Lake Camping Near Ouray, Colorado, US: 12 Best Lake Campsites 2025

Looking to camp near Ouray, Colorado and enjoy a lake? Look no further than Old Moon Acres Tipi Haven (245 reviews), Bright Star Campground (211 reviews), and Lakeside Camping, Water Time :) (149 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities like campfires, toilets, and potable water, and engage in activities such as snow sports, horseback riding, and biking. Start planning your lakeside camping adventure today!

95% (337)

Top-rated campgrounds

Looking to camp near Ouray, Colorado and enjoy a lake? Look no further than Old Moon Acres Tipi Haven (245 reviews), Bright Star Campground (211 reviews), and Lakeside Camping, Water Time :) (149 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities like campfires, toilets, and potable water, and engage in activities such as snow sports, horseback riding, and biking. Start planning your lakeside camping adventure today!

95% (337)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Tater's Black Canyon Campground

97%

(281)

45mi from Ouray · 4 sites · Tents, RVs · Crawford, CO

North Rim of Black Canyon National Park has re-opened. Hot showers and toilets! Tater's was voted a 2024 top runner up as 'Best Hipcamp in Colorado'. 35 acres of bliss shared with 2 humans, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 3 horses and 4 chickens [Eggs may be available upon request]. Black Canyon National Park is a short drive to the west. Conveniently located to Crawford and the North Fork Valley to wineries, music fests and local eateries. Incredible views and dark skies make the perfect respite for just hanging out, climbing in the Black, foodie time in the North Fork Valley or pretty much whatever you like to do. Hunters are welcome as this is a perfect base camp to Unit 63.

2. Oasis RV Resort

89%

(33)

44mi from Ouray · 104 sites · Tents, RVs · Gunnison, CO

Nestled beside Colorado’s expansive Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water in the state, our location offers unparalleled access to serene waters and breathtaking views. Our Gunnison Lakeside Oasis Vacation Cottages offer a range of sizes and sleeping capacities, with a two-night minimum stay requirement. Each cottage includes restroom facilities, including a shower. Options include two-bedroom cottages, 12×12 and 12×16 cottages with or without covered porches, and even a 1960 Retro Trailer. Enjoy your stay close to the beautiful Blue Mesa Reservoir! Discover the exceptional amenities at Oasis RV Resort and Cottages where modern comforts meet the tranquility of nature. Equiped with fiber optic internet, stay connected to the world while surrounded by the serene beauty of our natural surroundings.

3. Animas River Valley red cliffs

95%

(129)

43mi from Ouray · 1 site · Tent, RV · Durango, CO

Pitch your tent or park in the upper pasture and enjoy the view of the Animas Valley. Just 8 miles north of Durango off of the million dollar highway. Across the road from Honeyville and across the river from fun at the Bar D Ranch or James Ranch Harvest Grille. Durango Mountain Resort is just up the road. Horses and cattle grazing in the pasture below and the apple trees and the honey bees are in full production this year. No other view like it of the Mission Ridge red cliffs with the silhouettes and glow at sunset. At night you may hear the Animas River below or some animal sounds. Name the constellations among the amazing view of the stars! Learn more about this land:Pitch your tent or park in the "sloped" pasture and enjoy the view of the Animas Valley. Just 8 miles north of Durango off of the million dollar highway. Across the highway from Honeyville and across the river from fun at the Bar D Ranch or James Ranch Harvest Grille. Durango Mountain Resort is just up the road. Horses and cattle grazing in the pasture below and the apple trees and the honey bees are in full production. Mission Ridge red cliffs with the mysterious silhouettes and glow at sunset. At night you may hear the Animas River below or some animal sounds. Name the constellations among the amazing view of the stars! Please provide what you will be driving and camping in, along with guesstimate of your arrival time for a quick booking response. Safe travels.

4. RV Space 1 Mile from Vallecito Lake

100%

(17)

40mi from Ouray · 1 site · RV · Bayfield, CO

Learn more about this land:Get away from the crowds of the local RV parks in Vallecito Lake, Colorado. Save money and stay in our quiet neighborhood instead! This RV space is located in a quiet neighborhood just 1 mile north of Vallecito Lake, Colorado, in the San Juan National Forest. The gravel RV space has easy access to County Road 501.This RV space is easy to access. It has full hookups: 50 amp electric, water, and sewer. Wifi is included (and it’s good for streaming!). Dogs are welcome with prior approval. No camping tents, RVs and campers only. The quiet Decker Park neighborhood is just 1 mile north of Vallecito Lake. Most residents are aged 50+. This is a kid-friendly neighborhood. Features include:One mile north of Vallecito Lake. Walking distance to Vallecito Creek (fishing opportunities!), restaurants, shops & marina just minutes away, firepit (available when fire restrictions allow)Local attractions include boating, fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, paddle boarding, ziplining, horseback riding, whitewater rafting and just about everything you need to have an authentic Colorado experience.CAMPFIRES: Portable fire pits, charcoal and propane grills are permitted when fire restrictions allow.Thank you for booking our RV space in Vallecito Lake, CO!

5. Red Shed Camp

48mi from Ouray · 1 site · Tent, RV · Bayfield, CO

About 20 miles (40 minutes) from the city of Durango. Top of the world views and excellent improvements. Driveway has been excavated and a dirt/gravel RV pad/tent site is in place. NOTE: RV IS NOT ON SITE Driveway entrance is a short distance from Forest Lakes 2 (developed) and the road is mostly smooth. Find serenity in the soaring Ponderosa Pines, and enjoy the nearby National Forest. All the great outdoor activities surround you: three lakes, hunting, fishing, hiking, skiing and more

Public campgrounds near Ouray

Campsite #9 - 100 yards off road, behind #10, very private and quiet. Loved this spot.

88%

(4)

Amphitheatre Campground

0.8mi from Ouray · 35 sites · Tents, RVs · in Uncompahgre National Forest

This is a great campground to base from when planning on climbing Sneffells peak, one of the Colorado fourteeners. Here is the SW ridge, a more scrambly exposed option to the regular route.

100%

(3)

Thistledown Campground - Ouray

2.1mi from Ouray · 9 sites · Tents, RVs · in Grand Mesa National Forest

83%

(6)

Angel Creek Campground

2.1mi from Ouray · 8 sites · Tents, RVs · in Grand Mesa National Forest

100%

(11)

Alta Lakes Campground

14mi from Ouray · 16 sites · in Uncompahgre National Forest

EarthRoamers descending Last Dollar Road towards Telluride, CO

Sunshine Campground - Norwood

15mi from Ouray · 15 sites · Tents, RVs · in Uncompahgre National Forest

Jackson Guard Station

15mi from Ouray · 1 site · in Uncompahgre National Forest

100%

(1)

Silver Jack Campground

16mi from Ouray · 61 sites · Tents, RVs · in Uncompahgre National Forest

83%

(4)

South Mineral Campground

16mi from Ouray · 26 sites · Tents, RVs · in San Juan National Forest

Beaver Lake Campground

17mi from Ouray · 11 sites · Tents, RVs · in Uncompahgre National Forest

67%

(3)

Matterhorn Campground

17mi from Ouray · 28 sites · Tents, RVs · in Uncompahgre National Forest

Matterhorn Cabin

17mi from Ouray · 1 site · in Uncompahgre National Forest

Big Cimarron Campground

17mi from Ouray · 10 sites · Tents, RVs · in Uncompahgre National Forest

Stories from the community

C

Christine

October 2025

Tent

4 nights at Animas River Valley red cliffs

We loved staying on Melinda's land! It was pouring rain from a freak storm and she generously allowed us to use her mudroom and her addition downstairs. Genuinely, she saved our trip. She had great recommendations on things to do in the area and was available and communicative. I could not ask for a better host,

T

Tammy

October 2025

Tent

3 nights at Animas River Valley red cliffs

We love camping at Melinda’s. Beautiful views, gracious host and close to hiking trails and Durango. This was our 2nd time there and we’ll be back our next time through Colorado.

C

Catherine

October 2025

Tent

2 nights at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Lovely stay! Beautiful view. Quiet. Bathhouse terrific. Only sad that Tater didn’t visit. 😹. Highly recommend.

Bath house. Tater inspecting to make sure campers did not leave the lights on...

J

Joey

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Great scenic spot with nice full bathrooms. Great for a weekend getaway to enjoy the beautiful mountains.

M

McKenna

September 2025

Tent

1 night at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

This was a great site! I was worried about being on the north rim of Black Canyon because the “main” stuff is on the south rim but IT WAS SO GREAT! We did the south rim the day before and hit the North Rim morning after (views are 10x better!!) Definitely recommend Tater’s campground, so clean, so comfortable, so serene. Star gazing, stunning views, seclusion, and sweet pets 🩵 Traci + Chris have done a wonderful job.

Picnic table and view to lake, mountains and Needle Rock. Tater inspecting the site...

Janet

September 2025

15 ft pop-up camper

2 nights at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

We enjoyed our 2 night stay at Tater’s. Chris is a helpful and friendly host and we enjoyed chatting with him and meeting Tater, Sugi and Otis. The view of the nearby mountains was amazing, especially at sunset and the dark sky allowed for wonderful stargazing. The bathhouse with showers was a short walk from the campsite and it is kept clean. We had everything we needed for a relaxing visit while exploring the north rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

S

Shelby

September 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Tater's Black Canyon Campground

This was a great spot! The view was great, the site was well maintained, and the bathrooms were spacious and clean. We would definitely recommend and visit again.

H

Harriet

September 2025

Tent

1 night at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

We had the place to ourselves, and it was wonderfully quiet and peaceful. The owners were so warm and welcoming, and the showers were absolutely incredible; after a few days on the road camping, they felt like such a treat! They were warm, clean, and exactly what we needed. Having such beautiful amenities really made the stay extra special. Highly recommend!

R

Russell

September 2025

Tent

3 nights at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Great views, quiet camping & clean facilities, just fantastic!

T

Trevor

August 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Tent camping here was great! Clean area, clean bathrooms with shower, and newly built. Very close to the north rim entrance of the Black canyon of the gunnison. Beautiful views!

R

Rylan

August 2025

14 ft travel trailer

With pets

5 nights at Oasis RV Resort

Incredible folks. Lovely place. Would highly recommend to anyone.

K

Kathy

August 2025

32 ft travel trailer

With pets

4 nights at Oasis RV Resort

We really enjoyed our stay and loved that it was complete/full hook ups. Everybody that lives there was very friendly.

Evening views over the res to iconic Needlerock and the West Elk Mountains

B

Breanna

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Wonderful views. It had a nice flat area for the tent. The bathhouse was very nice to have. It was clean and well kept. The host was friendly and it was a great experience overall.

A

Alex

August 2025

Tent

1 night at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

The host was very nice and gave us the lay of the land. Bathhouse was very clean and well kept. We were the only people at the site and it was beautiful and quiet. We 100% recommend waking up for the sunrise. We felt very safe. Overall it was an excellent place to camp.

R

Ryan

August 2025

Tent

With pets

Weekend Trip to Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Nice area! There are some mosquitoes in the area tho.

M

Mattie

August 2025

16 ft car

Weekend Trip to Tater's Black Canyon Campground

We stayed at Site 1 which was perfect for our van w/rooftop tent setup. It felt private despite all 4 sites being occupied. Nicely sheltered with flat gravel pad and picnic table. Checking in and finding our site was a breeze and communication with our hosts was timely. The views are amazing over the valley, nearby reservoir and Needle Rock in the distance. The bath house was a really nice amenity. Super clean and spacious. Having the option to grab a shower was a bonus, especially after a day of exploring the North Rim of the Black Canyon a short drive just past Tater’s. We met Chris and he gave us lots of great information about the general area and Black Canyon specifically, as well as where we were headed to next. All in all a great experience and would highly recommend.

D

Dustin

August 2025

Tent

3 nights at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

An excellent experience. Well maintained and the nicest camp shower/bathroom I have ever used. Site 4 is secluded from all but one other pad. It is probably tent only and 2 guests but it is tucked away if you want something intimate. The owners are friendly and helpful. I enjoyed chatting with them. I would definitely return. Also, the views are stunning.

S

Shauna

August 2025

Tent

5 nights at Tater's Black Canyon Campground

Camped at site 3 for five nights. Bathrooms/showers were clean with hot water. The views were amazing. We had the whole camp to ourselves for three nights and it was paradise. Great base camp location for mountain biking day trips. We traveled to Crested Butte via Kebler Pass, Black Canyon, hiked Needle Rock and visited Gunnison. Do bring your own hand soap and a portable mirror for the bathroom. There's a family dollar store in Hodgkiss that carries essentials in case you forget something. It gets windy and cool at night, so don't forget a throw blanket. Crawford State Park is in your view, Hwy 92 is nearby and sound travels well. The sunrises are AMAZING! We had a great stay and would definitely stay again. Didn't meet Tater, but we did get the chance to pet their precious border collie mix.