Big Meadows Reservoir Campground

About

Big Meadows Reservoir Campground is located in the San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado, perched on a mountainside above the 600-acre Big Meadows Reservoir. The campground offers 42 sites spread across three loops (Lower, Middle, and Upper), with 23 sites reservable through Recreation.gov and 19 available first-come, first-served. Sites are tucked among spruce, conifers, and aspens in a subalpine setting that produces plentiful wildflowers due to higher rainfall than the opposite shore. Each campsite includes a fire ring and picnic table. Vault toilets and potable water from a hand pump are provided. No hookups are available, and the nearest dump station is 13 miles away in South Fork. The reservoir permits boats with trolling motors only (no wakes), and an ADA-accessible fishing pier and boat ramp are located on the north shore. Anglers target stocked rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The 6-mile Archuleta Trail departs from near the reservoir and provides access to the Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado's largest wilderness area. Other nearby attractions include Great Sand Dunes National Park, gold rush ghost towns, and extensive trail systems in the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan ranges.

Directions

From South Fork, Colorado, take Highway 160 west for 8 miles to Forest Road 410. Take FR 410 west for 1.4 miles to the Y intersection, bear left onto Road 410, and continue 0.4 miles into the campground.