Gates Of Lodore Campground

4.39

39 reviews

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Check Site

Sites

19 campsites

Season

Facilities are seaso...

Cell

Unknown

Pets

Not Allowed

RV Friendly

Opens Dinosaur National Monument (National Park Service) site

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Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Check Site

Sites

19 campsites

Season

Facilities are seaso...

Cell

Unknown

Pets

Not Allowed

RV Friendly

Opens Dinosaur National Monument (National Park Service) site

Get Directions

Gates Of Lodore Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

This is a Scan & Pay campground. Specific site fees not listed in provided content.

Standard Site Fee$0.00

Hookup Site Fee$0.00

Premium Site Fee$0.00

Hike and Bike Site Fee$0.00

Group Site Fee$0.00

Food Storage Locker Fee$0.00

Total Campsite Fees$0.00

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What Campers Say

4.39

Recommended

Based on 39 reviews

45 Google reviews

Most mentioned

viewssceneryquietclean

"Reviewers overwhelmingly love Gates of Lodore Campground, consistently giving it 5/5 stars and describing it as beautiful, quiet, and remote with pristine views. People highlight its riverside setting on the Green River, historical significance, and excellent stargazing. It’s especially popular as a put‑in and basecamp for Green River rafting trips and short hikes to the Gates of Lodore viewpoint."

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Best Time to Camp at Gates Of Lodore Campground

Summer brings full services to Gates of Lodore, with running water flowing from Memorial Day through early fall alongside vault toilets that operate year-round. Winter transforms this remote canyon gateway into a true wilderness challenge—snow blankets the access roads and water spigots are winterized, making visits possible only for well-prepared adventurers willing to haul their own water and navigate potentially impassable roads. Spring and fall offer sweet spots of moderate temperatures and fewer visitors, though you'll want to call ahead to confirm road conditions and water availability during these shoulder seasons.

Spring (Mar-May)

Wildflowers bloom, mild temperatures, fewer crowds. Great for hiking and photography.

Best

Summer (Jun-Aug)

Peak season with warm weather, perfect for water activities. Book early.

Fall (Sep-Nov)

Beautiful fall colors, cooler temps, quieter campgrounds. Ideal for peaceful trips.

Winter (Dec-Feb)

Off-season, limited services. Check for closures before visiting.

Planning Tips

Operating Season: Facilities are seasonal: running drinking water is available during the summer. Access in winter may be difficult due to snow and road conditions.

About Gates Of Lodore Campground

Perched at the dramatic entrance to Lodore Canyon, Gates of Lodore Campground offers 19 riverside sites where the Green River begins its wild plunge through towering canyon walls. This remote outpost within Dinosaur National Monument serves as both a peaceful riverside retreat and a launching point for rafters preparing to navigate one of the West's most storied waterways. With picnic tables nestled among scattered shade and basic amenities that honor the campground's backcountry character, this is camping for those who seek authentic wilderness experiences far from the crowds.

A small campground that accommodates both tent campers and RVs but does not provide RV utility hookups.

Historical SignificanceLong before John Wesley Powell immortalized this canyon in his 1869 expedition journals, the Fremont people left their artistic legacy on canyon walls throughout what is now Dinosaur National Monument. The park preserves these ancient petroglyphs alongside remnants of more recent human ambition—weathered homestead cabins and crumbling ranch structures that tell stories of hardy settlers who tried to tame this unforgiving landscape. The monument's crown jewel, the Quarry Exhibit Hall, showcases an even deeper history: a wall embedded with approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones still positioned as ancient rivers deposited them 149 million years ago, making this one of the most significant Jurassic-era fossil sites ever discovered.

Weather and SeasonsSummer brings full services to Gates of Lodore, with running water flowing from Memorial Day through early fall alongside vault toilets that operate year-round. Winter transforms this remote canyon gateway into a true wilderness challenge—snow blankets the access roads and water spigots are winterized, making visits possible only for well-prepared adventurers willing to haul their own water and navigate potentially impassable roads. Spring and fall offer sweet spots of moderate temperatures and fewer visitors, though you'll want to call ahead to confirm road conditions and water availability during these shoulder seasons.

Natural Features and SceneryStand at the campground's edge and witness the moment where a lazy, meandering river transforms into something wild—the Green River suddenly narrows and accelerates as it crashes through the Gates of Lodore, carving into rust-red canyon walls that rise dramatically toward the sky. A short interpretive trail leads to an overlook where you can watch the river's personality change in real-time, its peaceful waters funneling into the churning entrance of Lodore Canyon. The riverside sites offer front-row seats to this geological drama, with cottonwoods providing dappled shade and the constant soundtrack of moving water punctuated by the calls of canyon wrens echoing off ancient stone.

Geological RegionHead of Lodore Canyon on the Green River within Dinosaur National Monument, where the Uinta Mountain range forces the river through billion-year-old Precambrian rock formations

Campsite details

Sites PrivacySome sites have shade.

Total Campsites19 campsites

Best Campsites

Curated by campers, for campers

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Reserving a campsite

Tents

Tents are allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are allowed

Primitive

Primitive are not allowed

Reservable

Reservations are not allowed

Site layout19 individual campsites; all sites have picnic tables, some have shade; some sites include grills or campfire rings; sites accommodate tents and RVs (no hookups).

Open and Closed SeasonFacilities are seasonal: running drinking water is available during the summer. Access in winter may be difficult due to snow and road conditions.

Reservation PlatformsScan & Pay (payment method)

Cancellation PolicyNo refunds, changes, cancellations, or other fee changes are allowed with Scan & Pay payments.

Amenities available

Potable water

Fire rings

Picnic tables

Vault toilets

Activities you can enjoy

Recreational opportunities focus on river-based activities and hiking within Dinosaur National Monument, with scenic drives and cultural/historical sites in the vicinity.

Hiking

Miles of trails for hiking and cross-country travel in the monument; a short trail near the campground provides a scenic view of the Green River entering the Gates of Lodore.

Boating

Whitewater rafting and boating on the Green and Yampa Rivers are popular; commercial guided trips are available and private trips require a permit. The Yampa has variable seasonality and notable rapids.

Cultural and Educational Programs

The monument includes visitor centers and numerous cultural sites (Fremont petroglyphs, historic ranches and cabins) for historical interpretation and self-guided education.

Water Sports

River rafting and related boating activities are the primary water sports described.

Campground rules

Pets are not allowed
Some sites have grills and others have campfire rings (fire pits). Specific fire restrictions, permits, or seasonal fire rules are not provided in the source material.

Hazards

General hazardsRemote location and long drives; winter road and snow conditions can make access difficult. Nearby rivers support whitewater rapids for which rafting requires planning, permits, and/or commercial arrangements.

Weather at Gates Of Lodore Campground

°F

Dec 11

Thursday

Overcast

Precipitation: 0%

Humidity: 51%

Wind: 2.7 mph

Overcast

Weather History

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Good to know

Proximity to water featuresLocated on the Green River, near the boat ramp at the head of Lodore Canyon; river is immediately adjacent to the campground.

Campground Map

Gates Of Lodore Campground

Driving directionsFrom Maybell, Colorado, follow US Highway 40 west for approximately 0.4 mile (0.6 km). Turn right onto CO 318 and follow west for 46.2 miles (74 km). Turn left onto Moffat County Road 34N and follow 1.7 miles (2.7 km). Turn right onto Moffat County Road 34 and follow 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to the ranger station and campground.

Access via US Highway 40 to CO 318, then Moffat County Road 34N and County Road 34. Long drives on rural county roads; winter access may be difficult due to snow and road conditions.

Nearby places

Quarry Visitor Center: 137 miles (220 km) from the campground

Canyon Visitor Center: 106 miles (170 km) from the campground.

Reviews from booking and map sources

4.4

39 reviews

Recommended

Gates Of Lodore Campground is recommended, placing it in the top 40% of campgrounds based on reviews

Reviewers overwhelmingly love Gates of Lodore Campground, consistently giving it 5/5 stars and describing it as beautiful, quiet, and remote with pristine views. People highlight its riverside setting on the Green River, historical significance, and excellent stargazing. It’s especially popular as a put‑in and basecamp for Green River rafting trips and short hikes to the Gates of Lodore viewpoint.

Review Summaries

Based on 39 reviews

What Campers Love

Campers praise the stunning scenery, calling it “absolutely breathtaking” with pristine views of Lodore Canyon and the Green River. The campground is described as quiet, spacious, clean, and well...

Based on 39 reviews

Common Concerns

There are very few complaints in these reviews, but a few cautions appear: the access road is gravel and was “tricky on the motorcycle,” and the area is quite remote with no nearby services or cell...

Based on 39 reviews

Pro Tips & Recommendations

Reviewers strongly recommend planning for the remoteness: bring extra fuel because the nearest gas is about an hour away and expect little to no cell service. Pack plenty of water and sunscreen for...

Based on 39 reviews

Camper Quotes

“Quite possibly the best kept secret in the midwest and my very favorite place on Earth.” “An amazing place to camp with some pristine views, can be quite quiet; ranger and ranger house so there is...

Based on 39 reviews

Site-Specific Reviews

No individual campsite numbers or specific site-by-site differences are mentioned. Reviewers speak generally of “spacious sites,” “plenty of camping available,” and the campground being “nice” and...

Based on 39 reviews

Accessibility Features

Some terrain details are mentioned but not framed as formal accessibility information. The trail to see the Gates is described as fairly easy overall but with a bit of vertical at the beginning and...

Based on 39 reviews

Pet-Friendly Features

One reviewer notes that the short hiking trail near the campground is “not dog friendly” and that many main trails in Dinosaur National Monument are also not dog friendly (though some are). No other...

Based on 39 reviews