Campgrounds and RV parks near Swink, CO

Swink sits on the southeastern Colorado plains along U.S. Highway 50, roughly between La Junta and Rocky Ford in the Lower Arkansas River Valley. La Junta is a small town in Otero County on Colorado's southeastern plains, and Swink lies just a few miles up the highway. The terrain is high desert prairie, short grass, and cottonwood-lined river bottoms, not mountains. RV renters use Swink as a base for two very different camping styles. The La Junta KOA Journey provides full hookups and standard private-campground amenities close to town, while John Martin Reservoir State Park sits on a high desert prairie and supports a diverse community of wildlife, with high rocky bluffs and short grass about a half hour east near Hasty. Between those, several Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Wildlife Areas, including Holbrook Reservoir, Timpas Creek, and Horse Creek Reservoir, offer primitive access for license or pass holders, with camping allowed only at specific SWAs and only under posted regulations. The area is uncrowded compared with Colorado's mountain corridors, and reservations at John Martin's developed loops are usually attainable outside major holiday weekends.

John Martin Reservoir State Park uses the Colorado Parks and Wildlife reservation system. A reservation is required to camp at the park, and reservations can be made online at cpwshop.com or by phone at 1-800-244-5613, up to six months in advance of the arrival date. The maximum stay is 14 days within a 28-day period, and a maximum of six people, two motorized vehicles and only one camping unit is allowed per individual site. For State Wildlife Areas including Holbrook Reservoir, Timpas Creek, and Horse Creek Reservoir, no site reservations are taken, but access itself is licensed. A valid hunting or fishing license or SWA pass is required for everyone 16 or older to visit most SWAs, and where camping is permitted, stays are capped at 14 days in any 45-day period per Colorado wildlife regulations. Check each SWA's individual rules, as some are day-use only. The La Junta KOA Journey books directly through KOA's website or reservation line.