Pine River

San Juan National Forest — riverside

Location: Bayfield, CO, CO

Price: From $18 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/pine-river to be notified when sites open up.

Pine River offers stunning scenery with well-maintained trails and a peaceful, low-traffic experience. Campers praise the gorgeous natural setting and appreciate the lack of crowds.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Steller's Jay, Western Tanager, and various snake species (Smooth Greensnake, Wandering Garter Snake, Greater Short-horned Lizard) present in the area.

Insider tips for Pine River: First-come, first-served only — arrive early to secure a site. Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use QR code Scan and Pay feature in this remote area with limited cell service. Only 1 tent site available — plan accordingly and arrive early. Pack all amenities you need — minimal facilities with vault toilets and no hookups.

Skip Pine River if: You need RV hookups or modern amenities. You cannot arrive early for first-come, first-served camping. You prefer developed campgrounds with extensive services. You visit outside the May-October season.

Best time to visit Pine River: May-October — Campground operates seasonally during this period only..

Nearby campgrounds: Vallecito Campground (Bayfield, CO), Middle Mountain (Bayfield, CO), Pine Point (Vallecito Reservoir, Co) (San Juan NF, CO), North Canyon Campground (San Juan NF, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Pine River

Cell signal at Pine River (Bayfield, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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San Juan National Forest — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Pine River

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Bayfield, CO, CO★ 4 (0 reviews)From $18/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups or modern amenities✕ You cannot arrive early for first-come, first-served camping✕ You prefer developed campgrounds with extensive services✕ You visit outside the May-October season

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

First-come, first-served only

arrive early to secure a site.

Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use QR code Scan and Pay feature in this remote area with limited cell service.

Only 1 tent site available

plan accordingly and arrive early.

Pack all amenities you need

minimal facilities with vault toilets and no hookups.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally during this period only.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Steller's Jay, Western Tanager, and various snake species (Smooth Greensnake, Wandering Garter Snake, Greater Short-horned Lizard) present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· San Juan National Forest

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — San Juan National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at San Juan National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Pine River cost per night?+
Pine River costs $18 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Pine River open?+
Pine River is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Pine River have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Pine River?+
Pine River is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Pine River?+
Pine River is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Pine River?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Pine River is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Pine River open, and what are check-in times?+
Pine River is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$18 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Pine River cost per night?+
What season is Pine River open?+
Does Pine River have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Vallecito Campground

Bayfield, CO

From $32/night

Middle Mountain

Bayfield, CO

From $28/night

Pine Point (Vallecito Reservoir, Co)

San Juan NF, CO

From $31/night

North Canyon Campground

San Juan NF, CO

From $28/night

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