Colorado · Camping · Near Telluride

Corkscrew Camping Area

Is Corkscrew Camping Area open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Corkscrew Camping Area, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

  • At 9,711 ftHigh camp: expect cold nights, even in summer
  • Ouray Ranger DistrictGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests

Corkscrew Camping Area is a dispersed camping area in the San Juan Mountains, about 8 miles from Ouray, Colorado. It sits within the Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, and the Forest Service manages the land. The site offers no vault restroom, so plan for basic facilities. No fees are required to use the area, which makes it an easy base for exploring the surrounding trails. Iconic routes in the region include Black Bear Pass, Corkscrew Gulch, Hayden Trail, Engineer Pass and the Alpine Loop. All-wheel drive or four-wheel drive is recommended for reaching the dispersed camping spots. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Silverton show July highs around 75°F with lows near 38°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-30s and lows drop to about -6°F in January. The Million Dollar Highway Free Campsite is about 0.3 miles away, and the dispersed camp site is about 2 miles off. Climbers can head to Waterfall Wall, about 2.8 miles away, and paddlers to Canyon Creek, about 4.2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Corkscrew Camping Area

    Campground

    Campground · < 0.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Colorado Boy Southwest Pub

    Restaurant

    Open after 6
  • If it rains

    Smuggler Union Tramhouse

    Attraction

    On your way back · 5 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Telluride

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Corkscrew Camping Area

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      34° / -6°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / -3°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 6°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      48° / 17°

      9 wet

    5. May

      58° / 25°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 31°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      75° / 38°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      72° / 37°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 30°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 20°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      43° / 7°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      34° / -5°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Silverton, CO, 9 mi away at 9,285 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.