard non-electric, 4 standard electric, 3 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric, Water, Sewer
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
San Miguel County

Overview

Matterhorn Campground is located along the San Juan Skyway (Colorado Highway 145), near the quaint town of Telluride, at an elevation of 8,500 feet. Visitors enjoy the area for its beautiful scenery, hiking and off-road opportunities.

Recreation

The Galloping Goose Trail #449 can be accessed from the campground. This 8.4-mile trail leads past a restored train trestle, over two trail bridges and along segments of the historic Rio Grande Southern Railway. The trail is open to hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Many scenic driving routes, both paved and off-road, can be found in the area. Additional hiking trails crisscross the surrounding mountains. Lizard Head Wilderness is about 3 miles from the campground.

Facilities

The campground offers single-family sites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Some sites are accessible and some have full RV hookups. Flush and vault toilets, drinking water, showers and trash collection are provided.

Natural Features

Most sites on the outer edge of the campground are wooded. Sites on the inside are more open.

Most sites have pleasant views, especially the walk-to tent sites, which have unobstructed and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

Nearby Attractions

The charming and historic town of Telluride is just 7miles away, offering dining and lodging options, live music, shopping, museums, galleries and plenty of summer activities.

A free, scenic gondola connects Telluride with nearby Mountain Village, a small town with additional shopping and dining opportunities. On the gondola, visitors are awarded a panoramic view of the town and surrounding mountains.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Matterhorn

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in. The federal record’s point for it sits at a very different height from the one the agency describes, so the pin may be off: trust the directions above over the map.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

Join Overlanding Life
Saved Account

Start with a region

Browse the directory