USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Bristol Head Campground
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 9,511 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · AT&T good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- BRISTOL VIEW CG (NFSR 510.1A) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Rio Grande National Forest
- Nearest town
- Lake City
- Address
- CO
- Activities
- 15 sites, <h3> Some sites can accommodate up to a 40 ft. unit. Not too much shade is available but plenty of manuever room for setting up large RVs.</h3> , Open during hunting season - see Colorado Division of Wildlife regulations. Unit 76 hunting nearby, Silver Thread Scenic Byway, highway 149. Improved forest roads (# 509, 510 \& 513) in area for sidetrips to North Clear Creek falls, Rito Hondo reservoir., Trail from campground to a small waterfall - 1/4 mile., Wildlife viewing, just 1/2 mile off Silverthread Scenic Byway - quiet \& secluded
About
This campground contains 15 sites (11 are pull through) ranging from 35 to 55 feet in length. There are both dead end spurs and pull throughs. Sits in a meadow on a bench above South Clear Creek. A short trail from campground leads to an overlook of the Clear Creek Canyons and a waterfall. The campground stretches 0.6 mile along a "bench" (a level area) above South Clear Creek. The grassy field between camping sites and creek are dotted with wild flowers. Every site has a view of towering mountains dominated by Bristol Head Peak. Spruce and Aspen line the meadow and provide some shade. The campground is an excellent area for viewing wild life, especially moose. Quiet & secluded. Fishing in the creek nearby.
14 DAY CAMPING LIMIT.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 7° | -19° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 10° | -9° | 46° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 17° | -2° | 59° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 46° | 24° | 5° | 55° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 53° | 34° | 13° | 64° | 9 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 41° | 26° | 79° | 3 of 11 |
| July | 74° | 48° | 40° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 70° | 47° | 34° | 77° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 65° | 42° | 17° | 76° | 3 of 11 |
| October | 54° | 32° | 5° | 65° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 46° | 19° | -14° | 57° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 6° | -20° | 50° | 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
- Silver Thread Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- North Clear Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Crooked Creek Dispersed Area · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi
- Road Canyon Campground · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi
- River Hill · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 18 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.