Durango has seven private RV parks that take overnight guests, and only two post nightly winter rates: Alpen Rose and Westerly. Both sit north of town on the Animas River side. Posted nightly rates for a full-hookup site run from $60 to $103, depending on the park and the season. It is late October, so the picture is lopsided right now. United Campground closed on October 15, and HTR Durango closes on October 31.
This guide compares each park on its own posted numbers: season, hookups, rig length, pets and price. Every rate is "as posted on the park's website in October 2026." Rates change, so confirm before you book. We left out parks we could not verify, and we say "Not listed" where a park does not publish a figure.
Which Durango RV park is best for you?
Match the park to the trip, not to the star rating. This matrix does that using each park's posted facts.
| If your trip is... | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A ride on the Durango & Silverton train | United Campground | The narrow gauge tracks run through the park, 4 miles from downtown |
| A Purgatory ski trip | Alpen Rose RV Park | The only park with a full winter rate card, on US-550 north of town, the ski area's highway |
| A river trip | JW Durango Riverside or Alpen Rose | JW lists 17 RV and cabin sites that touch the Animas; Alpen Rose delivers paddleboards to the river |
| A hot springs weekend | Westerly RV Park | It sits next to Durango Hot Springs |
| The lowest posted price | Westerly | $60 to $70 a night |
| A big rig | Durango Ranch RV Resort | Pull-through sites from 56 to 88 feet, all 30 and 50 amp |
| Quiet and small | Durango Ranch | 19 sites on a family hay ranch |
| A month or more | Alpen Rose or Durango RV Resort | Both post monthly or long-term options; Alpen Rose lists $900 to $1,000 in winter |
How do the Durango RV parks compare?
Table 1 covers location, season, hookups and rig length. Distances are the figures each park or the official tourism office publishes.
| Park | Distance from downtown | Season as posted | Hookups | Max rig length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Campground | 4 miles north | May 1 to Oct 15 | 100+ RV sites with water, electric and sewer | Not stated |
| Alpen Rose RV Park | 5 miles north | Year-round | 100 full-hookup sites, 30 or 50 amp | Not stated; big rig sites A to K |
| Westerly RV Park | 5 miles north (Visit Durango) | Open all year (Visit Durango) | Full hookups at every site, 30 or 50 amp | Not stated |
| HTR Durango (formerly Lightner Creek) | 5 miles west, about 10 minutes | May 1 to Oct 31 | Full hookup May 15 to Oct 11; electric-only dry camping after | Not stated |
| Durango RV Resort (listed as Oasis Durango) | 5 miles per the park; 7 miles per Visit Durango | Cabins all year; RV winter dates not posted | Full hookup, 50, 30 and 20 amp | 80 feet |
| Durango Ranch RV Resort | 11 miles south, about 15 minutes | Rates posted through Nov 14, 2026 | 19 full-hookup sites, 30 and 50 amp | 36 to 42 feet back-in; 56 to 88 feet pull-through |
| JW Durango Riverside | Not stated; Hermosa Valley on County Road 250 | Monthly sites through Oct 31; off-peak hours posted at front desk | 73 full-hookup sites, 30 or 50 amp | 45 feet |
Sources disagree on one distance. The Roberts Resorts site says Durango RV Resort is five miles from downtown, while Visit Durango's listing says seven. Plan on 5 to 7.
What do the parks charge, and who allows pets?
Table 2 pulls rates, Wi-Fi, pets and Google ratings together. The last column is our own math: three nights in a 50-amp site at the summer 2026 rate, before tax and fees. We only computed it where the park posts a nightly price.
| Park | Nightly rate as posted | Wi-Fi | Pets | 3 nights, 50 amp (computed) | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Campground | $71 water and electric; $76 full hookup 30 amp; $89 full hookup 50/30 amp pull-through; $52 tent | Free | Pet friendly | $267 | 4.1 (527 reviews) |
| Alpen Rose | $77 to $103 summer; $71.80 to $95.50 through Oct 31; $66 to $87 winter | Free at your site | Three-dog limit; dog wash and playground | $258 (regular 50 amp, summer) | 4.5 (694 reviews) |
| Westerly | $70 summer, $60 winter, plus $5 for 50 amp | Free | $2 a day; fenced dog area | $225 | 4.1 (137 reviews) |
| HTR Durango | Not listed | Free | Up to two pets, proof of vaccination | Not listed | 4.3 (478 reviews) |
| Durango RV Resort | Not listed on the park's site | Wi-Fi and cable | Off-leash dog park | Not listed | 4.4 (566 reviews) |
| Durango Ranch | $77 back-in, $86 pull-through (May 1 to Nov 14) | Free, capped at 3 GB a day per site | Up to three dogs, two dog parks | $231 back-in; $258 pull-through | 5.0 (231 reviews) |
| JW Durango Riverside | Nightly not listed; monthly $1,500 (28 ft) or $1,700 (44 ft) through Oct 31 | Free basic; paid upgrade | Dog park; one pet included | Not listed | 3.8 (530 reviews) |
Ratings come from our Google data and will drift. United's rates are from its 2026 rates page. Alpen Rose calls its figures "minimum rates" that "can change at any time." Durango Ranch gives 10 percent off stays over seven nights. JW Durango Riverside takes 15 percent off a week with the code "Weekly."
One rule matters for older rigs. Alpen Rose and Durango Ranch both require an RVIA-certified, fully self-contained unit. Alpen Rose also says no tents and no pickups with camper shells. Ask before you book if your rig is a conversion or a home build.
Which Durango RV parks are open in winter?
Alpen Rose is the clearest answer. Its winter season runs November 1 through March 31, with posted rates of $66 a night for a 30-amp site, $78.50 for 50 amp and $87 for a pull-through big rig. Weekly rates run $438 to $522, and monthly rates are $900 to $1,000. Westerly lists a $60 winter nightly rate, and Visit Durango says it is open all year.
| Park | Status as of Oct 23, 2026 | Winter price posted |
|---|---|---|
| Alpen Rose | Open; winter season Nov 1 to Mar 31 | $66 to $87 a night; $900 to $1,000 a month |
| Westerly | Open all year per Visit Durango | $60 a night, plus $5 for 50 amp |
| Durango RV Resort | Cabins run all year; a promotion covers arrivals through Dec 17 | Not listed; call (970) 247-0783 |
| Durango Ranch | Rates posted through Nov 14 | No winter rate posted |
| HTR Durango | Dry camping only; closes Oct 31 | Not applicable |
| United Campground | Closed Oct 15; reopens May 1 | Not applicable |
| JW Durango Riverside | Monthly sites through Oct 31 | Call (970) 247-4499 |
| Durango RV Park (5875 US-550) | Open year-round | Monthly only: $575 plus electric; guests 18 and older; no dogs |
Winter RV living has its own chores. Park a few days early to find out how a park handles frozen water lines and snow removal. United, HTR Durango and Durango Ranch all ban wood fires, and Durango Ranch bans generators too. Durango RV Park says it plows through the winter.
Where can you hook up at public campgrounds?
The Forest Service campgrounds near Durango mostly have electric only. The agency states that sewer, water hookups and showers are not available at its campgrounds. Here is what the Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) post:
- Junction Creek: 14 electric sites, about 5 miles northwest of town, maximum RV size 60 feet. Open May through September.
- Haviland Lake: 17 electric sites, 19 miles north on US-550, maximum RV size 45 feet. Open May through September.
- Vallecito Campground: 3 electric sites out of 80, about 30 road miles from downtown, maximum RV size 45 feet.
- Navajo State Park: Rosa Campground has full-hookup sites, and Carracas has electric-only sites. CPW says campers use the park year-round. It is about 51 road miles from downtown by our routing, and reservations are required.
- Mancos State Park: no electric hookups at all. It has 32 campsites and two yurts and stays open to the public year-round. It is about 34 road miles from downtown.
CPW also charges a daily vehicle pass of $10 to $15 at both state parks. The Forest Service campgrounds are closed for the season, so none of them helps you this week. For tent camping, free dispersed sites and the rules for each, see our Durango camping guide and the San Juan National Forest guide.
Where are dump stations, propane and repairs?
Start with the park you booked. HTR Durango says it has a dump station on site. Visit Durango says Durango Ranch has one. Alpen Rose and Durango RV Resort both list propane among their services. We could not verify a current public dump station with a street address and hours, so call ahead if you are only passing through.
United Campground keeps a list of local repair shops on its website. It names mobile RV repair services, McNeal's RV & Auto Center on US-160 West and Tarpley RV on US-160 East. Need a rig without owning one? Durango RV Rental rents them.
What should big rigs know about US-550 and the passes?
Every park above sits south of the high passes, so a Durango stay does not force a pass crossing. The trouble starts if you drive to Silverton or Ouray. US-550 climbs over Coal Bank Pass at 10,640 feet, and Red Mountain Pass is higher. Our Million Dollar Highway guide covers the drive.
Winter rules come from CDOT. It can turn on the Traction Law or the Chain Law on any state highway, and it posts them on COtrip.org. Under the Traction Law, tires need at least 3/16 inch of tread and an all-weather, mud-and-snow or mountain-snowflake rating, or you carry chains. A heavy motorhome or a truck-and-trailer combination can fall under the commercial chain rules even when you are not hauling for pay. The Colorado State Patrol bases that rule on weight rating, so check yours. Our sister site explains the thresholds in its guide to tire chains in Durango.
Purgatory is roughly 26 miles up US-550, by the Forest Service's count. Skiers based at Alpen Rose or Westerly make that run without touching Coal Bank. Lift tickets, lodging and base-area details live in our Purgatory guide, and the ski areas near Durango list covers the rest.
How do you pick by what you will do?
For the train, book United Campground. Its website calls the view of the Durango & Silverton "the best," because the tracks run through the park. Per its amenities page, United also sits on the city trolley line, with Oxbow Park river access and the Animas River Trail 0.8 mile south on Animas View Dr. Tickets and timetables: train guide. Path map: Animas River Trail guide.
Alpen Rose rents e-bikes and stand-up paddleboards through Roll Durango, with river delivery within 10 miles of downtown. Westerly's site lists an Animas River launch, and it sits next to Durango Hot Springs. For fishing at Haviland or Vallecito, see the fishing guide and the Vallecito Lake guide. If a park is full, where to stay in Durango covers hotels and cabins, and the stay listings show more.
