Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
About Penitente Canyon Campground
Number of accommodations: 17
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
17 Sites Available
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Site Details
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17 Sites Available
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Reviews (228)
What Guests Are Saying
Penitente Canyon Campground offers a clean and well-maintained environment with friendly camp hosts and excellent access to beautiful hiking and biking trails. Many campers appreciate the spacious sites, amenities like clean toilets, and the unique rock formations in the area. However, some negative feedback highlights issues with the camp hosts' behavior and poor cell phone reception, suggesting that visitors may want to make reservations in advance.
What Guests Are Saying
Penitente Canyon Campground offers a clean and well-maintained environment with friendly camp hosts and excellent access to beautiful hiking and biking trails. Many campers appreciate the spacious sites, amenities like clean toilets, and the unique rock formations in the area. However, some negative feedback highlights issues with the camp hosts' behavior and poor cell phone reception, suggesting that visitors may want to make reservations in advance.
Review Summary
Jason H
VerifiedAugust 7, 2023 • Stayed at: 13, Loop: Main Loop
Nice quiet campground that does not attract families, but more a crowd who wants peace and quiet. Reviews about the rattlesnakes are true, but they keep to themselves and are cool to see (just watch your step, otherwise they have no interest in you). No camp host, but was not needed. Sites had ample privacy compared to most campgrounds. Was there on a full moon, but would imagine stargazing would be amazing here. Will be back.
Jason H
VerifiedAugust 7, 2023 • Stayed at: 13, Loop: Main Loop
Nice quiet campground that does not attract families, but more a crowd who wants peace and quiet. Reviews about the rattlesnakes are true, but they keep to themselves and are cool to see (just watch your step, otherwise they have no interest in you). No camp host, but was not needed. Sites had ample privacy compared to most campgrounds. Was there on a full moon, but would imagine stargazing would be amazing here. Will be back.
Sarah L
VerifiedJuly 12, 2023 • Stayed at: 10, Loop: Main Loop
Beautiful spot with lots of fun recreational activities close by. Was there last weekend and there is not a lot of shade and lots of bugs! Otherwise a super fun place!
Sarah L
VerifiedJuly 12, 2023 • Stayed at: 10, Loop: Main Loop
Beautiful spot with lots of fun recreational activities close by. Was there last weekend and there is not a lot of shade and lots of bugs! Otherwise a super fun place!
Steven B
VerifiedJuly 5, 2023 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Penitente Canyon is an amazing place. The campsites along the road to the day use parking lot are widely spaced, flat and spacious. They get some drive-by traffic during the day. Never found the water supply.
Steven B
VerifiedJuly 5, 2023 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Penitente Canyon is an amazing place. The campsites along the road to the day use parking lot are widely spaced, flat and spacious. They get some drive-by traffic during the day. Never found the water supply.
Leah C
VerifiedJuly 4, 2023 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Campers beware- there’s a group of locals who chose to set up camp in our spot without a reservation. When we approached them, they were creepy (a male asking me as a female to set up my camp and spend the night with them) and rude. There was no campground host and the office closes at 4:30 apparently so there was no one to contact. We felt uncomfortable and were forced to stay elsewhere.
Leah C
VerifiedJuly 4, 2023 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Campers beware- there’s a group of locals who chose to set up camp in our spot without a reservation. When we approached them, they were creepy (a male asking me as a female to set up my camp and spend the night with them) and rude. There was no campground host and the office closes at 4:30 apparently so there was no one to contact. We felt uncomfortable and were forced to stay elsewhere.
Lisa S
VerifiedJune 26, 2023 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Only advanced online booking is possible. No reception at the campground. Small but cute area. Nice canyon.
Lisa S
VerifiedJune 26, 2023 • Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Only advanced online booking is possible. No reception at the campground. Small but cute area. Nice canyon.
Location Penitente Canyon Campground
Address:
Blm San Luis Valley Field Office
Monte Vista, CO, 81144
United States
From U.S. 285, turn west onto Saguache County Road G. After 6 miles you will pass the La Garita Trading Post. Go another 0.5 miles to a Y intersection; take the left fork (County Road 38A). The entrance to the recreation area is another 0.5 miles, on your right. Elevation = 7,930 ft.
The campground is accessible via U.S. Highway 285, which is approximately 6.5 miles away.
Latitude & Longitude: 37.8418 / -106.28
Elevation: 2413 feet
Policies & Rules
Pets
- Pets must always be kept under control.
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: June 4, 2026
