Ridgway lies along the Uncompahgre River, and nearby campgrounds provide guests with on-site fishing and other river activities. Ridgway State Park has 295 sites in three campgrounds along the Uncompahgre River and Ridgway Reservoir with electrical hookups for RVs and walk-in sites for the adventurous tent camper. Camper services buildings house showers, laundromats, snack machines and restrooms. Fifteen miles south of town, the Ouray KOA provides a few additional amenities, including a hot tub, Wi-Fi and a dog run.
Cascade Falls tumbles more than 160 feet at the south end of the valley, easily visible from the highway. Amphitheater Campground, 10 miles south of Ridgway, is the starting point for a hike to the dramatic Cascade Falls outside Ouray. The campground sits at an altitude of 8,400 feet and provides camping experiences that include ADA-accessible sites, tent-only sites and parking suitable for RVs up to 35 feet long. Vault toilets, drinking water and fire rings are available onsite, and you may purchase firewood from the campground hosts. The campground is open from May through October, with reservations accepted.
If you long for mountain solitude, you can head out on one of the forest roads that lead into the nearby mountains to set up a dispersed site. You can make your camp within 300 feet of a forest road, providing you do not damage the environment. Set up in a vegetation-free area on a hard-packed surface and use leave-no-trace ethics. You won’t have to pay a fee, but you’ll have to provide your own drinking water and bathroom facilities. The forest also allows backpackers to set up backcountry sites along the way as long as you keep camps more than 100 feet from trails.
Ridgway is situated at an altitude of just below 7,000 feet, but you can quickly find yourself at elevations topping 10,000 feet in the surrounding mountains. Drink plenty of water to replace fluids lost through increased respiration in the rarefied air to prevent symptoms of altitude sickness. Wildfires sparked by lightning or human carelessness are common during the summer season, and Colorado's forests have been left at high risk by pine bark beetle damage and extended drought. Check to make sure the area where you intend to camp has not been damaged by a recent fire and is not in the path of a current one. Wildlife in fire-damaged areas are more likely to wander into your camp to seek food. Keep a clean camp and safely store food, garbage and scented items out of sight in wildlife-resistant containers to avoid unwanted visits from bears. Keep children and pets within arm’s reach to avoid potential attacks from mountain lions.
