89% (72 reviews)
Walk along the footsteps of giants in this natural Rocky Mountain playground.
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Overview
About
This park's location in the Rocky Mountains makes it a magnet for mountain climbers. You've got 19 14'ers to choose from! The big one is Mount Elbert, the highest summit in all the Rockies at 14,440 feet. You can also hit the second-highest, Mount Massive, and the fifth-highest, La Plata.
If you've got kids with you on your adventure, definitely hit the Picketwire Canyon Trail. This trail takes you to the largest known sample of dinosaur tracks in the country! Getting all the way through this 10.6-mile haul is a serious undertaking, so pack plenty of water.
Prefer a less strenuous, more relaxing San Isabel experience? High-altitude fishing at Chalk Creek or Cottonwood Creek is great for landing trout. Be sure to come between July and September. These alpine lakes often ice over during the colder months of the year.
With over 300 days of sunshine, we're sure you'll be baggin' peaks and takin' names in no time!
89%
72 ratings · 40 reviews
Recommends
· July 2021
Love this place. 10,200 feet up in the Rockies, big sites, clear Alpine lake full of trout. Been going many years but this was our best trip. Lake recently stocked with trout, caught 2 salmon in the runoffs. The camphosts Sara and Roy are awesome. Clean bathrooms, clean sites, great tips, warm, fun and welcoming. Grandkids loved Junior Ranger activities from them. Best hosts experienced in all of our 7 trips there. Book in advance, sites get locked in 6 mos in advance, for good reason!
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Mark R.
3 years on Hipcamp
Not recommend
· June 2021
This campground is best suited for campers that have no children or pets, people who will spend zero time at their campsite or folks who are in their tent/camper by 9:30 pm.
**This campground has zero tolerance for children**
- Quiet hours between 10pm - 8am mean: No more than 8 people around the fire, even if you’re quiet. You cannot ride your bike from one campsite to another because your headlamp might bother someone. No talking. No music, even if it can’t be heard outside your campsite. No laughing. (We seriously got yelled at for laughing when they told us there were 6 minutes and 33 seconds left until quiet time).
Sara and Roy are the most aggressive camp hosts we’ve ever encountered.
Sam D.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2021
We camped at a spot right by the bathroom. I went with my parents, sister, aunt, uncle, and my 3 year old daughter. The couple who runs the property had wood for sale on site. They did great! In the 3 days we were there they serviced the bathroom multiple times.
Unfortunately, someone tagged the bathroom while we were there(wtf guys) and they had to shut down for a few hours to clean it up. They were on it right away though. They came through to tell us goodbye while we packed up. We did walk through the other sites and down to the river, very beautiful property. Lake and fishing areas were only 15 minutes away!
I will be bringing my hubby and kids later this year so my little family can experience it.
We had 1 popup, 3 tents, 3 cars.
Brittney R.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2020
Quaint lovely little campground in a valley with huge sites and lots of wooded areas to explore. Stayed in site 17 which was adjacent to a tributary (there are several in the area) which was nice for washing pots and pans. Enjoyed exploring the surrounding hillsides and the rustle of the leaves in this secluded spot. There are also options for dispersed camping on the road leading into the campground. Thorough enjoyed.
Mark S.
9 years on Hipcamp
July 2020
Great camping experience. The camp host, Tom, was super helpful and friendly. I have stayed at this campground many times and it is never disappointing.
Jennifer R.
4 years on Hipcamp
January 2020
Great camp. Large wooded sites, with great trails nearby. Easy quarter mile walk to Turquoise Lake. Quiet and secluded. Can't go wrong.
Mark S.
9 years on Hipcamp
July 2019
typical FS campground in some ways, but it's laid out nicely. Some serious hikes here.
Jeff L.
10 reviews
June 2019
This site is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
I'm from Kansas City, KS and it's hard to escape the city for some nice dark, peace and quiet. I originally saw the town Westcliffe in a Real Big Story video promoting the town as a dark city. We happened to be going rafting in Cañon City the next valley over and decided to stop and camp. There's plenty of wood lying about or for purchase, the bathrooms are well kept, and didn't experience any bugs! The sky is GORGEOUS! Just when you think it can't get any better it does! It probably peaked at around 2AM and you can see the entire Milkyway with your naked eye. It's great for long exposure photography as well. It's very peaceful, and we've been back twice now. If you're trying to get away... this is it.
Josh L.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2019
I love this campground, this is my all time favorite lake to camp on in Colorado with kids!
Sheena H.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2018
This is one of the most beautiful camps I've ever seen!! Make sure to bring warm clothes!!
Mya M.
6 years on Hipcamp
August 2018
Amazing views of Chalk Cliffs and mountains. The sound of the river makes a great soundtrack for falling asleep. The ghost town of St Elmo is 15 minutes up the road and worth the trip.
Kristin A.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2018
Was a great hiking/camping experience.
Justin W.
6 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2018
Great spots with fantastic privacy from other campers (relatively speaking). The kids and the wife gave their bathrooms two thumbs up (clean and not stinky).
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Scott R.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· April 2018
Beautiful area! Clean toilets and nice sites. They had just trimmed trees, so free firewood during our cold fall stay. We didn’t build a fire but the pit was clean and good sized. Tons of wildlife walking about the campground. Great access to a moderate trail. Another reviewer noted t was closed in winter. Sometimes if the weather clears and Monarch Pass stays open, they will open the gates and let you stay. We have stayed here in spring, summer, and fall. Each time it was full. Love the drive here!
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Erica E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2018
Made it up here in our Ford Transit but with bigger all terrain tires that gave us better clearance. Fun drive but the description is correct that it’s not one just any vehicle can traverse. Great views that were well worth the slight stress of the drive in a rig that isn’t excatly meant for it.
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Erica E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2018
The description is spot on! Love that drive. Scenic area we visit often. We love staying all throughout this National Forest!
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Erica E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2018
Beautiful area with clean facilities and friendly hosts. Secluded and open spots available when we visited in the spring and fall. Wasn’t too full. Great access to hiking trails and an easy drive to the area. Suitable for any vehicle. Fun drive, too!
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Erica E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2018
Must hike Mt. Princeton! If you summit be sure to take you PLB in case of emergency. I had spotty cell coverage with ATT and Verizon in many places. Weather changes rapidly so be sure to take proper clothin and gear. You can’t beat the views! I love all the collegiate peaks and visit multiple times a year because I just can’t get enough!
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Erica E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· April 2018
It does fill up fast, yes! Every campground in the surrounding area is worth a visit. I’m a sucker for Colorado National Forest camping though. We usually do dispersed camping but hit up campgrounds when we need to stock up on water. This place was so scenic and enjoyable. A must see as you explore the collegiate peaks. Cell service is iffy with Verizon and ATT in certain areas. Most areas, though, I had enough to stay during the week and work remotely.
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Erica E.
2 reviews
Recommends
· January 2018
It gets chilly the higher up you get! Make sure to bring lots of layers. When I went backpacking in this area, it was amazing but also lots of rain!
Hannah R.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2017
The Alaska State Ferry System is a great way to access Cordova from Whittier, Valdez, or Kodiak.
Claire N.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2017
Bring your camera and hiking shoes you'll use them both. This location is amazing.
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Thomas H.
7 years on Hipcamp
July 2017
This is a great campground that is on the Colorado Trail. The outer campsites are really nice and private in aspen trees and by the stream. The inner campsites are small and exposed. Get there early to get a good site. Bathrooms are vault toilets and clean. The campground hosts were a husband/wife team and very conscientious. They even put solar lights in the bathrooms at night so you could find your way. A portion of the Colorado trail ends right at the campground. I had Verizon cell service 3G intermittently.
Amanda A.
2 reviews
July 2017
Our family (two adults, three kids under 11 yrs old) just spent seven nights at Parry Creek Campground above Twin Lakes and had an incredible experience. We camped at site #20.
The great: Location next to mountain stream and with several trails was amazing. Site #20 and others have primitive tent locations that make for a great experience. We were in an aspen grove. Sites 20, 23-26 looked like the best spots. Camp hosts were super friendly and did a great job providing info. Fire wood was for sale on site as well.
The good: The bathrooms smelled like spruce trees.
The bad: Potable water wasn't available but we were able to access water at Twin Peaks about a half mile away. Provided tent pad was small. Monsoon season.
John C.
7 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· July 2017
Fills up fast!
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Jeff R.
7 years on Hipcamp
June 2017
One of the first campgrounds in the area, Davenport has a lot of history. See if you can find one of the brochures available in local information centers describing the development of recreation in the area. A few years ago, this campground was renovated to resemble its original state. The tables are all a beautiful log construction although I'm not sure how well they'll hold up over time. There is a group area available. Two hiking trails are accessed right at the campground and many more are nearby.
Kate G.
8 years on Hipcamp
June 2017
My favorite campground in the valley! There are lots of sites to choose from and the place was recently renovated so the facilities are very nice. There is easy access to great trails. The campground is situated high enough on the mountain slopes to have fabulous views.
Kate G.
8 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· June 2017
You can see everyone - very open. Beware of mosquitos!
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Jennifer G.
8 years on Hipcamp
April 2017
This camp is in a really nice location, next too Mt Princeton and the Mt Princeton Hot Springs this is a great place to relax after hiking the 14er. Chalk Lake is within walking distance of the lake and a lot of people like to fish there. Sunset is awesome from here and you have a great view of the Sawatch range.
Ryan R.
9 years on Hipcamp
April 2017
Even though this lake isn't the most beautiful one I've seen, it sure photographs well! The surrounding Aspens & pine trees are gorgeous. We had site #10 I believe, & it was perched on a fantastic overlook of the lake. We did go fishing, but never caught anything. We had a vault toilet nearby and our site was really only suitable for tents. We pitched 2 tents and there was plenty of space. It's an easy walk all the way around the lake-lots to be seen and enjoyed. We awoke to 3 baby bear cubs in the tree directly above our tent, & mama bear "yelling" for them to come down in the middle of the night! They eventually obeyed and we all got some sleep! Visit nearby Bishop's Castle for an interesting adventure. We camp here every year.
Amber H.
8 years on Hipcamp
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- San Isabel National Forest