Snowslide Campground

Area Status: Closed

Located in beautiful La Plata Canyon, Snowslide Campground has 13 sites, all first-come, first serve. Most of the sites are well shaded and some have direct access to the La Plata river. Services include fire grates, picnic tables, and pit toilets. Bear-safe food storage is recommended. There is no potable water, but water is available at Kroeger Campground located across the road. There is no trash pickup; trash must be packed out.

Between September and May, this campground has no services. Please keep them clean and pack it out.

At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Check out our Campground Status for up-to-date information.
Reservations:	All sites are first-come, first-serve.
Fees:	$20
Open Season:	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 = 35 ft
Closest Towns:	Hesperus, Durango
Water:	No
Restroom:	Vault Toilet (2)
Operated By:	Concessionaire
Information Center:	Columbine Ranger District

General Information

Directions:

From Durango: Head 12 miles west on U.S. Highway 160. Turn north on County Rd. 124 at Hesperus (which has a convenience store/gas station and a post office, as well as a restaurant) and go 5 miles. The paved road turns to gravel at the National Forest boundary. Access to campgrounds is by 2WD gravel road, but, soon thereafter, the road becomes rugged 4WD.

Snowslide Campground area map

General Notes:

Fishing: Some fish in the nearby La Plata River , but success rates are only fair.
Scenic Driving: The road continues up the canyon for 8 miles to the Kennebec Pass Scenic Overlook parking lot at 11,600 feet. The last few miles are 4WD, and the last 2 miles have steep dropoffs. Your reward will be outstanding panoramic views of the La Plata Mountains and surrounding distant ranges.
Hiking: Several trails, including the Colorado Trail, traverse the backcountry from Kennebec pass.
- Taylor Lake: Short, easy hike to a lovely high alpine lake along wildflower-filled hillsides.
- Highline Loop National Recreational Trail: The trail travels 17.0 miles through mountain parks, aspen groves, and spruce/fir forest, and along alpine ridge tops above timberline. This high-elevation trail is somewhat difficult to follow but affords excellent views of Hermosa Creek.
Mountain Biking: Hardy mountain bikers can ride the Colorado Trail from Kennebec Pass to the trail's southern terminus at Junction Creek, near Durango. This epic ride is mostly downhill and all singletrack. An even more challenging version favored by some intrepid local cyclists is to ride from Durango up Hwy. 160 to the La Plata Canyon turnoff at County Road 124, to Mayday (where the pavement ends), then up to Kennebec Pass and down the Colorado Trail to Durango, making a loop ride (and a long day).