About Alvarado Campground
Alvarado Campground, located at an elevation of 9,000 ft., is a prime location for accessing easy to challenging hikes in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. The variety of trails lead to high elevation lakes, picturesque waterfalls, and a number of stunning scenic overlooks. Alvarado is designed for a range of campers, with facilities for tent, RV and equestrian campers. Pike-San Isabel National Forests include over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet. Near the campground are several trailheads that provide visitors with a variety of recreational opportunities. All trails are open for horseback riding and hiking. The Rainbow Trail is a premier ATV and motorcycle trail. The non-motorized Comanche and Venable Trails lead into the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness where waterfalls and alpine lakes may be enjoyed. Alvarado is divided…
- Fees: Extra Vehicle $8.00
- Managed by: Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, FS
- Where: 7 mi southwest of Westcliffe, CO · 38.07889, -105.56333
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Jun–Aug (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Oct–May.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvarado Cg | ATV road | at camp | 1.0 mi |
| Alvarado Cg Loop 1 | ATV road | at camp | 0.3 mi |
| Rainbow Access From 140.B | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 0.2 mi | 0.5 mi |
| Comanche | Horse | 0.2 mi | 5.2 mi |
| Venable Access | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 0.3 mi | 0.4 mi |
| Rainbow | ATV / OHV, Dirt bike | 0.3 mi | 100.1 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 5G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way shows rich detail, horizon to horizon.
Class 2 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Dump station: 23.4 mi
Water fill-up: 23.4 mi
Propane: 6.8 mi