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Painted Rocks Campground is located a short distance from Manitou Lake Picnic Area and the Centennial Bike Trail in central Colorado. The rustic campground is named for the sandstone outcroppings in the area that resemble colorful streaks from an artist's paintbrush.
The paved, accessible Centennial Bike Trail is a half-mile from the campground. It connects to nearby Colorado and South Meadows Campgrounds, and leads to 5-acre Manitou Lake. Visitors enjoy riding bicycles on this trail to Manitou Lake for fishing and bird watching. Waterfowl and songbirds are often seen in the area.
The nearby Rainbow Falls OHV Trail System and North Divide OHV Trail System are recommended for off-road vehicle enthusiasts.
The campground offers single-family sites on two loops. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided. Roads and parking spurs are gravel.
The campground is nestled on the edge of a grassy meadow at an elevation of 7,800 feet. Most sites on the west loop are shaded by ponderosa pines, while sites on the east loop are more open and less shady.
The town of Woodland Park is located approximately 7 1/2 miles south of Painted Rocks Campground, where campers can find gas, groceries, dining and shopping. Colorado Springs is about 30 miles southeast of the campground and offers many services. Garden of the Gods is a popular attraction just outside of town. This free City of Colorado Springs park offers hiking trails, rock climbing routes, a visitor center and cafe. Pikes Peak lies west of Manitou Springs, which is about 25 miles from the campground. Visitors can hike, bike, or drive to the summit of this beautiful mountain.
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.
From the I-25 and Highway 24 intersection in Colorado Springs, Colorado, travel west on Highway 24 for about 18 miles to the junction with Highway 67 in Woodland Park. Turn right (north) on Highway 67 and drive about 7 miles to Painted Rocks Road and turn left (west). Take the gravel road about 1/2 mile to campground entrance on the left.
Well worth the stop. Decent parking. Was a full parking lot when we arrived today. There is a pit toilet that is not maintained well. Trails were wet, sloppy and snowy in the lower sections.
Beautiful place! If you have more limited mobility, I recommend parking at the West Overlook parking lot. I was pleasantly surprised to find a newly added trail that connects the overlook to the badlands, making it much easier to access the hoodoos. (See edited map attached.) However, the only pit restroom is located at the main parking lot.
We enjoyed exploring the area all to ourselves around 230pm on a Friday in December at about 38°F. Come prepared with water and layers as the mines are in high prairie territory where there's not much around, and it can get pretty windy. We went on an overcast day, but I could see sunscreen being a necessity as well.
Great free place to see with great history, not far from the Colorado Springs area!! 👍
I don't know that I would go more than an hour out of my way to visit again, but I'm glad we made the trek from Denver this once. It was not crowded on a pretty weekend day, but it was extremely muddy in the winter, to the degree that I almost lost a shoe once or twice. That said, it's very unique. No dogs are allowed and I think that is definitely acceptable because this is a clearly fragile environment that needs to be protected. If you want a place to take a gentle walk with out of town visitors, or need photos of you on Mars for a dystopian futuristic film--- this is it ;). And bring a separate pair of shoes for the car ride home.
Beautiful hidden gem that I almost don't want to share because of the serene, peaceful atmosphere it embodies.
If you want a nice little walk viewing incredibly colorful and vibrant canyon-like rock formations, filled with wildlife, clean and easy walking trails and some of the most beautiful sunrises, this is the place to see at least once.
