
Weekend availability at Cayton Campground
Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 18, 9:45 AM PTSold out 1 of the next 2 weekends — exactly when cancellation alerts earn their keep.
- Fri, Sep 18Sold out
- Fri, Sep 25Limited2/16 sites
Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.
How booked is Cayton Campground?
as of September 18Sites are open right now — we found space out to Sep. That changes fast at a campground. We check Cayton Campground around the clock, so the moment your dates fill up and a cancellation reopens them, you'll be first to know. Weekdays still have room — for now.
Weekends (Saturday night)
Weekdays (Wednesday night)
Availability checked directly against the reservation system, out to 3 months ahead.
Campsites & amenities
Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.
- Campsites
- 27
- Electric sites
- 19
- Pull-through
- 11
- Max rig length
- 70 ft
About this campground
Overview Cayton Campground is located along the San Juan Skyway (Colorado Highway 145) and the Dolores River. Visitors enjoy the area for its great fishing, hiking and scenic driving opportunities.Recreation The Dolores River is a popular fishing destination that can often be crowded on summer weekends. Anglers will find rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. The area boasts some excellent trails. The Colorado Trail follows the ridge across Bolam Pass. The Lizard Head and Cross Mountain Trails near Lizard Head Pass lead to alpine basins surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks. The Barlow Creek Road continues past the campground and crosses Bolam Pass with spectacular views. Road conditions near the pass often limit travel to four-wheel drive vehicles. The route eventually connects with the Hermosa Park Road, behind Durango Mountain Resort, and leads to U.S. Highway 550.Facilities The campground offers 27 single-family campsites, many of which are situated along the river. Eighteen sites offer electric hookups. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and a dump station are provided.Natural Features The campground is situated near the banks of the Dolores River, in a grassy meadow surrounded by fir and aspen trees. At an elevation of 9,400 feet, campers should expect cool evenings. Nearby Attractions The Priest Gulch Trailhead, 11 miles southwest of Rico, leads to the alpine country west of the campground. The Bear Creek Trail, 14 miles south of Rico, heads southeast into the La Plata Mountains. Other nearby trails include the Calico National Recreation Trail and the Rico-Silverton Trail. Highway 145, which runs between the campground and Telluride, offers some of the most majestic scenery along the San Juan Skyway, including views of the "14ers," which are peaks over 14,000 feet. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.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.
Getting there
From Rico, travel northeast on Colorado Highway 145 for 6 miles. Turn right (east) on Forest Road 578 (Barlow Creek Road). The campground entrance is a half-mile further.
Activities
- HIKING
- FISHING
- CAMPING
- BIKING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Cross Mountain TrailheadSan Juan National Forest3 mi
- MatterhornGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest7 mi
- Matterhorn CabinGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest7 mi
- South Mineral CampgroundColorado11 mi
- Lone Cone CabinGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest13 mi
- West Dolores CampgroundSan Juan National Forest18 mi
Never miss an opening at Cayton Campground
Popular Colorado campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch Cayton Campground around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.
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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.