Amphitheater Campground — Ouray, Uncompahgre National Forest

Amphitheater is one of the more dramatic established camps in Colorado — it hangs on the rim above Ouray at around 8,400 feet with box canyon walls on three sides and a clear view of the town below. It’s a legitimate USFS developed camp with vault toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables, though sites lean smaller and the road in is narrow enough that big truck-and-trailer rigs should assess carefully. About 30 sites total. It fills fast on summer weekends; weekdays in early season are golden. Hiking access into the Ouray Perimeter Trail is right from camp.

The spur road up from US-550 south of Ouray is paved but steep and tight — anything over about 25 feet of combined rig length gets awkward at the switchbacks. No hookups, no showers, no dump station. It’s a legitimate overlanding basecamp for the Silverton side of Cinnamon Pass, with Ouray fuel and resupply just minutes down the hill.

Cliff-shelf camp towering over Ouray