Alvarado Campground

ALVARADO CAMPGROUND

Part of PSICC

Overview

Alvarado Campground, located at an elevation of 9,000 ft., is a prime location for accessing easy to challenging hikes in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. The variety of trails lead to high elevation lakes, picturesque waterfalls, and a number of stunning scenic overlooks. Alvarado is designed for a range of campers, with facilities for tent, RV and equestrian campers.

Pike-San Isabel National Forests include over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet.

Facilities

Alvarado is divided into three unique areas. The lower level accommodates tents and RVs, the upper level is designed for walk-in tent campers, and part of the middle section caters to equestrian campers. There are no corrals but there is space to put portable corrals for horses.

Parking aprons are dirt and gravel. Tent pads and lantern posts are located in the lower campsites only.

Natural Features

Alvarado is perched on the side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains among sweet smelling ponderosa pine, aspen, lodgepole and gambel oak trees. Some sites offer views of the Wet Mountain Valley below while others sit beside Alvarado Creek. The campground is within reach of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, which spans 226,455 acres with 60 alpine lakes, 400 miles of streams and over 400 miles of trails to explore. Large aspen stands visible in the area today are a result of fires set in the early 1900's to clear pasture land, expose minerals and produce charcoal.

Recreation

Near the campground are several trailheads that provide visitors with a variety of recreational opportunities. All trails are open for horseback riding and hiking. The Rainbow Trail is a premier ATV and motorcycle trail. The non-motorized Comanche and Venable Trails lead into the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness where waterfalls and alpine lakes may be enjoyed.

Nearby Attractions

Explore the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway that takes drivers through the Wet Mountains and provides spectacular views of 22 peaks, all within the San Isabel National Forest.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (719) 489-2034.

Important Notices

This Campground has a limit of 8 people; either 2 tents and 2 vehicles OR 1 RV in each campsite.
Be bear aware; keep all food out of sight in approved containers or locked inside your vehicle and remove all food from area after eating
Hay brought to this facility must be certified weed-free
No electric hookups available
This facility has first-come, first-served sites
Click here for more information on Pike and San Isabel National Forests
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.
Due to the remoteness of the campground, real time information is not available. For more information call the San Carlos Ranger District at (719) 269-8500.
Two vehicles included in the camping fee. $10 for additional vehicles.
Firewood is available for sale at host site for $10.00/bundle.
Water is available in this location via a handpump and/or water spigot. Please DO NOT attach your RV hoses to the water systems we provide. These are made available to you to fill your water jugs/buckets and take back to your site to use. If you need to fill your RV water tanks, please fill your tank before you come to the campground. Thank you!
There is No Dump Station in this campground. The nearest location is at a campground nearby that is not run by ExplorUS.

Notifications and Alerts

Stage 2 fire restrictions are currently in effect that prohibit all fires. Generators and fires or stoves that use liquid petroleum (LPG) fuels are permitted but must follow specific rules.

Available Activities

HORSEBACK RIDING - Horseback Riding
HIKING - Hiking
CAMPING - Camping

Directions

From Westcliffe, CO, take State Route 69 south 3 miles to the campground sign (County Road 140). Turn right and go 1.8 miles to the stop sign. Continue straight through the stop sign for 2.8 miles until you hit another stop sign (RD 141). Turn left onto RD 141 and continue 2.1 miles to campground. (Note: RD 141 becomes dirt/gravel after 0.4 miles.)

Cancellation Policy

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.

Contact Information

Phone: FOR RESERVATIONS CALL (877) 444-6777. FOR NON REAL TIME INFORMATION, CALL THE DISTRICT OFFICE AT (719) 269-8500.

Co. Rd. 140
WESTCLIFFE, CO 81212

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Available Campsites

Photo Gallery

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