Purgatoire Campground

Purgatoire Campground is nestled near the headwaters of the Purgatoire River in the beautiful Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The primitive campground is laid out on two loops: one a large grassy meadow with sites that accommodate equestrian campers, and one wooded with aspen and spruce. Constructed by the Youth Conservation Corps in 1976, Purgatoire was originally named Potato Patch Campground. The river provides nice fishing and a trailhead attracts hikers and horseback riders. The North Fork Trail #1309 is located on the north end of the campground and offers non-motorized access to hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. The 5-mile trail delights with mountain vistas and shade from forested terrain. The river, which is creek-sized at these upper reaches, provides opportunities for anglers to cast for trout. Campsites come with campfire rings, picnic tables and vault toilets. Equestrian sites can fit large horse trailers. Drinking water is from a hand pump and parking aprons are grass and gravel. Trash service is provided. The campground is in an aspen and conifer forest near the North Fork River at an elevation of 9,800 feet. The river, also known as the Purgatoire River, flows 196 miles to the confluence of the Arkansas River. Pike-San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet. The nearby towns of Stonewall and Cuchara offer shopping and restaurants.