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259 reviews
Penitente Canyon Campground is praised for its stunning rock formations, beautiful sunsets, and quiet, secluded atmosphere, making it a perfect spot for stargazing and hiking. The campground features clean facilities, well-stocked bathrooms, and ample hiking and biking trails nearby. However, some visitors reported issues with aggressive dogs from the camp hosts and challenges in finding certain campsites, which may detract from the overall experience.
Based on guest feedback
4.1
Based on 259 reviews
Showing 259 reviews
June 11, 2022 Stayed at: 4, Loop: Main Loop
Nice campground, but our reserved site was not marked as reserved and there was no campground host to be found. We were hoping we might ask the host about fire regulations and buy some firewood.
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May 31, 2022 Stayed at: 8, Loop: Main Loop
It was great.
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May 31, 2022 Stayed at: 8, Loop: Main Loop
It was great.
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May 4, 2022 Stayed at: 12, Loop: Main Loop
Beautiful scenery, quiet, and absolutely stunning!
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May 4, 2022 Stayed at: 12, Loop: Main Loop
Beautiful scenery, quiet, and absolutely stunning!
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April 30, 2022 Stayed at: 2, Loop: Main Loop
Penitente Canyon Campground is a good place for mountain bikers and climbers to stay. We enjoyed the hiking loop through the canyon. Was disturbing to see the graffiti on the walls, new since our last visit. Also, I'd encourage people with dogs to clean up their poop. We carried out about five pounds of dog poop just from the canyon. Camping along the road to the Canyon is extra dusty as vehicles with vehicles driving by at higher than necessary speeds kick up that dust.
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April 30, 2022 Stayed at: 2, Loop: Main Loop
Penitente Canyon Campground is a good place for mountain bikers and climbers to stay. We enjoyed the hiking loop through the canyon. Was disturbing to see the graffiti on the walls, new since our last visit. Also, I'd encourage people with dogs to clean up their poop. We carried out about five pounds of dog poop just from the canyon. Camping along the road to the Canyon is extra dusty as vehicles with vehicles driving by at higher than necessary speeds kick up that dust.
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April 29, 2022 Stayed at: Group Site 2, Loop: Main Loop
We had reserved a spot a few days before our trip. When we got there someone had taken our spot. After trying to decide what to do, we noticed that they did not have a camp host, so we parked there since we paid for a spot. At least 4 other campers came to complain to us that someone took their spot. We told them ours was taken also, and we were not the camp host that we just parked there. They should not do reservations online if no one will be there to enforce it. Many people parked without paying and took paying customer spots. I contacted BLM, but of course they did not care. They only cared that I parked in the camp host spot that I did not reserve.
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April 29, 2022 Stayed at: Group Site 2, Loop: Main Loop
We had reserved a spot a few days before our trip. When we got there someone had taken our spot. After trying to decide what to do, we noticed that they did not have a camp host, so we parked there since we paid for a spot. At least 4 other campers came to complain to us that someone took their spot. We told them ours was taken also, and we were not the camp host that we just parked there. They should not do reservations online if no one will be there to enforce it. Many people parked without paying and took paying customer spots. I contacted BLM, but of course they did not care. They only cared that I parked in the camp host spot that I did not reserve.
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April 23, 2022 Stayed at: 9, Loop: Main Loop
Your switch to an online reservation system is so lame. We have camped here for years and this was a total surprise after driving all the way to get there. Service is bad so getting online to make a tedious reservation is risky. The best sites were reserved yet no one showed up. Please go back to the self-reserve system. Please. So many campgrounds don’t have cell service and I heard from friends camping at other locations that the same issue happened to them - Tom’s of reserved sites where no one showed up.
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Blm San Luis Valley Field Office, Monte Vista, CO 81144 United States
Elevation: 2,413 ft
From U.S. 285, turn west onto Saguache County Road G. After 6 mi you will pass the La Garita Trading Post. Go another 0.5 mi to a Y intersection; take the left fork (County Road 38A). The entrance to the recreation area is another 0.5 mi, on your ...
From U.S. 285, turn west onto Saguache County Road G. After 6 mi you will pass the La Garita Trading Post. Go another 0.5 mi to a Y intersection; take the left fork (County Road 38A). The entrance to the recreation area is another 0.5 mi, on your right. Elevation = 7.9 ft.
The campground is accessible via U.S. Highway 285, which is approximately 6.5 miles away.
The closest entrance is: Great Sand Dunes Entrance Station
Approximate drive: 51.6 mi · over 1 hr (89 min)
Last updated: October 24, 2026
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Population: 4,141
Nearby city: Pueblo, CO
Approx. 95 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 7,664 ft
Monte Vista, CO
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