Cayton Campground

About

Cayton Campground is located along the San Juan Skyway (Colorado Highway 145) and the Dolores River, 6 miles northeast of Rico. The campground occupies a grassy meadow surrounded by fir and aspen trees at 9,400 feet elevation, so expect cool evenings even in summer. The 27 single-family campsites include 16 reservable sites and 11 first-come-first-serve sites, with 16 sites offering 30-amp electric hookups. The Dolores River provides excellent fishing for rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout, though weekends can be crowded. Barlow Creek Road continues past the campground and crosses Bolam Pass with spectacular views, eventually connecting to Hermosa Park Road and US Highway 550. The Colorado Trail follows the ridge across Bolam Pass. Nearby Lizard Head and Cross Mountain Trails lead to alpine basins surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring. The campground has four vault toilets, potable drinking water, and a dump station. Pull-through sites accommodate RVs up to 50 feet. Four sites (5, 6, 10, and 25) meet accessibility standards. Quiet hours are 10pm to 6am, and generators should be limited to one hour at a time.

Directions

From Rico, travel 6 miles northeast on Colorado Highway 145. Turn right (east) on Forest Road 578 (Barlow Creek Road). The campground entrance is a half-mile further.