Gold Creek Campground
This campground provides access to hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing and four-wheel driving. The site lies next to the southeastern boundary of the Fossil Ridge Wilderness Area. This natural area is a haven for hikers, backpackers and equestrians. (No mechanized or motorized vehicles are permitted within its boundaries.) Several alpine lakes lie near the campground and allow anglers to fish in the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain highlands. The landscape is spruce/fir and aspen trees.
More like this: first-come in Colorado · tent only in Colorado
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | No |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Late May |
| Forest | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore |
| Booking | No Reservations. |
| Fees | No |
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Fore recreation page ↗
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 38.6550° N, 106.5745° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireWillow
41 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 19.3 mi |
| Outdoor gear | CB SUP ↗ | 26.4 mi |
| RV sales & service | Holiday RV ↗ | 28.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Gold Creek Campground - Gunnison National Forest
Worth a stop
- 5.7 miQuartz Creek Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 12.9 miFive-Mile Day Use Area ↗Day use
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miFossil Ridge ↗11.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.1 miSouth Lottis ↗10.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.4 miMill Lake1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.4 miMill Lake Ski1.7 mi trail · snowshoe, ski
- 0.8 miNew Dollar Snowmobile/Ski1.2 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
- 1.1 miGold Creek ↗6.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
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
Fossil Ridge Wilderness begins about 0.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 0.7 miFossil Ridge Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 32,062 acres
- 7.8 miGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,153,199 acres
- 13.4 miCollegiate Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 165,874 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
- Alpine Tunnel Historic DistrictHistoric district · Pitkin · 9 mi
- Morley BridgeStructure · Romley · 11.4 mi
- St. Elmo Historic DistrictHistoric district · St. Elmo · 12.8 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 Gold Creek Campground?
No. Gold Creek Campground is first-come, first-served. No Reservations. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Gold Creek Campground?
No
Source: Forest Service
Is Gold Creek Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season Late May.
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Gold Creek Campground?
Gold Creek Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Gold Creek Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Pitkin (4.9 mi, first-come), Quartz (5.8 mi, first-come), and Cold Spring (8.6 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby