San Juan National Forest will begin closing some campgrounds and reducing services for the fall and winter season.
Campers should check a campground’s status online before visiting. Some campgrounds will remain open, but offer limited services such as no camp hosts, no trash pickup, no water, no electricity and/or no restrooms available. Snow could cause sites to be closed earlier than indicated.
The Pagosa Ranger District’s East Fork and Bridge campgrounds will close Sept. 7. West Fork campground will close Sept. 19. Palisades and Cimarrona campgrounds will remain open, weather permitting, through Nov. 14, but with limited services after Sept. 27. The remaining Pagosa campgrounds will close Sept. 27.
Haviland and Vallecito campgrounds will have limited services after Sept. 26 and will close Oct. 20. There will be no water and only one toilet available. South Mineral campground in within the Ice Fire closure area and remains closed. The remaining Columbine campgrounds will close starting Sept. 19 and Sept. 26.
Dolores Ranger District’s House Creek campground, West Dolores campground, main Transfer campground and the Juniper loop of McPhee campground will be open with limited services after Oct. 1 through Nov. 22. The stock corrals at Transfer Campground will remain open with no services until Nov. 22.
Burro Bridge campground will have limited services after Sept. 21 and will close Nov. 22. The Pinyon loop and group sites at McPhee campground and all other Dolores campgrounds will close Sept. 30.
Dolores Ranger District’s Aquatic Nuisance Species inspection program at McPhee Reservoir will also begin reducing operating hours this month. When inspections are unavailable, only non-motorized, non-trailered exempt boats may launch on to the reservoir.
Operating hours at the main McPhee ramp are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Beginning Sept. 21, operating hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., until the ramp closes for the season Oct. 31. House Creek ramp hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday to Monday. House Creek ramp closes for the season Sept. 27.
For specific information, check the campground status page and contact the local district office: Columbine Ranger District at 884-2512, Dolores Ranger District at 882-7296 and Pagosa Ranger District at 264-2268.
