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A short drive up the gravel road that leads to the Bureau of Land Management’s Zapata Falls Campground (CG) will let visitors to the area see the San Luis Valley and Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve from a whole new perspective. The campground offers bird’s-eye views of the valley floor below, the San Juan Mountains to the west, the adjacent Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and several 14er’s and many other towering peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range that Zapata Falls CG sits on — not to mention spectacular sunrises, sunsets and night skies!
Zapata Falls CG has 23 single campsites, 1 group site and 1 camp host site nestled among piñon pines along two one-mile long loops. The sites on one loop are designed for tent campers. Parking spurs on the second loop vary a little in length but in general can handle RVs, towed campers, or other configurations of vehicles up to about 50 feet long.
A new trailhead in the campground supplies a link to the South Zapata Creek Trail and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. A second trail, next door to the campground in the day-use area, leads visitors on a mildly steep half-mile hike to Zapata Falls, which gives the campground its name.
• Road signs from highway to Recreation Area.
• Improved gravel roads in Recreation Area (no pavement).
• No public drinking water system.
• 6 vault (or pit-type) toilets.
• Trash bins throughout campground and day-use areas.
• 23 Individual sites (11 Tent, 12 RV, 1 Group Tent, 1 CG Host Site, 7 Picnic sites.
• Standard campground amenities-table, tent pads, fire ring, food storage locker, parking.
• Interpretive, informational, and directional signs.
• Trailhead and overflow parking areas.
• Foot and horse trails.
• All facilities open year-round.
• Cell phone service is good.
Zapata Falls is accessed by Colorado State Highway 150 between mile markers 10 and 11, located approximately 5 miles south of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and 10.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 160. The turn-off is to the east, and the campground is located 3.5 miles (5.8km) up an unpaved road. Elevation 9,088ft.
Individual Sites: $11.00 per night (Maximum limits - 2 vehicles, plus 1 trailer - 6 people - 2 tents). Group Sites: $20.00 per night (Maximum limits - 4 vehicles, plus 1 trailer - 15 people - 5 tents).
This is a nice campground, very glad we were able to get a campsite. Woke up above the clouds!
Great little campground. We stayed at site 4 which we felt was one of the best sites. A lot of room and even more so behind the tent for our dog since it’s on the line of where the campground starts and blends into the mountain! We drove around and sites 21 and 22 had the best overall views but seemed smaller and most were right off the road. We felt ours was tucked in more. We had a dodge which fit nicely and enough room at our site to fit an 8 person tent. The road up is SUPER rough but while we were there they were flattening it or paving it over maybe? We did have to wait depending on the time of day driving up to the site, they had mini traffic lights set up and cones. Waterfall access is maybe a 8 minute walk from our site, 4, otherwise you can just drive over to the falls parking lot and use that entrance there! Overall great views, no water access at all and the bathrooms weren’t too bad. The maintenance guy who checks on the sites was the SWEETEST man from florida! Gave us some recommendations! The bear bin was a nice safety touch! Side note… not sure if it’s allowed but I can’t imagine why not, while hiking the falls there were so much dead wood lying around we didn’t need to buy any, stuck a bunch in our little packs and used that for our small fires. The campground was on a low red and we were advised we could still have small fires.
It's beautiful. That said I'm physically handicapped and walked up the rocky trail only to turn back. My husband did the hike up to it. He said very good hiking boots that can get wet are the shoes to wear. No sandals. Kids can do it with their parents supervision. The rocks do move near the falls. There was still frozen ice. Lots of dogs on the trail. Took about 2 hrs to do it. Bug spray is a must. The flies are terrible. Have something to drink. There are pit toilets in the parking lot.
This was a great little campsite with an easy hike to the falls and beautiful views of the valley and the white sands!
