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Purgatoire Campground
FSU.S. Forest Service — CANON CITY · Colorado · Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands
| Agency | FSU.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Area | Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands |
| Location | CANON CITY · Colorado · Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands · 37.25250, -105.10917 · Map |
| Sites | 20 public sites counted from the federal listing — 13 standard nonelectric; 6 equestrian nonelectric; 1 rv nonelectric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 0 of 20 sites Water hookups at 0 of 20 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 20 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 20 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Longest reported site fits 45 ft Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 18 sites · 30 ft: 10 sites · 35 ft: 9 sites · 40 ft: 3 sites |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Not reported — the federal listing carries no fee description for this campground. |
| Check-in / out | In 2:00 PM · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Pets | Allowed at 23 sites, as reported |
| Accessibility | N |
| Phone | FOR RESERVATIONS CALL (877) 444-6777, FOR OTHER NON REAL TIME INFORMATION CALL THE SAN CARLOS RANGER DISTRICT AT (719) 269-8500. |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-02-25.
From the official listing
Overview Purgatoire Campground is nestled near the headwaters of the Purgatoire River in the beautiful Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The primitive campground is laid out on two loops. One is a large grassy meadow with sites that accommodate equestrian campers and one that is wooded with aspen and spruce.
Constructed by the Youth Conservation Corp in 1976, Purgatoire was originally named Potato Patch Campground. The river provides nice fishing and a trailhead attracts hikers and horseback riders.
Recreation The North Fork Trail # 1309 is located on the north end of the campground and offers non-motorized access to hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. The 5-mile trail delights with mountain vistas and shade from forested terrain. The river, which is creek-sized at these upper reaches, provides opportunities for anglers to cast for trout. Facilities Campsites come with campfire rings, picnic tables and vault toilets. Equestrian sites can fit large horse trailers. Drinking water is from a hand pump and parking aprons are grass and gravel. Trash service is provided. Natural Features The campground is in an aspen and conifer forest near the North Fork River at an elevation of 9,800 feet. The river, also known as the Purgatoire River, flows 196 miles to the confluence of the Arkansas River.
Pike-San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (719) 489-2034. Nearby Attractions The nearby towns of Stonewall and Cuchara offer shopping and restaurants. Charges & Cancellations Cancellations
Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
No-Shows
A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.
No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Refunds
Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.
Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.
For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.
In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
Directions, from the listing
From La Veta, Colorado, take State Route 12 south for 25.3 miles to Purgatoire campground sign. Turn right onto gravel Route 34. Go 0.2 miles to "T" intersection. Turn right and drive 4 miles on rough gravel road to campground.
Nearest federal campgrounds
5 mi straight-line · CANON CITY ColoradoFSU.S. Forest ServiceBear Lake Campground (Co)
5 mi straight-line · CANON CITY ColoradoFSU.S. Forest ServiceCordova Pass
8 mi straight-line · ColoradoBLMBureau of Land ManagementZapata Falls Campground
37 mi straight-line · Monte Vista ColoradoNPSNational Park ServicePinon Flats Campground
40 mi straight-line · Mosca Colorado
Trip Card — Purgatoire Campground
CANON CITY · Colorado · Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands
| Agency | FS · U.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Location | CANON CITY · Colorado · Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands |
| Fees | Not reported in the federal data |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | None reported |
| Max RV | Up to 45 ft |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 20 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234104 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.