Jack Fletcher| Campground | Miles from Telluride | Managed by | Sites | Fee per night | Booking | Max RV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshine | 8.6 | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest | 1 | - | Recreation.gov | - |
| Matterhorn | 11.9 | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest | 28 | $26-40 | Recreation.gov | 40 ft |
| Matterhorn Cabin | 12.1 | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest | 1 | $240 | Recreation.gov | - |
| South Mineral | 15.0 | San Juan National Forest | 1 | $40 | Recreation.gov | - |
| Amphitheater | 16.2 | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest | 35 | $28 | Recreation.gov | 35 ft |
| Woods Lake | 22.0 | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest | 1 | - | Recreation.gov | - |
| Cayton Campground | 23.5 | San Juan National Forest | 27 | $30-41 | Recreation.gov | 70 ft |
Sources: Recreation.gov, National Park Service, state and county park pages. "-" means the operator does not publish it.
Forest Sites Nearest Telluride
Choose Matterhorn when you want a developed Telluride campground with the clearest mix of sites and services. Recreation.gov lists 28 campsites 12 miles from Telluride. Nightly fees run $26 to $40 per site. You also get drinking water and showers, while some sites add full RV hookups.
Pick Matterhorn Cabin when your group wants walls, plumbing, and a fall or winter booking. Recreation.gov lists 1 campsite for the cabin, and the nightly fee runs $240 per site. Your group gets sleeping space for 12 people, but you must bring sleeping bags, pillows, and bath towels.
South and East from Telluride
Use Amphitheater when your trip points toward Ouray and you still want a reservable Forest Service site. Recreation.gov lists 35 campsites 16 miles from Telluride. The nightly fee runs $28 per site, and several single-family campsites take tents only. Match your shelter to the site before you book.
Choose Cayton when your RV plan needs electric service and more vehicle room. Recreation.gov lists 27 campsites 23 miles from Telluride. Nightly fees run $30 to $41 per site. Eighteen campsites have electric hookups, and you also get drinking water, vault toilets, and a dump station.
Arrival Sites on Flexible Trips
Use Sunshine or Woods Lake only when you can accept uncertainty after the drive. Recreation.gov lists 1 campsite at Sunshine, 9 miles from Telluride. It lists 1 campsite at Woods Lake, 22 miles from Telluride. You must arrive physically at each campground to purchase and claim your site.
South Mineral fits you if you want a San Juan National Forest base along South Mineral Creek. Recreation.gov lists 1 campsite 15 miles from Telluride, and the nightly fee runs $40 per site. Spruce and fir trees shape your shade there, and some sites give your vehicle a large parking area.
Long Rigs Belong Toward Rico
Check your full vehicle length before you reserve, because each campground sets its own ceiling. Matterhorn takes vehicles up to 40 feet, and Amphitheater takes vehicles up to 35 feet. Cayton gives your larger setup a clearer target with a maximum vehicle length of 70 feet.
Plan your second vehicle before you arrive. Matterhorn and Amphitheater allow only one camping unit on a standard single-family site. At Amphitheater, you coordinate extra vehicle payment and parking with the host after arrival.
High Altitude Telluride Sleep Weather
Telluride sits at 8,789 ft, so your sleep system matters even after warm afternoons. NOAA normals at Telluride 4Wnw give July an average high of 77°F and an average low of 41°F. Your night still needs real insulation in midsummer.
May gives your shoulder-season trip an average high of 60°F and an average low of 29°F. September brings your fall plan an average high of 68°F and an average low of 34°F. Your winter plan needs deeper cold preparation, since January has an average high of 36°F and an average low of 0°F.
Average daily high and low, °F, NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Telluride 4Wnw station.
Recreation.gov and Scan and Pay
Reserve Matterhorn, Matterhorn Cabin, Amphitheater, and Cayton on Recreation.gov when your dates need a set plan. Matterhorn, Matterhorn Cabin, and Amphitheater cap your consecutive stay at 7 nights. Cayton caps your consecutive stay at 14 nights.
Book first-come sites at Matterhorn and Amphitheater in person, and do not call to check availability for your trip. Recreation.gov gives those arrivals 24 hours after check-in time before it treats campers as no-shows. At Sunshine, South Mineral, and Woods Lake, you may pay on site with the Recreation.gov app's Scan and Pay feature.
Three Things to Bring to Telluride
An insulated sleeping padYour sleeping pad needs insulation for January average lows of 0°F.
A tent heaterYour tent heater needs careful use during December average lows of 2°F.
A camping fanYour camping fan helps during June average highs of 72°F.Quick Answers for Telluride Campers
Where should you camp around Telluride?
You can camp at national forest choices such as Matterhorn, Sunshine, South Mineral, Amphitheater, Woods Lake, and Cayton. Your best fit depends on whether you need reservations, hookups, RV length, or an arrival-only site.
Do you need reservations for Telluride camping?
You need reservations for some sites, while other choices require in-person arrival. Matterhorn, Matterhorn Cabin, Amphitheater, and Cayton take Recreation.gov reservations for your trip.
Which campgrounds near Telluride work for RVs?
You can target Matterhorn, Amphitheater, or Cayton if your RV length fits the listed limit. Matterhorn takes vehicles up to 40 feet, Amphitheater takes vehicles up to 35 feet, and Cayton takes vehicles up to 70 feet.
How much does a campsite near Telluride cost?
You can expect listed nightly fees of $26 to $40 at Matterhorn. Amphitheater lists $28 per site, and Cayton lists $30 to $41 per site. Matterhorn Cabin lists $240 per site.
When should you camp near Telluride?
You get the warmest listed afternoon conditions in July, with an average high of 77°F at Telluride 4Wnw. Your nights still run cool, since July has an average low of 41°F and September has an average low of 34°F.
Next Stops in Colorado
Sources
- Recreation.gov: Sunshine: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Matterhorn: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Matterhorn Cabin: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: South Mineral: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Amphitheater: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Woods Lake: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Cayton Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- telluride-co.gov: Telluride Town Park Campground: official page
- NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020: monthly temperatures
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service: elevation
- OpenStreetMap: roads and rivers