Palisade Campground
Located right on the Rio Grande, this is the only campground in the canyon between Creede and South Fork. It is located adjacent to Colorado Highway 149 for easy access to travelers passing through. Active railroad tracks bisect the campground. Highway 149 runs along the northeast side of the campground and there is no screening between the two. There is some highway traffic year-around and occasionally a scenic railroad excursion passes through the campground. Some of the 12 sites are out in the open, while other sites are screened with cottonwoods/aspen/spruce/fir. There is a vault type toilet with lights that is accessible to the handicapped.
More like this: first-come in Colorado · tent only in Colorado
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | Single site - $29 to $31/night. $12 for day use (picnicking). Shoulder season - $10 Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Rio Grande National Forest |
| Fees | Single site - $29 to $31/night. $12 for day use (picnicking). Shoulder season - $10 Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 37.7511° N, 106.7645° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireElk
41 mi from the campground · 7,257 acres · 90% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| RV sales & service | RV sales & service ↗ | 12.1 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 35.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
- 4.5 miEast Bellows Trailhead # 790 ↗Trailhead
- 7.9 miPierce Elliott Trailhead # 851 ↗Trailhead
- 12.4 miColumbine Picnic Site ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 3.1 miAlder Bench ↗6.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 4.3 miWest Alder ↗6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 4.6 miWheeler ↗10.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.6 miRaspberry ↗8.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Rio Grande National Forest.
- inRio Grande National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,937,280 acres
- 4.7 miLa Garita Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 126,480 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Wagon Wheel Gap Railroad StationBuilding · Creede · 3.5 mi
- Denver & Rio Grande Railroad South Fork Water TankStructure · South Fork · 9.4 mi
- Spruce LodgeBuilding · South Fork · 9.4 mi
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Palisade Campground?
No. Palisade Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Palisade Campground?
Single site - $29 to $31/night. $12 for day use (picnicking). Shoulder season - $10 Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.
Source: Forest Service
Is Palisade Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Palisade Campground have?
12 sites.
Source: Forest Service
Can I bring an RV to Palisade Campground?
Palisade Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Palisade Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Hansen Mill Dispersed Camping (4.5 mi, first-come), Highway Springs Campground (9.9 mi, first-come), and Cathedral (10 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby