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Cayton Campground in Colorado
Moderate to BookNational Forest

Cayton Campground

San Juan National Forest, Colorado

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As of October 2026, Cayton Campground is a campground in San Juan National Forest, Colorado with 16 campsites. Cayton Campground is booked through Recreation.gov.

  • PermitSnag checks Cayton Campground for availability and tells alert holders when a site opens up.
  • Cayton Campground is located at 37.7714ยฐ N, 107.9772ยฐ W.
people allowed on each site
8

Cayton Campground reservations and next available dates

October 2026

open, tap to book on Recreation.govsold outin your alert

Stay and booking rules

  • Taxes apply
  • Maximum consecutive stay: 14 consecutive days

Published by Recreation.gov for Cayton Campground, read on September 30, 2026.

Campsites at Cayton Campground

  • Standard 16
  • Hookups 11

What an RV fits

  • 30 ft1 site
  • 42 ft1 site
  • 43 ft1 site
  • 45 ft1 site
  • 48 ft1 site
  • 50 ft2 sites
  • 60 ft7 sites
  • 65 ft1 site
  • 70 ft1 site

Amenities

  • restrooms
  • potable water
  • dump station

At a glance: Setting: Mountain.

Things to do: fishing, hiking, wildlife, photography, stargazing.

All sites at Cayton Campground, as listed by Recreation.gov

SiteLoopTypeSleepsMax RVHookups
2Loop AStandard870 ftElectric
4Loop AStandard850 ftElectric
6Loop AStandard842 ftElectric
11Loop AStandard848 ftElectric
12Loop AStandard845 ftElectric
13Loop AStandard843 ftElectric
14Loop AStandard830 ftElectric
15Loop AStandard850 ftElectric
18Loop AStandard860 ftElectric
19Loop AStandard860 ftElectric
20Loop AStandard865 ftElectric
1Loop BStandard860 ft-
21Loop BStandard860 ft-
22Loop BStandard860 ft-
23Loop BStandard860 ft-
24Loop BStandard860 ft-

About Cayton 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.

Rules and notices at Cayton Campground

Recreation.gov does not date these notices. We last read them on September 30, 2026. Check Cayton Campground on Recreation.gov

Notices from Recreation.gov

Sites 5, 6, 10 and 25 meet established accessibility standards; all sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis

Click here for more information on the San Juan National Forest

Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing organisms by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.

There is a dump station (fee to use is $15.00) on site. It is provided as a convenience, it is not free.

First Come First Served (FCFS) Campsites are also available at this campground

Cayton Campground FAQ

How hard is it to get a campsite at Cayton Campground?

Cayton Campground is rated "Moderate to Book" based on historical demand. With 16 sites available, you have good chances of finding availability, especially on weekdays.

How do I find last-minute availability at Cayton Campground?

Cancellations happen frequently at Cayton Campground, especially 1-2 weeks before check-in dates. PermitSnag monitors availability 24/7 and sends instant alerts when sites open up due to cancellations. This is often the best way to snag popular campsites.

How many campsites does Cayton Campground have?

Cayton Campground has 16 campsites.

More campgrounds in San Juan National Forest

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