Railroad Bridge Campground

I would have stayed here if I hadn't already set up camp. It's a great area with easy river access, changing rooms, and restrooms. The bridge is fun to explore and photograph. The views are fabulous, and it's a great place to teach kids about gold panning. Highly recommended!

The scenery and entering the campground were a 5, but the camping itself was a 3, so overall, I give it a 4. Driving under the rock arches was awesome (I measured first to make sure I'd fit). Being right next to the Arkansas River was amazing, and watching the rafters was fun; I might even try it myself! However, $28/night for no amenities is a bit much. No water, trash, or space between sites. It's basically a parking circle around the restrooms. Sites 1, 2, and 3 are just pull-offs with a tent square, fire pit, and picnic table. Site 1 (mine) was the worst; every vehicle that entered or exited kicked up dust. I couldn't even open my RV windows on that side. The other sites were probably better. There's a beautiful trail along the river, but sadly, many dogs were off-leash. There's a nice walk-in tent area with some secluded sites right on the river. Across the street is a dirt road to a day-use area, which is another great walk. The scenery is magnificent! I exited the opposite way I came in, under the arches. The road is narrow, especially with a Class C RV and rafting trucks/trailers coming from the other direction. I even had to back up once. Despite the discomfort, I'm glad I experienced this campground. The beauty and enjoyment outweighed the negatives!

It's a nice campground. Not all spots have trees, so bring shade. The bathrooms were in good condition and well-stocked. There's no potable water, so bring your own. No complaints...and the mountain views are great!

I wouldn't recommend this campground. We camp a lot, and the lack of water/electric wasn't a problem. We wanted to be on the water, so we reserved site 1401 (Friday-Sunday). This is a recreation area, and we loved our view of the river and bridge. The problem is the constant traffic by the campsites. Dozens of cars come and go hourly, plus rafting companies. Rude people even pull up to vacant sites for day use. The view was awesome but ruined by the heavy traffic from 7 AM to 9 PM. Won't come back.

We enjoyed our stay. It's right on the river and only 6 miles on a dirt road from downtown Buena Vista. It gets busy in the afternoon with kayakers and rafters. Camping is a bit pricey: $8/day for parking plus $28/night camping fee. No hookups, just pit toilets and changing areas.