One of the best road trips I’ve ever done, I did twice. The western slope of Colorado, straight up 550 from Durango to Montrose. For a home base, I highly recommend camping in Durango Colorado. There is so much to do there, I could spend weeks. Twice now I’ve camped in the same place for multiple days at the start of that drive. Here’s my favorite campground in the area, Junction Creek.
The Details
The Basics
Name: Junction Creek Campground
Location: 1499 Fdr 171, Durango Co 81301
Sites: 44. Max stay: 14 days
Cost: It was a little under $30 for a basic site. A bit more for an electric site.
Group campsite is $125 and it looks like it’s $150 to reserve the group pavilion area for a gathering.
Open: The beginning of May until the end of September usually, depending on snow/weather.
Hookups: Electric is available. Drinking water is also available.
The Extras
Amenities: There are vault toilets. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Communal area include a horseshoe pit, volleyball courts, etc. Group sites also available.
Privacy: Some sites have more trees around them, but be prepared to be able to see your neighbors.
Parking: The campground is a little higher in elevation, but parking at each site is easy, even it seems for bigger rigs.
Noise: While I was there, it was pretty quiet.
Cell signal: No verizon signal at all for me.
Scenery: Gorgeous wooded area.
Stayed: Both 2018 as well as 2021
My Experience Camping in Durango Colorado
I’ve camped in this spot two different times, with two different set ups.
The first time was with a car and tent.
Each site seemed to have a spot flat enough for a tent. I had no issues at all with rocks or other uneven things that could make it uncomfortable. We left the campground all day and each and every day, everything was undisturbed and in perfect condition upon returning.
The second time, I had my cargo van. No tent. There is a bed in the back of the van.
The parking was level and easy for sleeping in the vehicle.
Elevation
Junction Creek Campground is set a tiny bit outside of the town of Durango. It is up.
While Durango sits at an elevation of 6500 feet, the campground itself sits at around 7,300 ft. It does take 10 minutes or so to drive from the town up to the campground.
Hiking
That said, it is worth it. It is especially worth it if you are a hiker. The big perk of this campground is that it sits directly on the Colorado Trail. You actually pass by the entrance to the Colorado Trail on your way there, and can hop right on directly in the campground for a day hike.
About 7 miles past the campground is the Animas Overlook. It is paved, about a mile, and is intended as a self guided interpretive park with signs about the area. The san juan national forest is definitely one of the most gorgeous forests I’ve ever been through.
Around the Area
Durango is a few minutes down the road.
Haviland Lake is a half hour drive from the campground.
It’s a quick day trip to Mesa Verde National Park.
It’s a fantastic base camp if you’re driving the Million Dollar Highway (550). Either up and back, or even completing the entire loop around to Telluride and back down (though as a note if you stop as often as I do for things, this will take a full day and you’ll be back well after dark).
If you do a trip up 550, you’ll have to stop by the tiny little town of Silverton, and the bigger town of Ouray. These are my two favorite towns in Colorado. Sleepy, lots of hiking, breweries at both, and even hot springs you can dip your toes into or stay all day.
My second experience camping here
The second time I picked this campground, I got sick. It was 2021. I hadn’t yet had to the big thing that starts with the C which defined our 2020. I thought for sure I had it.
I have been to Colorado multiple times. I’ve hopped around at the top of Pikes Peak without even ever getting sick. I’m not sure what tanked my immune system… but something did. Turns out, guess what has almost the same symptoms?
Altitude sickness!!
Even if you think you won’t get it because you’ve never had it, it IS possible. I was walking around downtown Durango and I felt lightheaded. Almost like I could pass out. I looked down at my fitbit and my heartrate was over 100 just sitting at a restaurant. I felt nauseous. Dizzy. My stomach was doing tumbles. My muscles felt like they weighed a thousand pounds.
I stopped into the urgent care right on Main St.
Y’all. This place was so nice!!! They ran a test for the big C and it came back negative. The doctor came into the room sipping on a green juice. Told me not to go any higher in elevation. To chug electrolytes and water like my life depended on it, and to hold still for a day before doing anything else. He laughed when I told him I was camping dang near close to 1000ft higher than we were already sitting at. He prescribed an anti nausea medication and told me I’d be spending the rest of the day in a hammock LOL.
So when I tell you that I spent the ENTIRE next day just sitting at camp, not doing anything besides drifting in and out of sleep because I felt sooo sick… this was the campground to do it in. It stayed fairly quiet. I could listen to the birds all day. Hear the random hikers on the Colorado trail nearby. Just sit in peace… well, minus having to run to the vault toilet to pee every 30 minutes from drinking so much water. I wouldn’t have rather spent that sick time stuck in a hammock anywhere else hahahaha.
Other Colorado Things
One of my favorite hikes in the area I’ve done is this one, up between Silverton and Ouray. If you want the perfect views of the red mountains in the area, it’s a great easy hike.
Colorado in general is one of my favorites states to visit for hiking, camping, and all the stuff that comes with it. I’m building a pretty decent list of great things to do in the state.
