Elk Creek Campground

Overview

Elk Creek Campground is on the north shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir. The lake is Colorado's largest body of water with 96 miles of shoreline and the largest Kokanee Salmon fishery in the United States. Elk Creek Campground is located off of US HWY 50 -15 miles west of Gunnison Co. at Mile Marker 142.

Operator

National Park

Camping types

RV

Fee

From $6 per night (confirm with the operator)

Reservations

Reservable online

Phone

970-641-2337

Amenities

Location

Nearby adventures

Outdoor things to do around Elk Creek Campground, shown on the map above. Distances are straight-line from the campground, so driving or walking will be longer; trail details are approximate. Confirm access and conditions with the land manager.

Hikes and trailheads

• Red Creek Group SiteHike · 3.7 mi from campShow on map
• Neversink TrailHike · 30-60 Minutes · 9.1 mi from camp

  This short trail is located nearest to Gunnison along the Gunnison River and provides good birdwatching opportunities. National Park Service

  Show on map
• Pine Creek TrailHike · 1-2 Hours · 9.2 mi from camp

  This trail follows Pine Creek as it cascades into the depths of the upper Black Canyon to Morrow Point Reservoir. National Park Service

  Show on map
• Dillon Pinnacles TrailheadTrailhead · 4.2 mi from campShow on map
• Curecanti Creek TrailHike · 2-3 Hours · 13.0 mi from camp

  After descending from the high rim of the Upper Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the trail follows Curecanti Creek as it descends toward Morrow Point Reservoir. National Park Service

  Show on map
• Hermits Rest TrailHike · 2-3 Hours · 18.6 mi from camp

  Zigzagging through oak, pine, juniper, and fir, hikers descend more than 1750 ft (531 m) to a wooded camp and picnic sites on the shores of Morrow Point Reservoir. National Park Service

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Rivers and rafting

• Boat on Blue Mesa ReservoirPaddling and rafting · 1.8 mi from camp

  Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water in Colorado, has 96 miles of shoreline and provides opportunities for motorboating, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, and more. National Park Service

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• Boat on Morrow Point ReservoirPaddling and rafting · 9.2 mi from camp

  For the more adventurous, Morrow Point Reservoir is a great location for canoeing or kayaking. National Park Service

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• Boat on Crystal ReservoirPaddling and rafting · 20.0 mi from camp

  Crystal Reservoir provides backcountry flatwater boating opportunities. National Park Service

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Scenic sights

• Blue Mesa Dam OverlookViewpoint · 9.1 mi from camp

  A viewpoint at Blue Mesa Dam in Curecanti National Recreation Area. AI-written

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• Curecanti NeedlePeak · 7,858 ft · 13.0 mi from camp

  The Curecanti Needle is a 700-ft granite spire located on the Gunnison River in western Colorado. Wikipedia

  Show on map
• Chipeta FallsWaterfall · 12.0 mi from campShow on map
• West Elk PeakPeak · 13,041 ft · 17.3 mi from camp

  West Elk Peak, elevation 13,042 ft, is the highest summit in the West Elk Mountains of Gunnison County, Colorado. Wikipedia

  Show on map

Climbing and snow sports

• Cranor Hill Municipal Ski HillSkiing and snowshoeing · 17.2 mi from campShow on map

Trail and sight data: Recreation.gov and National Park Service and OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Text marked Wikipedia is from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0, lightly shortened. Text marked AI-written was drafted by an AI model from public data and may contain errors.

Reviews

Data sources

• Recreation.gov (RIDB) — Public domain (U.S. Government work)

Listing details come from the sources above and may be out of date. Confirm fees, dates and closures with the operator before you travel.