Ponderosa Group

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37.96778, -105.06722
County Road 374 Rye Colorado 81069 US

Ponderosa Group Campground, located near the sparkling 40-acre Lake Isabel, beckons large groups for picnicking and camping in the Lake Isabel Recreation Area. 

The campground accommodates 61-120 guests for day-use ($150 day use fee) and 60 guests for overnight camping. Visitors can enjoy entertainment like volleyball and horseshoes, or head to the lake for canoeing and fishing. 

Lake Isabel is one of the few lakes in Colorado developed solely for recreational purposes. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the lake attracts many campers who come to hike, canoe, fish and spend time bird watching. St. Charles Creek flows near the campground and offers additional fishing opportunities.

Shady pine and aspen trees are scattered throughout the campground. The shoreline of Lake Isabel meets the rocky base of sweeping mountains at an elevation of 8,600 feet. At 8,600 feet the area enjoys cool summer days, a welcome relief from the heat in the plains far below.

The Pike and San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado’s mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet.

Reservation Information

For Reservations Call: 877-444-6777

Campground Information

Know Before You Go:

  • Be bear aware; keep all food out of sight in approved containers or locked inside your vehicle and remove all food from area after eating
  • Limit 28 vehicles; a $5 nightly fee is charged for extra vehicles
  • This is a high elevation facility, please use caution when traveling from lower elevations
  • This facility has first-come, first-served sites
  • No electric hookups available
  • No firearms or fireworks
  • Limited water available; no RV water hookups
  • For more information on Pike and San Isabel National Forests,click here
  • Don’t Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing organisms by obtaining firewood at or near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visitdontmovefirewood.org.
Camping & Recreation

Kayaking, canoeing and fishing are popular in Lake Isabel. Brown and brook trout are stocked in the lake and the St. Charles headwaters reap brook trout. 

Guests can enjoy hiking, bicycling or motorcycling on either the Snow Slide Trail or Cisneros Trail. The 15-mile Cisneros Trail, also open to ATV riders, leads to the heart of the Wet Mountains, through forests and open, wildflower-speckled valleys. Along the way, the trail connects to St. Charles Trail, which heads to St. Charles Peak.

The Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway is a great route to explore and snap photos. 

A nearby lodge offers paddle and rowboat rentals, groceries and a restaurant. Golf courses are about 15 minutes away.

Within Facility

  • Accessible Vault Toilets
  • Drinking Water
  • Firewood Vendor
  • Fishing
  • Grills
  • Hiking
  • Horseshoe Pit
  • Tables
  • Trash Collection
  • Vault Toilets
  • Volleyball Courts
Services & Facilities

The group campground has a picnic shelter that seats 25 to 30 people, a group-sized charcoal grill and eight single-site campfire rings. A horseshoe pit, volleyball court, vault toilets, drinking water from a hand pump and dumpsters are provided.

Directions

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
37.96778, -105.06722
37°58’4″N, 105°4’2″W

From Pueblo, go 25 miles south on I-25 to exit 74. Go west 18 miles on state Highway 165. Turn into the south entrance at Lake Isabel and drive 1 mile. Look for Ponderosa Group campground signs.

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