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Echo Park Campground is located 38 miles north of the Canyon Visitor Center. It is located near where the Yampa River meets the Green River. Access to the campground requires high-clearance vehicles. RVs and trailers are strongly discouraged due to sharp turns, steep grades, and rough roads. Echo Park Campground has 22 sites, including one handicapped-accessible site and four walk-in sites. A few sites have shade. Suitable for tent camping. There is running water and vault toilets. No showers. Check with a ranger for current fire-use policy. The campground fills only on holiday weekends. The water is turned off from mid-September to late-May and camping fees are not collected during that time.
Starting from the town of Dinosaur in northwestern Colorado, travel approximately 3 miles east on Highway 40. Turn left onto the Harpers Corner Road and travel for approximately 24 miles. Turn right onto the Echo Park Road and travel approximately 13 miles to the Echo Park Campground. When you reach the campground, travel an additional 800 feet to the Group Campsite. It takes most visitors around 90 minutes to travel from the town of Dinosaur to the Echo Park Campground Group Site. WARNING: The Echo Park Road is a high clearance, four wheel drive road. The road quickly becomes impassible during rainstorms and snowy weather. Even under the best of conditions, trailers of any size are not recommended on the Echo Park Road.
12 miles of one lane, washed out, hairpin turns gravel road is worth the trip for the spectacular surroundings and other-worldly view of the stars at night. Plan to stay! Best $10 camp location you can find. Pack out trash, water available, hole in the ground style bathroom, park ranger makes a couple trips through each day and was nice and helpful.
Awesome campground. No cell service for miles.
No trailers or low clearance or long wheelbase trucks. Would not recommend anyone attempting the descent from the canyon rim into the park if the road is wet or if rain is in the forecast. Steep hill with tight switchbacks may give the long wheelbase vehicles some issues when dry conditions exist.
Great weekend adventure. A few nice hikes.
Can be very windy in the afternoon and evening. Consider not having a campfire and using your propane grill. Grass and sage brush is very dry and there is only one road out of the campground to the main 4x4 road.
Lastly, dogs are not allowed along the river trails, only in the campground on leash.
This was a fantastic find. This primitive campground is well off the beaten path. The road to the campground is rough, and you really should have a high clearance vehicle. Four wheel drive is not necessary, but the road will likely be impassable if wet.
There are a couple of interesting places to stop on your way to the campground, including amazing views, a historic ranch, a pictograph panel, and a little cave.
The campground costs $10 per night, has clean pit toilets, water and 17 campsites. Some sites are in the trees and well shaded, some are more open, but receive afternoon shade from the cliffs high above.
Like most areas managed by the Park Service, this area is not particularly pet friendly. Dogs must be leashed at all times, are not allowed on any trails, and must be left in the vehicle when visiting attractions. Given the heat, it would probably be a good idea to leave Fido at home.
There is river access right by the campground, and plenty of opportunities for swimming and wading, but boats are not allowed without a permit. There is also a nice trail which takes you up to the confluence of the Yampa and Green rivers.
Absolutely incredible campground. Fee required, and bathrooms and potable water available. The 12-mile drive on Echo Park Road is all it's cracked up to be: steep, loose chunky rock, creek crossings, sandy sections. The peace and quiet once you make it down is worth the trek.
Excellent campground stop by the river. This campground is accessible to offroad vehicles but in the right conditions all wheel drive vehicles can reach it easily. Do not attempt the road in rain as very dangerous conditions can develop. Check with rangers for the latest road conditions as things can change from the time of this review.
