Camping in Colorado National Monument is a great way to get yourself immersed on the Colorado Plateau and experience the monument in a way like no other. The campground is located in a quiet part of the park, and when the crowds from the day depart, you’ll feel like you have the park to yourself!
It is convenient to camp right in the park at the Saddlehorn Campground, and there are also a few good options outside of the monument that you can consider as well that have additional amenities (if you go to a private campground). We hope this guide helps you find out exactly what the best campground is for you when staying in Colorado National Monument!
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT CAMPGROUND: OVERVIEW
There is only one campground in Colorado National Monument, which is the Saddlehorn Campground. It’s fairly large, with 80 sites. One kind of unique thing about the Saddlehorn Campground in the reservation system. For those that like to plan early, some of the reservations open up 6 months in advance. Some are opened up 2 weeks in advance, and some are only reservable on a same-day basis! Regardless of your planning style, if you do want to camp in the park, be sure to plan as far ahead as you can, but also check for last-minute reservations.
The campground is open all year round, but loops B and C are only open in the spring through fall months.
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT CAMPING SUPPLIES
There are no services inside of Colorado National Monument, so you need to be sure you have supplies ahead of your camping visit. If you are in need of groceries, the closest place to go is in Fruita, CO, which is about 7 miles to the north. Since you will have to wind in and out of the beautiful (but slow) park road, it will take you about 20 minutes.
If you are need of a larger big box store for camping equipment, then Grand Junction, CO is your best bet, which is about 30 minutes away.
Both Fruita and Grand Junction have restaurants, but Grand Junction has many more options.
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT CAMPGROUND: DETAILS AND CAMPGROUND MAP
Saddlehorn Campground
Map of the Saddlehorn Campground in Colorado National Monument, courtesy of the National Park Service
- Location: The Saddlehorn Campground is located near the Saddlehorn Visitor Center (4 miles from the west (Fruita) entrance station and 19 miles from the east (Grand Junction) entrance.
- Accessible via: Car.
- Reservations: From mid-March to mid-October, reservations for Loops A and B can be made via recreation.gov. C Loop is only open during this time as needed on a first-come, first-served basis. Loop A is open year-round and on a first-come, first-served basis from Mid-October to Mid-March.
- Capacity: 80 sites within three loops (A, B and C).
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers: Flush toilets and water (available during the summer) but no showers.
- Additional details: No hammocks, tarps or tents can be attached to any vegetation. No wood fires are permitted. Cooking in charcoal grills and camp stoves only. Pets are allowed at the campsite and on paved roads but must always be leashed. There are campsites to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs but some sites are small, and many are not level.
- Nearby: Right near the campground is the Saddlehorn Visitor Center, which has exhibits, a video and other information offered by rangers. There are also a couple of hiking trails, including the Canyon Rim Trail (1.0-mile, round-trip), which is a must-do in our opinion for at least one of your evening hikes in the park as it is amazingly beautiful. The Window Rock Trail (0.5-miles, round-trip) and the Alcove Nature Trail (1.0-mile, round-trip) are also a couple of great short options.
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT GROUP CAMPING
There are no official group campsites in Colorado National Monument. However, you can call the office and the will work with you to get multiple sites next to each other if needed.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT FROM JUST GO TRAVEL STUDIOS
- Don’t forget to check out our blog on Things to Do in Colorado National Monument. We also have an extensive blog on the Best Hikes in Colorado National Monument, which covers hiking maps and trail information.
- After your trip, send us a few pictures and we’ll use them to create a custom, vintage travel poster for you with your own customized wording!
