USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Palisades Horse Camp
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 12
- Hookups
- 12 with water, 12 no hookups
- Season
- June 4 to September 25
- Max RV length
- 45 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 8,806 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- San Juan National Forest
- Nearest town
- Pagosa Springs
- Address
- Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147
- Activities
- Camping, Hiking, Wildlife Viewing
12 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
12 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Overview
Palisades Horse Camp is located 30 miles north of Pagosa Springs, high in the San Juan National Forest. This beautiful area has excellent horseback riding and hiking trails and an abundance of wildlife.
Recreation
Hiking and horseback riding trails are the main attraction at Palisades. The Williams Creek Trail leads directly from the campground into the Weminuche Wilderness, crossing the Continental Divide.
Facilities
This equestrian campground offers single- and double-family campsites to campers with horses. Corrals with feeding bins are provided. The corrals are divided into two sections with room for two to three horses on each side, depending on horse temperaments. Hitching racks are set up throughout the campground and a water tank is on-site.
Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. A campground host is on-site, and is very knowledgeable about the area.
Natural Features
The campground is nestled in a stand of pine, spruce and fir trees, and sits at an elevation of 8,300 feet. The area provides panoramic views of the surrounding meadows and mountains. Williams Creek flows nearby.
The surrounding forest provides a prime wildlife habitat. Bears, deer, elk and moose frequent the area.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Charges & Cancellations
Cancellations
Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
No-Shows
A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.
No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Refunds
Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.
Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.
For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.
In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 7° | -15° | 46° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 34° | 13° | -8° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 38° | 19° | 3° | 65° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 25° | 5° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 55° | 31° | 16° | 65° | 10 of 11 |
| June | 70° | 41° | 29° | 82° | 4 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 48° | 39° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 73° | 46° | 39° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 66° | 43° | 19° | 77° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 56° | 30° | 2° | 68° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 46° | 24° | -15° | 57° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 34° | 4° | -21° | 53° | 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.
Trails nearby
- Williams Creek Trailhead · 0.4 mi as the crow flies
Williams Creek 9.9 mi Hike · Drive there - Poison Park Trailhead · 3.1 mi as the crow flies
Weminuche 12 mi Hike · Drive there - Piedra Falls Trailhead · 7.0 mi as the crow flies
Piedra Falls 0.5 mi Hike · Drive there - Copper Creek Trailhead · 9.6 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
All 381 trails in San Juan National Forest · All 227 trails in Rio Grande National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Cimarrona (CO) · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 22 sites
- Teal · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 17 sites
- Williams Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 61 sites
- Bridge · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 19 sites
- Thirty Mile · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 35 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-06-17. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.