Gates of Lodore Campground

$12.00/night

Overview

Gates of Lodore Campground is located on the Green River, near the boat ramp at the head of Lodore Canyon. It is at the north end of the monument, 137 miles (220 km) from the Quarry Visitor Center and 106 miles (170 km) from the Canyon Visitor Center. It is a long drive to the area and the wild, remote country adds to its sense of isolation. The campground is popular with river rafters who often stay here before launching on the Green River. 

There are 19 sites, some with shade. The sites have tables and some sites have grills while others have fire pits. During the summer, there is running water and vault toilets, but no showers. The campsites can accommodate tents and RVs (no hook-ups). Access in winter may be difficult due to snow and road conditions.

Recreation

Dinosaur National Monument covers over 210,000 acres (84984 ha).  

  • Visitor Centers. The monument features two visitor centers - one in Colorado and one in Utah.  

  • Quarry Exhibit Hall. You can see over 1,500 dinosaur fossils still in the rock inside the Quarry Exhibit Hall (Jensen, Utah).  

  • History & Culture. Numerous cultural sites reveal stories of the people who lived here before and include Fremont petroglyphs, homestead cabins and former ranches. Hiking trails allow in-depth exploration.  

  • Hiking. There are miles of trails for hiking and cross-country travel.  

  • River Rafting & Boating. Whitewater rafting, both commercial and private, is popular on the Green and Yampa Rivers. The Yampa River multi-day rafting trips begin at Deerlodge Park. The Yampa rushes downstream 44-miles (71 km) to join the Green River at Echo Park. Boaters continue downstream on the Green River to the take-out at the Split Mountain boat ramp. The Yampa is the largest free-flowing tributary within the Colorado River system. As such, it has a shorter season marked by fluctuations in water level resulting from snow received in the winter. It is characterized by famous rapids such as Teepee, Big Joe and Warm Springs. Raft trips must be arranged in advance. For more information, visit Dinosaur's Commercial Guided River Trips page . Private River Trips require a permit. 

  • Scenic Drives. Several roads provide access to key destinations and scenic sites. Scenic drives allow the windshield visitor to see spectacular geology. 

Facilities

Gates of Lodore campground has vault toilets and drinking water spigots (seasonal). All campsites have picnic tables, some have a grill and others a campfire ring.

Natural Features

Just south of the campground, the Green River slices into the mountains and enters the steep-walled Canyon of Lodore. A short trail provides a scenic view of the river.

Nearby Attractions

Charges & Cancellations

This is a Scan & Pay campground. No refunds, changes, cancellations, or other fee changes are allowed with Scan & Pay payments. 

Camp site features

Across 19 camp sites:

  • Fire pit: all 19 sites
  • Pets allowed: all 19 sites
  • Largest party: 8 people

Directions

From Maybell, Colorado, follow US Highway 40 west for approximately 0.4 miles (0.6 km) west. Turn right onto CO 318. Follow 318 west for 46.2 miles (74 km). Turn left onto Moffat County Road 34N. Follow 34N for 1.7 miles (2.7 km). Turn right onto Moffat County Road 34. Follow 34 for 4.5 miles (7.2 km) until you arrive at the ranger station and campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 1 PM.

Reviews

6 reviews
5 stars
3
4 stars
2
3 stars
1
Susan L
Loop:Scan and Pay
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Gates of Lodore is a small campground mainly used for people floating the Green through Dinosaur. The short nature trail goes to an overlook with a great view of the canyon, but there are no other trails near the campground. Our site (#6) had nice shade for most of the day. I gave the campground 3 stars because it was a nice stop for 1 night, BUT the pit toilets really needed attention, probably because they get a lot more use than the size of the campground would normally suggest. If you are not floating and are looking for a campground in the area, I suggest Crook Campground at Brown’s Park National Wildlife Refuge, about 12 miles away.
Andi L
Loop:Scan and Pay
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
We had a wonderful time at this campground. There weren't many others there because of the time of year so we got to pick the spot we wanted. The view from the short hike is incredible.
John L
Loop:Scan and Pay
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
The ranger was rude, but the campground was great. The road in had a little washboarding, but not a problem. We went after some very heavy rain and it was fine. It is so beautiful.
Kaiden K
Loop:Scan and Pay
Site:
Reviewed 4 months ago
All the camp sites in a row and very open, so there isn’t a ton of privacy but only had a few other campers during my visit so everyone was spread apart. Great view up the river and a peaceful campground.
Todd S
Loop:Scan and Pay
Site:
Reviewed 4 months ago
Kevin S
Loop:Scan and Pay
Site:
Reviewed 2 years ago
Beautiful place, Kyle the ranger on site was very nice, welcoming and helpful !
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

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Season dates

Walk In season

Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

First come, first served

Walk In season

Jan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027

First come, first served

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