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

Forest Service campground

Rio Grande

Forest Service campground in Rio Grande National Forest, Rio Grande County, Colorado. In the Del Norte area.

Managed by
Forest Service Rio Grande National Forest
Sites
7 7 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Rio Grande Campground

This is a small, developed camping area in a grassy meadow, right on the banks of the Rio Grande. It is not recommended for large RVs or long/wide trailers because the access road going down into the site is narrow and steep. The campground has 7 camp sites with picnic tables and fire rings. Three sites are gravel pull-throughs and four sites are dead-end gravel spurs. There are no trash facilities, you must pack out all trash. No potable water.

The campground offers fishing access to the Rio Grande River and is a put in / take out point for summer rafting. Even though the grounds sit next to State highway 149, there is little highway noise as the campsites sits down below the road next to the river bottom. The river is very near the campground and is a safety hazard to children if unsupervised.

Seasons of Use:

Campground open year round but may be inaccessible due to snow.

General Information:

14-day camping limit.

Campground not recommended for large RVs or long/wide trailers due to narrow and steep access road.

No trash service or receptacles. Please pack out all garbage.

Fires in designated fire rings only.

Must have a Colorado Fishing License to fish in the river.

This can be bear country. Remain "Bear Aware" and store food properly while camping.

Pets must be on leash not longer than six feet in length

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

What people do here

  • camping
  • fishing
  • rafting

The federal record has no coordinates for this campground, so it is listed under Del Norte and left off the map rather than placed by guesswork. Use the directions above.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 2, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.