Cayton Campground

Area Status: Closed

Cayton Campground, located off Highway 145 north of Rico has 27 campsites and three picnic sites along the Dolores River. Two loops offer a choice of sites. The lower loop, near the river, has 14 mostly level spots with limited shade as well as three day-use picnic sites. The upper loop is gently sloping, with 13 sites. Both loops have pull-throughs and shady tent sites. There are 16 reservable sites, 11 with an electrical hookup, 30 amp. Of the remaining11 first-come, first-serve sites, 5 have an electrical hookup.

Services include potable water, trash pickup, vault toilets, picnic tables, fire grates some electrical hookups. A dry dump station is in place.

Between September and May, there are no services (water, trash pick up or restrooms). Please keep the campground clean and pack out any trash!

Cayton Campground map

At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Check out our Campground Status for up-to-date information.
Reservations:	Reservations are available at www.recreation.gov.
Fees:	Standard: $26 Electric Hookup: $32
Open Season:	Mid-May - September
Restrictions:	Quiet time is typically between 10pm - 6am. Please be a good neighbor and limit use of generators to no more than one hour at a time. Dogs must be leashed or otherwise physically restrained. Do not leave pets unattended. Check-out time: 12:00 pm; Check-in time: 2:00 pm - if the site is empty, campers may come in anytime. Standard single site occupancy is 8, but a single family with > 8 members is acceptable. Equipment with wheels (RVs, campers, cars) must fit in the parking spur. There is not any overflow parking available. Max RV size = 50 ft
Water:	Potable Water
Restroom:	Vault Toilets (4)
Operated By:	Concessionaire
Information Center:	Dolores Ranger District

General Information

Directions:

From Rico: Travel 6 miles north on Highway 145. The entrance is 1/2 mile east of the highway on the Barlow Creek Road (Forest Rd. 578).

From Dolores: Travel 43 miles north on Highway 145. The entrance is 1/2 mile east of the highway on the Barlow Creek Road (Forest Rd. 578).

Cayton Campground area map.

General Notes:

Dolores River: Because of Cayton's easy access to Colorado Hwy. 145 and the Dolores River, fishing is very popular. There is plenty of fishing along the river, but it may be crowded on summer weekends.
Barlow Creek Road continues past the campground and crosses Bolam Pass with spectacular views. Road conditions near the pass often limit travel to 4WD vehicles. The route eventually connects with the Hermosa Park Road behind Durango Mountain Resort and leads to U.S. Highway 550.
The Colorado Trail follows the ridge across Bolam Pass.
Lizard Head and Cross Mountain Trails near Lizard Head Pass lead to alpine basins surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks.
Priest Gulch Trailhead, 11 miles southwest of Rico, leads to the alpine country to the west.
Bear Creek Trail, 14 miles south of Rico, heads southeast into the La Plata Mountains.
Other nearby trails are the Calico National Recreation Trail and the Rico-Silverton Trail.
San Juan Skyway: For motorists, motorcycle riders, and road cyclists, Hwy. 145 between the campground and Telluride offers some of the most majestic scenery along the San Juan Skyway, including views of the "14'ers" west of the highway above Telluride.