Elk Wallow
Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping costs Single Site: $20 per night. Elk Wallow is a National Forest campground near Basalt, Colorado.
First-come, first-served
- National Forest
- Managed by
Elk Wallow sits inside White River National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- None, first-come
- Fee
- Single Site: $20 per night
Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
What's there
- ✓ Fire rings
On site: Fire rings.
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 8,800 ft
39.3444, -106.6146 in Pitkin. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Elk Wallow?
No. Elk Wallow is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.
How much does it cost to camp at Elk Wallow?
Camping at Elk Wallow costs Single Site: $20 per night.
Who manages Elk Wallow?
Elk Wallow is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Elk Wallow
Public land within 15 miles: Holy Cross Wilderness (10 miles to its center) , Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness (13 miles to its center) , and Mount Massive Wilderness (15 miles to its center) ; publiclandsdb.com has each unit's camping rules and boundary.
Hot springs and swimming nearby
Nearest to Elk Wallow, in straight-line miles: Turquoise Lake (swimming hole, 14 miles), Crater Lake (swimming hole, 26 miles), and Conundrum Hot Springs (hot spring, 27 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
- Sites
- 76
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Not on record
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Day Use Fee
Dearhamer - Sites
- 12
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Day Use fee
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $27 per night
More campgrounds: camping near Basalt and campgrounds in Pitkin.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30