National Park Service · Colorado
Red Creek Group Site
National Park Service · Colorado, United States · in Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Max RV length
- 22 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 8,163 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1 · certified dark-sky place
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · AT&T good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Nearest town
- GUNNISON
- Address
- 21001 Hwy 50, GUNNISON, CO, 81230
- Phone
- 970-641-2337
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
In the heart of southwest Colorado is a group camp getaway for nature lovers and outdoor sports-enthusiasts. The Red Creek Group Site is located in the Curecanti Recreation Area, just south of the West Elk Mountains.
The campground is surrounded by national forests and park lands with Gunnison National Forest to the north, Black Canyon to the west and the Uncompahgre National forest to the southwest.
A wide range of mammals can be found within Curecanti, including mule deer, mountain lions, black bears, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, elk and the occasional moose. Bald eagles come here to fish in winter.
Recreation
Hikers may enjoy the Dillon Pinnacles Trail for views of spires formed by erosional forces working volcanic debris. The trail is a lollipop of about 4 miles.
Anglers can enjoy fishing for brown, rainbow, and Mackinaw trout and Kokanee salmon. The population of Kokanee salmon is denser at Blue Mesa Reservoir than anywhere else in the country.
Facilities
This is a group camping site for a minimum of 9 people and a maximum of 20 people. Recreation vehicles over 22'' not reccomended.
Natural Features
“This area is characterized by semi-arid shrubland with large cottonwood trees lining the campground. Red Creek flows out of the West Elk Mountains, through this campground, and into Blue Mesa Reservoir. By mid to late summer, the creek is low enough for wading. Some small fish inhabit the deeper pools.”
Blue Mesa connects to the Morrow Point Reservoir, which flows down to the more isolated Crystal Reservoir. The passage of the Gunnison River is marked by the steep, narrow cliffs of the Black Canyon.
Nearby Attractions
The Cimarron Canyon Rail Exhibit features a display of an old-fashioned locomotive at the last remaining railroad trestle in the Black Canyon on the Gunnison route. The bonus is picture-perfect access to the tallest cliffs in the canyon.
The Red Creek Road, which passes by the campground, provides access to national forest lands where hiking abounds.
Charges & Cancellations
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 8° | -13° | 41° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 12° | -5° | 49° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 38° | 20° | 1° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 48° | 26° | 11° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 57° | 33° | 19° | 74° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 75° | 45° | 34° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 81° | 52° | 43° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 78° | 51° | 45° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 71° | 45° | 22° | 82° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 58° | 33° | 5° | 68° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 45° | 22° | -11° | 57° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 31° | 7° | -14° | 48° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Dry Gulch Campground · National Park Service · 3 mi · 9 sites
- East Elk Creek Group Campsite · National Park Service · 4 mi · 1 sites
- Elk Creek Campground · National Park Service · 4 mi · 153 sites
- Ponderosa Campground (CO) · National Park Service · 5 mi · 30 sites
- Lake Fork Campground · National Park Service · 5 mi · 83 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.