USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Cathedral Campground
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Cost
- Overnight Use: Single Site: $10 per night
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 9,426 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)
- Access road
- CATHEDRAL ROCK CG LOOP (NFSR 640.4B) · native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Nearest town
- South Fork, CO, and Del Norte, CO
- Activities
- Fishing, River / Stream
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. 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
US Forest Service campground. Cathedral Campground is northwest of Del Norte and northeast of South Fork, on Embargo Creek. It has 22 sites. Seventeen are dead end spurs and five are pull throughs. Sites vary from 35 to 45 feet in length. This campground is located in a mature aspen and spruce grove with a beautiful view of Cathedral Rock to the north. Embargo Creek flows alongside the east side of the grounds. There is ample fishing in Embargo Creek and hiking/horseback riding/mountain biking on Cathedral Creek Trail #794, Embargo Trail # 792 and Fremont's Camp Trail #885. Motorcycles may use both Cathedral and Embargo Trails. ATV's are not allowed on the trails. The campground is composed of two large loops along Cathedral Creek. The left hand loop features a large meadow and a few open sites. The right hand loop has a dense Aspen and spruce (including Blue) woods and a more rustic feel. John Charles Fremont's winter camp is nearby. He attempted an ill-fated expedition across the Rocky Mountains for a transcontinental railroad route in late 1848. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 9° | -16° | 50° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 35° | 7° | -11° | 49° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 14° | 1° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 49° | 21° | -1° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 59° | 33° | 2° | 69° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 71° | 41° | 31° | 82° | 2 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 48° | 41° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 72° | 46° | 40° | 79° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 40° | 18° | 79° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 57° | 31° | 20° | 69° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 47° | 25° | -7° | 60° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 35° | 8° | -14° | 51° | 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
- East Bellows Trailhead # 790 · 7.3 mi as the crow flies
Wheeler 10 mi Hike, West Alder 6.2 mi Hike · Drive there - Alder Bench Trailhead #799 · 8.4 mi as the crow flies
Alder Bench 6.5 mi Hike · Drive there
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
- Hansen Mill Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
- Alder Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
- Palisade Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi
- Poso Campground · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi
- Storm King Campground · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.