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Big Meadows Campground and Picnic Area
Big Meadows is located in the San Juan Mountains in south-central Colorado, about 11 miles west of South Fork. The campground is lightly wooded with spruce trees, creating a beautiful meadow atmosphere.
The Rio Grande National Forest spans 1.86 million acres in south-central Colorado. The Continental Divide runs for 236 miles along most of the forest's western border, presenting a myriad of ecosystems from alpine desert to dense wilderness.
Natural Features:
The campground meanders up a mountainside above Big Meadows Reservoir in a series of 3 loops. As a sub-alpine region, the campground gets more snow melt and rainfall than the opposite side of the lake, resulting in plentiful wildflowers and aspens surrounding the campsites.
Recreation:
An accessible fishing pier, located on the north shore of the reservoir, allows anglers to cast for rainbow, brown and brook trout. Hunting, boating and hiking are also popular pastimes.
Hikers and horseback riders will enjoy the nearby, 6-mile Archuleta Trail. The trail accesses the Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado's largest wilderness, which boasts the headwaters of dozens of major streams and rivers that feed into the Rio Grande and San Juan rivers.
Facilities:
Each site has a campfire ring and picnic tables. Drinking water is available.
The nearest dump station is 13 miles away, and a boat ramp is located on the north shore of the reservoir.
There is a picnic area adjacent to this campground.
Nearby Attractions:
The surrounding area has plenty to keep visitors busy, with attractions like Great Sand Dunes National Park, Native American ruins, the Continental Divide Trail and gold rush ghost towns. The Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Ranges are laced with trails for all levels of hikers.
Fish Your National Forests: This site can be accessed by passenger car. Fish available include: Trout, Native Trout. Types of fishing available include: Wade, Shore, Non-motorized boat, Float tube, Fly, Spin, Bait. ADA accessible fishing access with fishing pier and boat launch
At a Glance
| Current Conditions: | Concessionaire operations ended September 30, 2024. Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. |
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| Reservations: | Reservations can be made by visiting Recreation.gov. Reservations must be made at least 4 days ahead of arrival and can be made up to 6 months in advance for standard sites or 12 months in advance for group areas. |
| Area Amenities: |
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| Fees: | Single site - $29 to $31/night Double site - $58 to $62/night Group site - $99 to $103/night Shoulder season - $10/night (sometime after Labor Day) $12 for day use (picnicking in the campground) Picnic area - Free, no camping. Fee envelopes and a collection box are provided near the entrance. |
| Open Season: | Memorial Day weekend - The second Monday of September. |
| Usage: | Heavy |
| Best Season: | June, July, August, Sept. |
| Busiest Season: | July |
| Restrictions: | On Big Meadows Reservoir, boats are allowed. No wakes are allowed, trolling motors are okay. Boat ramp on north shore. There is a 14-day camping limit in campground. Must have a Colorado fishing license to fish the reservoir and streams. |
| Closest Towns: | South Fork, Colorado |
| Water: | Drinking water |
| Restroom: | Vault toilet |
| Operated By: | Concessionaire |
| Information Center: | Electric hookups are not available. This campground has first-come, first-served sites. A fee will be charged for additional vehicles. The 14 day stay limit is strictly enforced. Camping for a period longer than 14 days during any 30-consecutive day period is prohibited. If you have booked back-to-back reservations, you will be asked to cancel all days after the first 14. This campground is set to open on May 27, 2023. Camp host may only be intermittently available. |
General Information
Directions:GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
37.53806, -106.79611
37°32'17"N, 106°47'46"W
From South Fork, Colorado, take Highway 160 for 13 miles west, turn onto Forest Road 410 SW, and go 1.8 miles to Big Meadows Campground.
Accessibility:
Accessible sites and fishing access.
Activities
Campground Camping
46 sites
| No. of Sites | 47 single site(s), 7 double site(s) |
| Reservation Info | This site can be reserved by calling Toll Free 1-877-444-6777 (International 518-885-3639 or TDD 877-833-6777) or on-line at http://www.recreation.gov/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO\&parkId=70537\&topTabIndex=CampingSpot |
| No. of Accessible sites | 3 of 54 |
Lake and Pond Fishing
Big Meadows Reservoir| Fish Species | Rainbow \& Brook trout stocked |
| Special Designations | accessible |
| Fishing Mode | Good trail all around the lake shore, accessible fishing pier |
| Water Temperature | cold |
| Fishing Method | flies, lures and bait where allowed |
| Water/Flow Level | seasonal |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
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River and Stream Fishing
Big Meadows reservoir and nearby streams. Please check Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations
| Fish Species | seasonal |
| Fishing Mode | Rainbow \& Brook trout stocked |
| Special Designations | Flies, lures \& bait where allowed |
| Water Temperature | Easy |
| Water/Flow Level | cold |
Day Hiking
Cascade Falls Trail (foot) - 0.25 miles Archuleta Trail #839 (horse and foot) - 6 miles accesses the Weminuche Wilderness| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
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Backpacking
Archuleta Trail #839 (horse and foot) - 6 miles accesses the Weminuche Wilderness| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
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Viewing Wildlife
Wildlife viewing| Species | deer, elk, moose and ducks |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
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Viewing Plants
Wildflowers
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
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Viewing Scenery
Beautiful scenery. Cascade waterfalls trail by camp site #25Group Picnicking
Adjacent to campground
| No. of Accessible sites | accessible |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
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Scenic Driving
Access to Hwy 160 and scenic drive over Wolf Creek Pass, Continental Divide \& Lobo OverlookBoating - Motorized
Big Meadows reservoir - boat ramp north shore - no wake| Type of Craft | ideal for canoes \& float tubes |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
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Boating - Non-Motorized
Big Meadows reservoir - boat ramp north shore - no wake| Type of Craft | ideal for canoes \& float tubes |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
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XC Skiing/Snowshoeing
Big Meadows Nordic Ski Trail is 11.4 miles southwest of South Fork on the right on the reservoir road. The ski trail is on the road to the reservoir. It starts off on fairly even grade, crosses a bridge then an easy ascent to the reservoir and then loops through the campground. The trail is appropriate for all levels of skiers. The length of the entire trail system is about 4.3 miles round-trip.| Nearby Resorts | Wolf Creek Ski area |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy to Intermediate |
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Snowmobiling
Snowmobile trail \& play area on frozen reservoir| Nearby Resorts | Wolf Creek Ski area |
| Difficulty Level: | Intermediate |
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Location