Openings · last 7 days
4
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 4 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234104
When Purgatoire Campground reopens
Purgatoire Campground's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
10
Openings · last 90 days
10
Only 10 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026 · of 20 monitored sites
Of the 180 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026): 8 reserved · 172 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). Of the facility's 20 monitored sites, 13 can be reserved online and 7 are first-come, first-served.
No online availability right now
Of the 180 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026): 8 reserved · 172 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative). A free alert tells you if any date opens online.
Load status
Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026Not open online100%
Open site-nights0 / 180
Reserved (of online inventory)8 / 8
Of the 180 tracked site-nights (Sep 18 – Sep 26, 2026): 8 reserved · 172 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Sep 2026No month in range currently shows online availability. 0 open site-nights across the tracked window — these site-nights are a mix of reserved, closed, unreleased and non-reservable dates.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 20 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
About Purgatoire Campground
Overview
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 is a large grassy meadow with sites that accommodate equestrian campers and one that is wooded with aspen and spruce.
Constructed by the Youth Conservation Corp in 1976, Purgatoire was originally named Potato Patch Campground. The river provides nice fishing and a trailhead attracts hikers and horseback riders.
Recreation
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.
Facilities
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.
Natural Features
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.
20 monitored sites7 FCFS sitesRVs up to 45 ftNo hookups5 shadedPets OKMax party 8
Getting there
From La Veta, Colorado, take State Route 12 south for 25.3 miles to Purgatoire campground sign. Turn right onto gravel Route 34. Go 0.2 miles to "T" intersection. Turn right and drive 4 miles on rough gravel road to campground.
San Carlos Ranger District, Canon City, CO 81212FOR RESERVATIONS CALL (877) 444-6777, FOR OTHER NON REAL TIME INFORMATION CALL THE SAN CARLOS RANGER DISTRICT AT (719) 269-8500.
CampingFishingHiking
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234104 · facility
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234104 · Purgatoire Campground · Canon City CO6 frames · facility
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Purgatoire Campground?
Campsite Sniper's current snapshot shows none of the 180 tracked site-nights open for online reservation at Purgatoire Campground. That can mean dates are reserved, closed, not yet released, or offered first-come, first-served rather than online. Campsite Sniper has also detected 10 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Purgatoire Campground?
Campsite Sniper detected 4 site-date openings at Purgatoire Campground in the last 7 days, 10 over 30 days and 10 over the last 90.
Which sites at Purgatoire Campground fit a 35-foot RV?
8 of the 20 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 45 ft.
Does Purgatoire Campground have online availability right now?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot, none of the 180 tracked site-nights are open for online reservation. That can mean dates are reserved, closed, not yet released, or offered first-come, first-served rather than online. A free Campsite Sniper alert tells you if any date opens online.
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