San Luis Lakes Campground
Dept. Fish & Wildlife
Write a Review 16399 Lane 6 N Hooper, CO 81136 719-587-6900 Official WebsiteGPS: 37.6772, -105.7331
Overview of San Luis Lakes Campground
A valid Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) hunting or fishing license is required for everyone 18 or older accessing any State Wildlife Area effective July 1, 2020. An annual hunting or fishing license can be purchased through a CPW authorized sales agent, by phone 800-244-5613, or online at cpwshop.com. For more information check out What You Need to Know Before Camping on Trust Land in Colorado.
Last Price Paid: $0
Reported by Linda on 10/18/2024
Longest RV Reported: 45 feet (Fifth Wheel)
Reported by Haznavy on 10/2/2021
Number of Sites 51
Pad Type asphalt
Elevation 7,513 ft / 2,289 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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Q&A - Ask the Community about San Luis Lakes Campground
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 719-587-6900
DaveKiwi asked on 6/12/2021
I'm considering going to this campground on Mon night for 1 night so we can be close to the Sanddunes. Wondering if I...
Hollie asked on 6/10/2021
Do you have to have a permit to camp at San Luis State Wildlife Area - if so how do you get one?
camper-769027 asked on 3/19/2023
Is the needed fishing license per person or per RV/vehicle?
jknox asked on 9/15/2022
Can we safely unhook and leave our 5th wheel at the CG to visit Great Sand Dune NP? Thank you
Haznavy asked on 9/28/2021
Is the dump station open? We drove through and it looked open but, with no water service, thought I'd better ask. TIA
John asked on 7/4/2021
Does anyone know where I can fill up my water tanks near San Luis State Wildlife Area Campground? Thank you!
Reviews of San Luis Lakes Campground 95 people have reviewed this location.
“Great spot, just make sure to get water”
Reviewed 9/6/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
Site Number: | 2nd Loop C |
This is a great remote camp ground. They don't up keep the facility so the shrubs growing up on the buildings and gravel roads make it seem abandoned from the front. Enter through the exit side if you are a big rig, my fifth wheel wouldn't fit under it. When your busy trying to figure out where to go and avoid the bushes its easy to mi... more
This is a great remote camp ground. They don't up keep the facility so the shrubs growing up on the buildings and gravel roads make it seem abandoned from the front. Enter through the exit side if you are a big rig, my fifth wheel wouldn't fit under it. When your busy trying to figure out where to go and avoid the bushes its easy to miss that major issue. I'm not sure where locally you can fill up with water, I tried topping off our tank at a local campground recommended in the comments and they wanted $.50/gallon which comes out to the cost of just getting a site there. They just repaved the road in however the park road is gravel until you get to the camp site areas. I also recommend walking the sites to find the right one if you are a large rig. My trailer is 41ft and the first Loop C was to sharp but managed to make it through.
TX-CO-MO would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
Reviewed 8/21/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 10 |
san dunes swimming pool in hooper- $10.00 to dump and refill frsh water. plus they have hot springs pool and a great adult hots springs and sauna.
m would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Best campground before Great Sand Dunes National Park”
Reviewed 6/30/2022
Days stayed: | 2 |
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Site Number: | LOOP C 48 |
Plenty of spots here about 10 miles from the park. Free 30 and 50 amps hook ups but no water fill before you get here. You need to buy a Colorado Parks and Wildlife permit about $10.23 x person for a year. The place is great spacious and good for big rigs. Have dump station but again no water. The view here are 360 degrees with all th... more
Plenty of spots here about 10 miles from the park. Free 30 and 50 amps hook ups but no water fill before you get here. You need to buy a Colorado Parks and Wildlife permit about $10.23 x person for a year. The place is great spacious and good for big rigs. Have dump station but again no water. The view here are 360 degrees with all the mountains around some 80 miles away. Lots of birds.
AMERICAN EAGLE would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great for big rigs near Great Sand Dunes NP”
Reviewed 6/10/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
Site Number: | 13 |
RV Length: | 35' (Fifth Wheel) |
As others have said, this is a very nice spot with great views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain and the sand dunes of the national park. The sites are large and have 50 amp and sheltered picnic tables. The host did come by to be sure we had obtained our SWA pass, which was $10.23 a person for seniors. There is a dump but no water. N... more
As others have said, this is a very nice spot with great views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain and the sand dunes of the national park. The sites are large and have 50 amp and sheltered picnic tables. The host did come by to be sure we had obtained our SWA pass, which was $10.23 a person for seniors. There is a dump but no water.
NOTE: The road “6 N” from Highway 17 is currently closed until about July 20. This means if you are coming from the north it is about a 50 minute detour to go to Alamosa and travel via Highway 150. After July 20 the 6 N road will be closed from the campground east toward Great Sand Dunes National Park until sometime in September.
This link on the park website details the closure.
https://www.nps.gov/grsa/learn/news/summer-route-closure-of-lane-6-between-mosca-and-great-sand-dunes-npp.htm
Big Fry would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Free 50 amp electrical Hook ups Great Mountain Views”
Reviewed 6/10/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 13 |
Site Number: | 13 |
RV Length: | 40' (Fifth Wheel) |
The camping is free including electrical 50 amps. This place has no water, but it does have a trash dumpster and a dump. The best way to handle no water when dumping is to drop your poop thru the first, the black tank, followed by your gray tanks next. This action will help clean out your lines. There is a Maverick station in Alamosa... more
The camping is free including electrical 50 amps.
This place has no water, but it does have a trash dumpster and a dump. The best way to handle no water when dumping is to drop your poop thru the first, the black tank, followed by your gray tanks next. This action will help clean out your lines. There is a Maverick station in Alamosa Colorado. The Maverick has a free dump, water, and lower fuel cost.
StormWatch would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Fantastic find! ”
Reviewed 6/2/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
Site Number: | 41 |
RV Length: | 31' (Travel Trailer) |
Stayed here on a whim at the last minute in order to beat the TX heat on our journey to Mueller State Park and were so happy to find this hidden gem. Arrived late in the evening on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend and were still able to find a few open spots so don’t let the fact that you can’t make a reservation scare you off. U... more
Stayed here on a whim at the last minute in order to beat the TX heat on our journey to Mueller State Park and were so happy to find this hidden gem. Arrived late in the evening on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend and were still able to find a few open spots so don’t let the fact that you can’t make a reservation scare you off. Upon our arrival late at night we were almost scared away by the creepy entrance without any lights or visible signage. Please see photo. The park itself was fantastic, roads well maintained, nice for riding bikes and no traffic aside from the campers. My kids thought the ghost town campground vibe was creepy but I really thought it added to the overall appeal. The dark skies at night are fantastic. We came the night of a new moon and were told you could see the milky way early in the morning. The fill-in campground host was very knowledgeable and friendly. The proximity to great sand dunes NP could not be beat. Such a fun activity and pet friendly unlike most NPs. I would give this campground a 10/10 if possible. I wish we lived closer so we could go back.
Twallace would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Stayed April 18th, 2022 - 1st night out on a 17 day road trip”
Reviewed 5/11/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | ? |
Interesting spot. Seems that the reason for the State Park dried up when the lake did - no lake in sight, just the lake bed. Big CG with some sites having electric, ramadas (shelters), picnic tables and fire pits. Views of the Sand Dunes and the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Lots of wind when we were there. Camp host stopped by about 3 ... more
Interesting spot. Seems that the reason for the State Park dried up when the lake did - no lake in sight, just the lake bed. Big CG with some sites having electric, ramadas (shelters), picnic tables and fire pits. Views of the Sand Dunes and the Sangre de Cristo mountains.
Lots of wind when we were there. Camp host stopped by about 3 minutes after we backed into a site to check that we (both of us) had Colorado fishing licenses. It is free if you have a Colorado fishing or hunting license.
No water, as others have mentioned and no trees. Dump station operational but without water.
HPD would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Hassle if not a hunter, not great for tents ”
Reviewed 3/21/2022
Requires a Colorado Parks & Wildlife annual license, which costs $50/year or $8/day if you're not already a licensed hunter, but you have to buy these passes offsite. The campground host did not check while I was there, but the money goes to support parks so please make sure to pay. There are 2-3 outhouses for the entire site, with... more
Requires a Colorado Parks & Wildlife annual license, which costs $50/year or $8/day if you're not already a licensed hunter, but you have to buy these passes offsite. The campground host did not check while I was there, but the money goes to support parks so please make sure to pay.
There are 2-3 outhouses for the entire site, with one loop not having any at all. This really needs to be improved. One of the pit toilets was so low it was like being in a kindergarten bathroom. There is handicap accessible campsite but NO accessible bathroom (the small building where it probably was was locked).
Sites are incredibly beautiful. All have decent views and some have amazing views...I could watch sunset/sunrise over the Sand Dunes or across the valley from my sleeping bag. All sites have fire grates, picnic table, little sun/wind shelter. Spacing is ok, grading is variable but mostly ok.
There's a sign recommending about 10 best sites for tents. Lots of sites would be quite awful for tents since there's no tent pad and fresh gravel.
Between the lack of bathrooms and the lack of tent pads, this is better suited to RVs. But the views and location are amazing so to me it was worth it.
First come first served, less than 10 sites in use in March 2022 (weekend during local spring break).
Gravel road is well maintained.
Picnic sites along the lake. Didn't see any wildlife.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
Reviewed 1/29/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
As other reviews have mentioned, this was intended to be a state park but there was an issue with the water supply so it was turned over to the Wildlife Department. The campground is huge, comprised of three separate loops, and each site has 15, 30, and 50 amp plugs. There is no water, but there is a dump station and dumpsters at the e... more
As other reviews have mentioned, this was intended to be a state park but there was an issue with the water supply so it was turned over to the Wildlife Department. The campground is huge, comprised of three separate loops, and each site has 15, 30, and 50 amp plugs. There is no water, but there is a dump station and dumpsters at the entrance. There is an official-looking entry booth, but it is not manned. The road to the campground is well-marked. There are plenty of pull-throughs for larger rigs and tons of long back-ins. Each campsite has a sun shelter, picnic table, electricity, and fire ring with grill-top. If you need wood, both City Market and Safeway in Alamosa sell it, but Safeway is cheaper (3 bundles for $15, versus City Market 3 bundles for $18.)
There seems to be some confusion regarding the pass you need (and I was confused too). Basically, you go to the CPW (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) website and buy a Colorado State Wildlife annual pass. As of this writing in January 2022, it's $36.08 for an annual pass or $8.00 for a day pass, per person over the age of 16. Each person over 16 needs one. When you get to the checkout screen, you can have them mail the pass to your residence or you can choose to pick it up at an authorized location. I chose to pick mine up at Walmart in Alamosa. Whatever you choose to do, you have 90 days to pick it up and in the meantime, they send you a temporary pass over email that's good for those 90 days. I have stayed here twice (roughly 7 days total) and only once was my pass checked (and that's because my nosy (and very noisy) neighbors squealed on me to the camp host. I'm not sure what their problem was...) Anyways, I showed him my email pass and all was well. The pass is good at many other locations throughout Colorado, so if you're staying for more than a few nights or plan on visiting other Fish and Wildlife areas, spring for the annual pass.
This campground is close to the Sand Dunes and has excellent views of them. The sunsets are fantastic. There is also a fishing lake that I didn't really check out. There are not many hiking opportunities within walking distance, but if you're feeling adventurous, head up to Zapata Falls on the way to the Sand Dunes--the road has just been re-graded and is quite nice to drive.
Finally, I would like to mention that while trying to back into a spot, I got my van stuck in deep, soft sand. How embarrassing! Don't be like me--stay on the gravel pad! And a big shoutout to a gentleman named Tim (and his dog Casey) who noticed I was stuck and not only let me borrow his shovel but also helped rock the van out of the sand. I'm glad there are still good people in the world; thanks Tim!
Sara-No-H would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Nice Clean Campground”
Reviewed 1/17/2022
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
RV Length: | 25' (Travel Trailer) |
No water. Has dump station. Free if you have a CO fishing license. Close to the great sand dunes. Clean and nice campsites. Electricity is available but please use sparingly so it stays free.
Adventures with C.A.K.E. would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“NOT ACTUALLY FREE”
Reviewed 8/3/2019
Nightly rate: | $36 |
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Days stayed: | 0 |
Listed as a free Campendium site. However, any adults 18-64 require a $36 annual CWP pass in order to camp. Don’t get into town after hours or you’re not getting this, as they’re only available at local agent’s offices, and you’re not staying here without it, as Camp host is checking passes and does not sell them on site. Should have... more
Listed as a free Campendium site. However, any adults 18-64 require a $36 annual CWP pass in order to camp. Don’t get into town after hours or you’re not getting this, as they’re only available at local agent’s offices, and you’re not staying here without it, as Camp host is checking passes and does not sell them on site. Should have read more than the first reviews, otherwise we would have figured this out before we got here
Karen would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Amenities
Hookups
- 50 Amp
- 30 Amp
- 20 Amp
- Partial Hookups
Recreation
- picnic area
- recreation trail
Site Amenities
- big rig
- fire ring
- picnic table
- pull thru
Facilities
- dump station
- laundry
- restrooms: flush
- showers
- trash
Pets
- pets
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