Junction Creek Campground

Do you like it when the loudest sound comes from the wind in the pine trees?

Do you like to be 15 minutes from a cute little historic town that has everything you need?

Then this is your place!

In nearly 24 months of active RV'ing, this little Forest Service campground has become one of true favorites despite some of the limitations (i.e., virtually no internet, shade makes solar charging a challenge, no on-site dump station, no showers.) BUT, the sites are spacious and private, the campground is dead quiet, yet very close to town.

There is a loop with electric sites (Loop E) but most of the sites are non-electric and in shade so solar charging is limited. There is potable water available at several spigots around the CG. There is no on-site dump station but one is available in town. Arrive with empty black and grey tanks and you'll be fine.

Access to the campground is via a steep two mile long dirt road with some potholes and wash-boarding, but do not be deterred! Even a big Class A can make it in here, and it is so worth it!

Reservations are usually needed for weekends in the electric loop (Loop E) but there seem to always be some non-electric site availability for walk ups, especially during the week.

This was the closest campground I found to Durango that was not an RV park. It takes about 10 mins to get into town. The entire campground is in a beautiful mature pine forest. The camp hosts were helpful and friendly. The sites were well separated and offered a good amount of privacy.

There is only one loop with electricity and it was full for the majority of my stay other than spots that opened up for just a night or two. I stayed in the D loop (no electricity) and it worked just fine but if you are looking to plug-in and stay for more than 1 night make sure to get a reservation.

I could send and receive texts very slowly on Verizon, voice and data nonexistent.

Fantastic campground right by the Colorado trail and only 6 miles from town. Some sites have electric. None have water. There is drinking water in the campground but you can't use it to fill your tanks (signs up stating this and they aren't threaded) so if you are in a rig fill up before you come. Campground does have dumpsters for trash. Campground hosts were very friendly.

There are 5 loops in the campground and site quality varies based on the loop.

Loops E (most have electric - 30/50amp) and D have large and fairly level sites. Big rigs (we have a 40' motorhome) can fit in almost all sites in either of these loops. We did have to level the front of our coach in our site (3 high lynx block.) In Loop E, Sites E5 and E6 are the only 2 FCFS electric sites. While recreation.gov shows E6 as having a 20' vehicle length limit a big rig can fit in this site. We saw a 34' rig & toad in there and I think our rig could just fit with our toad as well. This site isn't the best as it is just a pull-off the side of the road so it lacks a lot of privacy.

Loops A, B and C are older and most sites are smaller, narrower and not level at all. Big rigs beware. Additionally most sites in these loops have a high "curb" at the back of the sites so you can't overhang. Of note, most of the time we were there access to Loop A was closed.

If you are looking to use solar this isn't the campground for you. The only site that gets full sun all the time is C5 (reservable). A 40' rig can get in this site but that's it because there is a large high "curb" at the end of the site so you can't overhang. You'd have to park your toad in the grass next to it or elsewhere.

There are some sites where you can hear Junction Creek (for example C8 & 9)

Verizon cell coverage varies. The campground hosts who are near the entrance of the campground come up to the top of E loop to make phone calls as the signal is much better up there.

For those working, if you have a booster, etc on Verizon we were able to get 4G and good speeds (10 down and 3 up) but ONLY if you are in E Loop and at the top of the loop starting at about our site E5. At the entrance to the campground we got 4G but the speeds were bad (.16 down and .29 up)

Access to the campground: the last 2 miles or so reaching the campground are on a gravel road. It wasn't washboarded at all when we drove it but it does get narrow (1 lane) in some spots.