wildernet

San Carlos Ranger District

Quick Facts

Ophir Creek Campground

Elevation:	8,900 Feet (2774.3 Meters)
Length of Stay:	14 Days
Number of Sites:	30
Reservation Remarks:	Tent or small trailer recommended
Reservation Status:	Not Accepted

		Satellite and Topo Map

General Description

Ophir Creek Campground is located approximately eight miles north of the Lake
Isabel Recreation Area. (See the travel directions to the La Vista
Campground.) Ophir Creek Campground is reached by taking State Highway 165
north from Lake Isabel for eight miles to Forest Road 360, then left on Forest Road 360 for 200
feet to Forest Road 361, then left on Forest Road 361 for 0.5 miles to the campground.

Ophir Creek Campground consists of 31 individual family campsites. Each site
consists of a table and fire ring. This campground is most suitable for tent
camping, however, ten of the campsites have attached parking spurs which are
suitable for trailers or RVs. The remaining sites are walk-in tent sites. The
facilities are in fair to good condition. Drinking water is provided by three
deep wells with hand pumps. Sanitation facilities consist of three double-unit
and one single-unit vault toilets. Trash collection is by contractor-furnished
dumpsters. Attractions include stream fishing, stream running through
campground, hiking and bike riding, and scenic viewing. Ophir Creek has an
average use rate of 35% during the normal operating season.

Directions from Florence: At Jct Rte 67 & Rte 50, go 14.6 mi. to Wetmore. Right onto Rte 96 west for 9.4 mi. Left on Rte 165 south for 11.4 mi.

Seasonal Information:
Normal Services Available: Mid-May through Mid-September (NOTE: Gated entrance) .

Fee Information

Type	Price	Remarks
Single unit fee	Call for Current Fee	Drinking water, toilets, dumps

		Current Conditions & Trip Reports
		Add your own trip Report! Newly re-released feature. One of the most popular features on Wildernet, trip reports allow you to share your experiences with others. This is an invaluable resource for determining what to expect on your outdoor adventure, so please participate! To prevent spamming, you must be a registered user of Wildernet in order to submit a trip report Filed By: Michael Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: Stayed at campsite 18, right by stream, very nice. 26th of August, rainy and cold the afternoon we arrived, nicer the next day. The waterfall is about a 30 minute walk upstream, cross the river back and forth three times. Fall is about a 25 foot drop in three steps. Bishops castle is VERY interesting, he was there when we went, San Isabel Lake is about 10 miles away, fairly crowded there. Never saw the camp host, so never had any firewood. Site a few back looked very nice across a small bridge on other side of stream. Conditions: Rainy when arrived, chilly, no bugs, lots of fallen trees down to cross stream, nice shade. Water Availability: Pump water. Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: SECLUDED, LUSH VEGITATION, NICE CREEK. NEAR BISHOP,S CASTLE (A "MUST SEE") SEVERAL NICE TRAILS AND FOREST ROADS IN THE AREA Conditions: GOOD SHADE AND SUNLIGHT Water Availability: USED PUMP WATER FOR WASHING, BUT HAD OUR OWN DRINKING WATER Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Neutral Report: Ophir creek is only 1 hour from Pueblo and never as crowded as San Isabel lake. There is a considerable amount of tree grafitti and several downed trees. Our campsite however, was fairly clean and had very little "tree grafitti". I recommend a hike up the creek. I took my 3 kids age: 11, 9 & 7 up to a nice waterfall. We took our time up and it took around 50 minutes. Once there the scenery is pleasant, there are fewer damaged & diseased trees and a great place to rest and take it all in. Conditions: We encountered rain which briefly turned to hail and back to rain again and lasted one hour. We took shelter under a large rock before returning to camp. Along the trail there were a few spongy spots but no mud and no bugs. It was still overcast but the vegetation looked incredible after the brief rain. Water Availability: There was a pump well near our campsite that we used only for rinsing out some dishes. I chose to pack in our own drinking water. Number of People Encountered: 11-25 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Neutral Report: Ophir creek campground is a nice quiet place away from the larger reservation type campgrounds. It took a while to find the campground host but be patient, he'll find you. The scenery isn't all that great at the site itself. I suggest hiking up a mile or two South to SouthWest. A good trail to follow. The further you get away from the campground the fewer vandalized Aspen trees-a real eyesore. About a 45-60 minute hike and you'll come across a small waterfall. Don't expect any fish but after an hour hike you'll appreciate a cool dip. Conditions: Most of the sites I encountered were at least partial shade. Not many fallen trees around, no trash, sites seemed to be kept up nice. Water Availability: Hand well pumps are sporadic throughout the campsite and a clean creekbed to grab a sip as needed while hiking was reassuring.