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Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO)

South Fork, Colorado · USDA Forest Service

RVTentDump stationHookupsLake/water
Big Meadows Reservoir Campground (South Central CO) — official Recreation.gov photo

Photo: Recreation.gov

About

Big Meadows is located in the San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado, about 11 miles west of South Fork. The campground is lightly wooded with spruce trees, creating a beautiful meadow atmosphere. The Rio Grande National Forest spans 1.86 million acres in south-central Colorado. The Continental Divide runs for 236 miles along most of the forest's western border, presenting a myriad of ecosystems from alpine desert to dense wilderness.For facility specific information, please call (805) 434-1996.Each site has a campfire ring and picnic tables. Drinking water is available. The nearest dump station is 13 miles away, and a boat ramp is located on the north shore of the reservoir.The campground meanders up a mountainside above Big Meadows Reservoir in a series of loops. As a sub-alpine region, the campground gets more rainfall than the opposite side of the lake, resulting in plentiful wildflowers and aspens surrounding the campsites.The surrounding area has plenty to keep visitors busy, with attractions like Great Sand Dunes National Park, Native American ruins, remnants of the Spanish Conquistadors and gold rush ghost towns. The Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Ranges are laced with trails for avid hikers.An accessible fishing pier, located on the north shore of the reservoir, allows anglers to cast for rainbow, brown and brook trout. Hunting, boating and hiking are also popular pastimes. Hikers and horseback riders will enjoy the 6-mile Archuleta Trail. The trail accesses the Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado's largest wilderness, which boasts the headwaters of dozens of major streams and rivers that feed into the Rio Grande and San Juan rivers.

Directions

From South Fork, Colorado, take Highway 160 for 13 miles west, turn onto Forest Road 410 SW, and go 1.8 miles to Big Meadows Campground.

Location

Map tiles © OpenStreetMap.

Details

State
Colorado
City / area
South Fork
Agency
USDA Forest Service
Parent area
Rio Grande National Forest
Campsites
47
Reservable
Yes
Typical price
$29–$99 / night
Rating
4.62 / 5 (208 reviews on Recreation.gov)
Equipment
Tent, RV, Trailer, Caravan/Camper Van, Pickup Camper, Fifth Wheel, Pop up, Boat

Reserve on Recreation.gov

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