San Juan National Forest Camping

Vallecito Campground is at the very end of a long set of roads that go past Vallecito Lake north of Bayfield, Colorado. It's a USFS campground, with 80 sites in four loops.

Most sites are dry camping with shared water spigots. Of the reservable sites, there are three with electrical hookups: 27, 28 and 29. 27 is pull-through and the rest are back-in. There are 30 other reservable sites that are dry camping. THere are a number of electric sites on the farthest loop of the campground. Some are pull-through sites. Not all sites in Vallecito are suitable for large rigs, it pays to take a youtube tour to see which might be if that's what you have.

Vallecito is a very popular campground, but typically only fills on weekends in the summer. Starlink may be problematic, but Verizon and ATT cell service are very usable.

Vallecito is sited right next to Vallecito Creek, one of the primary feeds of Vallecito Reservoir. The creek is a good fishery starting about 1.5 miles north of the campground on the trail that starts at the campground. The trail runs into the Weminuche Wilderness, the largest wilderness in Colorado, which is a destination for day hikers, backpackers and outfitters.

The Reservoir offers boating, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc. There is a marina where watercraft may be rented. It's a small marina and rentals go fast.

Vallecito is also convenient to Bayfield (20 miles) and Durango (~40 miles). Durango is the area's largest town in southwestern Colorado and there are a plethora of (paid and free) outdoor activities offered.

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad starts in Durango and half- (Cascade Creek as a destination) and all-day (the town of Silverton is the destination) excursions are available. Both coal-fired and diesel locomotives are used on the railroad. Both of the offerings are recommended. Narrow gauge railroads were the lifeblood of northern New Mexico and Colorado due to the mountainous terrain traversed.

Durango has a variety of eating establishments with varied cuisines. Our favorite is 636 at 636 (!) Main Ave. There are a number of brewpubs as well.

Vallecito Campground is recommended.

Teal campground is about 25 miles north of Pagosa Springs and is next to Williams Creek Reservoir. It is first come first serve, no reservations. There are a number of campgrounds on the road to Teal, Bridge and Williams Creek are two of them. Bridge is FCFS, Williams Creek has both FCFS and reservable sites. We've not camped at either, only Teal, because it has stunning views of the adjoining mountains.

Teal is a dry camping campground with no hookups. There are shared water spigots and vault toilets. The upper loop has few trees and great views. The lower loop is treed with minimal views.

Cell service is spotty at best. A directional antenna and/or cell booster are required. Starlink is easy on the upper loop, not so on the lower loop.

Recreation opportunities abound: fishing, hiking, boating, loafing. We found the fishing on Williams Creek and the Piedra River to be excellent. The reservoir harbors trout and Kokanee Salmon. Shore fishing is spotty, it is best to fish from a boat, canoe, float tube or kayak.

Teal is highly recommended if you want to be off the beaten path. It is popular, but the sites are nicely spaced.

The Speedway in Pagosa Springs at the intersection of Piedra Boulevard and US 160 has both a RV dump and propane.

Cayton has two loops and a dump station that costs $$, regardless of whether you're a site resident there or not.

The upper loop is non-electric and the lower loop is largely electric sites, some of which are close to the Dolores River. Most sites are reservable, but there are some first-come, first-serve sites. Cayton is easier to reserve than Matterhorn, for example. Water is available from shared spigots. Warning - site 6 is reservable, but it is very difficult to impossible to get level in a motorhome. DAMHIK.

Cayton is close to Lizard Head Pass, with miles of hiking trails. The river and the adjoining creek offer good fishing. Telluride is about 20 miles away, across LHP.

There is no cell service. Starlink should work at some sites, but will have issues with trees at others. The lower loop will have some noise from CO 145 during the day, but the road is rarely used at night.

Overall, Cayton is a good campground and recommended.