U.S. Forest Service · Rio Grande National Forest · Colorado

North Crestone Creek Campground

The campground stretches 0.7 mile up a mountain, along North Crestone Creek and offers 13 sites, 1 site is pull through. It is a rustic area with first come / first served camping sites nestled among Aspen, Juniper, Fir, and other riparian-loving trees. Because the sites are so far apart, each site has a feeling of secluded wilderness camping. Secure bear resistant food lockers available at all sites. Please don't use the food lockers as trash disposal. The campground is near to the Town of Crestone.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served13 sitesDark skyFrom $10 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in Colorado · tent only in Colorado

North Crestone Creek Campground
Photo from the area. xpda (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
1fire
active
Aspen Acres · 33 mi away · 102,007 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-26
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesSingle site - $10/night. Day Use - $10/day (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.
Dark sky2.4 miles from Crestone, Colorado, a certified International Dark Sky Community

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMay to November
ForestRio Grande National Forest
BookingThe best time to secure sites is Monday through Friday mornings.
FeesSingle site - $10/night. Day Use - $10/day (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.
RulesFires in designated fire rings only.

Rio Grande National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near North Crestone Creek Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 8.0 inches of snowFebruary: 0.48 inches of precipitation, 7.7 inches of snowMarch: 0.99 inches of precipitation, 9.3 inches of snowApril: 1.07 inches of precipitation, 10.8 inches of snowMay: 1.15 inches of precipitation, 2.5 inches of snowJune: 0.83 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 2.11 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.91 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.24 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.91 inches of precipitation, 3.9 inches of snowNovember: 0.66 inches of precipitation, 7.0 inches of snowDecember: 0.58 inches of precipitation, 9.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.1°F averageFebruary: 26.6°F averageMarch: 35.5°F averageApril: 42.3°F averageMay: 51.4°F averageJune: 61.4°F averageJuly: 65.5°F averageAugust: 63.4°F averageSeptember: 56.7°F averageOctober: 45.2°F averageNovember: 32.1°F averageDecember: 21.5°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Crestone 2 SE, 3 miles from the campground at 8,004 feet, station USC00051964 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 12 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 59 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates38.0254° N, 105.6749° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Aspen Acres

    33 mi from the campground · 102,007 acres · 94% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗19.7 mi
Outdoor gearRoyal Gorge Rafting ↗37 mi
RV sales & serviceHoliday RV ↗40.3 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

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 North Crestone Creek Campground?

No. North Crestone Creek Campground is first-come, first-served. The best time to secure sites is Monday through Friday mornings. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at North Crestone Creek Campground?

Single site - $10/night. Day Use - $10/day (picnicking). Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance.

Source: Forest Service

Is North Crestone Creek Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season May to November.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does North Crestone Creek Campground have?

13 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to North Crestone Creek Campground?

North Crestone Creek Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Is North Crestone Creek Campground good for stargazing?

Crestone, Colorado, a certified International Dark Sky Community, is 2.4 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.

Source: DarkSky International

What if North Crestone Creek Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Alvarado Campground (7.1 mi), Lake Creek (16.5 mi, first-come), and Medano Pass Primitive Road Campsites (18.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby