Pike & San Isabel Forest

O’Haver Campground, located on the shores of O’Haver Lake, attracts many campers for fishing, bird watching and canoeing on the calm, pleasant lakes. During peak season, interpretive programs are offered most weekends. Nearby mountain biking and hiking opportunities are also available. 

Campers can venture on a trip to part of the popular Colorado Trail. The multi-purpose trail extends for 487 miles from Denver to Durango, with altitude variations ranging from 5,500 to 13,300 feet.

Campsites have limited understory and sites are situated close to one another. O’Haver sits at an elevation of 9,200 feet, in a forest of ponderosa pine and aspen. 

Ponderosa pines provide a fresh vanilla scent in the mountain air and aspens please visitors with golden foliage displays in autumn. Nearby O’Haver Lake spans 15 acres.

Silver Dollar Campground is situated near the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake in the shade of a lodgepole pine and subalpine fir forest. The family-friendly campground is a popular summer destination for boating, hiking and fishing.

Campsites are nestled in the forest within walking distance of the scenic lakeshore at 10,000 feet in elevation. The Mount Massive Wilderness Area is nearby. The 30,540-acre expanse encompasses Mount Massive, Colorado’s second highest peak at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.

Collegiate Peaks Campground is located 11 miles west of Buena Vista, Colorado, along Middle Cottonwood Creek near the top of Cottonwood Pass. The campground offers well-spaced campsites and scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Visitors enjoy fishing and exploring local trails.

The campground sits at an elevation of 9,800 feet, tucked in a dense stand of ponderosa pine and aspen. Some sites sit alongside the creek while others are tucked back in the woods. Afternoon thunderstorms are common during summer months. 

Cottonwood Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. The road reaches the divide at an elevation of 12,126 feet.

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.

Cascade Campground is located in beautiful Chalk Creek Canyon in central Colorado. This popular facility sits near Cascade Falls and within 10 miles of a private hot springs resort, making it an ideal location for rest and relaxation. It’s also a great destination for visitors looking for off-road vehicle trails.

The campground is situated in a dense forest of Douglas fir and aspen at an elevation of 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. 

Chalk Creek is just across the road from the campground. It flows 27 miles eastward from the Collegiate Peaks before joining the Arkansas River. Chalk Lake is a mile east of the campground.

Printer Boy Group Campground is located near Turquoise Lake, in an area with plenty of recreational opportunities, including boating, fishing and hiking.

The campground is situated within walking distance of the lake shore in a forest of lodgepole pine and sub-alpine fir. 

The Mount Massive Wilderness area, a 30,540 acre stretch of primitive land is nearby. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.

Purgatoire Campground is nestled near the headwaters of the Purgatoire River in the beautiful Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The primitive campground is laid out on two loops. One is a large grassy meadow with sites that accommodate equestrian campers and one that is wooded with aspen and spruce. The access road is very rough and is not suitable for low-clearance trailers. 

Constructed by the Youth Conservation Corp in 1976, Purgatoire was originally named Potato Patch Campground. The river provides nice fishing and a trailhead attracts hikers and horseback riders.

The campground is in an aspen and conifer forest near the North Fork River at an elevation of 9,800 feet. The river, also known as the Purgatoire River, flows 196 miles to the confluence of the Arkansas River. 

Pike-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.

Pike Community is a group campground located about 6 miles north of Woodland Park in central Colorado. It is a popular choice for of all ages, complete with a baseball field, playground, sand volleyball court and a horseshoe pit. Campers enjoy nearby access to hiking and biking trails.

Located within a ponderosa pine forest, the campground is nestled in a ponderosa pine forest at an elevation of 7,700 feet.

South Meadows campground, located 5 miles north of Woodland Park, provides a scenic spot for campers to rest and enjoy the many recreational offerings of the area. The campground attracts avid hikers and bikers with access to the multipurpose Centennial Trail, as well as visitors looking for a central location for day trips to Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods. 

Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark in Colorado Springs, featuring incredible rock formations, impressive vistas and a free visitor and nature center.

Campsites are tucked in a stand of ponderosa pines at an elevation of 8,000 feet. To the east is Mount Deception and to the north is the 5-acre Manitou Lake. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer months and temperatures are generally mild, with warm and pleasant days and cooler nights.

La Vista Campground is situated in a meadow overlooking the west side of the 40-acre Lake Isabel. It is set along the Frontier Pathways and Historic Byway in the Wet Mountains along one of the Colorado Birding Trails. 

Lake Isabel is one of the few lakes in Colorado developed purely for recreation 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. 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.

Nestled among aspen and tall Douglas fir trees, St. Charles Campground is in a quiet part of the Lake Isabel Recreation Area. Located on the banks of St. Charles Creek, the campground is popular with campers who enjoy the sounds of water tumbling through the shaded boulders.

The campground sits a mile west of Lake Isabel in the Wet Mountains, a beautiful range in the San Isabel National Forest. At an elevation of 8,600 feet, Lake Isabel was designed and constructed in the 1930s as a recreational haven from the dusty plains far below. Rugged mountain peaks in the area provide water for the abundant wildlife and fish populations.

Chalk Lake is a very popular campground with an array of recreational opportunities like hiking, mountain biking and off-road vehicle riding. Visitors also enjoy fishing at Chalk Lake and Chalk Creek. 

Chalk Creek Canyon offers scenic views and stark contrasts between white chalk-like canyon walls and dense pine forests.

The campground is situated near the shore of Chalk Lake at the edge of a stand of Douglas fir and aspen trees. The lake sits at an elevation of 9,000 feet in Chalk Creek Canyon, which gets its name from the soft, white, chalk-like kaolinite canyon walls. Kaolinite is a clay mineral that was deposited by percolating hot springs. 

Chalk Creek can be accessed from the campground. It flows 27 miles eastward from the Collegiate Peaks before joining the Arkansas River. Chalk Lake is a mile east of the campground. 

A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including chipmunks, hummingbirds, birds of prey and mule deer. 

Afternoon thundershowers are common during July and August.

The Timberline Campground, near Kenosha Pass, is about 7 miles southwest of the small town of Grant. The abundance of aspens at the site creates impressive fall scenery along the forested hillside. Wildlife in the area includes golden eagles, elk, mule deer, moose, chipmunks and porcupines.

The family campsites are divided into two loops, that are separated by a rise. Both loops sit among a stand of aspen, spruce and lodgepole pines along Hoosier Creek. The campground sits at an altitude of 9,700 feet and features mild summer temperatures and cool nights.

ATTENTION:  Water is available at this campground however you will not be permitted to fill up your RV or Trailer with Water from the system.  There is not enough water available in the water system to provide that amount of water to everyone.  Thank you for your understanding.

Colorado Campground is a favorite family destination near Manitou Lake and north of the town of Woodland Park. A short trail leads to the lovely lake, where visitors enjoy fishing, bird watching and canoeing.

The campground is situated at 7,800 feet in a ponderosa pine forest near the 5-acre Manitou Lake. The campground lies in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, due north of Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak summit reaches an elevation of 14,115 feet and is America’s easternmost peak over 14,000 feet.

The beautiful Spruce Grove campground is positioned beside large rock outcroppings on Tarryall Creek. Magnificent hiking trails to the Lost Creek Wilderness Area are just steps away from the Creek Bridge. Located just 14 miles outside Lake George, Colorado, the area’s wild inhabitants include black bear, mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and bobcats.

May Queen Campground is located at the far western end of Turquoise Lake in a shaded lodgepole pine forest. Conveniently perched near the Charles Boustead Memorial Tunnel, May Queen offers easy access to boating, fishing and hiking. 

Incredible views of the Holy Cross and Mount Massive Wildernesses can be seen from the area, and visitors are likely to see native wildlife like chipmunks, beavers and porcupines. 

The Charles Boustead Memorial Tunnel is a 5.5-mile tunnel that transports water from the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork River Basins through the Continental Divide to the Arkansas River Basin by emptying water into Turquoise Lake.

The campground sits at an elevation of 9,900 ft. on Turquoise Lake. Most campsites are situated on a level, open field along a creek, feeding into the lake. Six first come-first, serve-sites are perched on the wooded hillside above the creek. 

Nearby is the Mount Massive Wilderness area, a 30,540 acre expanse encompassing Mount Massive, Colorado’s second highest peak at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.