Blue Lake Campground - Temporarily Closed

Multiple camping sites, RV, friendly, no hook ups, but easy to access. Fresh water from the reservoir. Excessive trails for hiking the mountain sheep love to hang around this reservoir.

While limited in amount of campsites, I counted two, this was the perfect day and night of camping for me. The lakes themselves are absolutely astounding, with a constant waterfall providing a beautiful sound to the calming waters at the first lake. There are hikes nearby, including Quandry Peak, a local 14er. Again, this is a perfect little campsite if you want to be away from home, but fairly close to the city (roughly 20 minutes away)

This is a great spot from what I can tell and the lake is beautiful. Only making this review as a fair warning for other campers like us. We arrived on a Friday (10/22) around 3pm and drove the whole way up to the lake. Beyond the lake is closed off. We believe this is where many of the sites are. On your way up to the lake there will be a prominent turn off with a little sign. This is a narrow road up to the lake where camping is not allowed. We found 1 of 2 spots on the main road up to the lake luckily (adding photos) but there are not a lot of spots at the moment.

Beautiful area but don’t attempt with anything over 25’

I stayed for 4 nights and fell in love! Beautiful views all around and it quiets down once day hikers leave for the day. It’s true weekend brought many people looking to camp but Monday was nice and calm. Many cool places to explore I even found a mine not on the map near my campsite and the biggest mushrooms I’ve ever seen! Hiked to the lake and had nearly the whole mountain to myself on Sunday afternoon. The stars are incredible at night but I think my favorite part was the herd of mountain goats and their babies! There were quite a few spots labeled no camping but people camped there on weekends anyways.

Me and my crew went on Thursday and there were plenty of spots to pick from but once Friday night hit there were tons of people trying to find spots. It was super windy but we made due. We hiked to the 3rd lake it was tough but worth it. Still a bit of snow up there!

This is the stuff postcards are made of!! Limited sites available and most are right off the road/trail to the waterfall so privacy is out. I was surprised by the volume of hikers passing thru to view the falls and surrounding area, literally every 5-15 mins someone was walking by. Being a solo female camping with my pug I was okay with the company. I used my SUP on the shallow lake and relaxed in the hammock on the shore. Very, very cold 2 of the 4 nights and it took me a day to acclimate to the 11,000+ altitude. All in all I’d go back but it’s difficult to find a site, especially on the weekends.

The views here are nothing short of spectacular. There are lake activities available such as fishing, swimming, if you even dare, paddle boarding, or kayaking. All of which you must bring yourself. It is also a very popular wedding destination with the plentiful parking off the main road. Old mines dot the landscape and an easily accessable old cable house. Explore with caution. A hike up to some spectacular waterfalls or further up past the reservoir are the only real trails around the immediate area. Remember you are over 10k ft. The weather can change from 70 to 40 degrees very quickly even in July. Be prepared. The camping itself is mostly situated right along the lakeside. Please note that our good ol' rangers do not take kindly to folks camping within 100ft of a water source. You can park and hike up into the woods and find some spots but most prefer to stick with their vehicles. This also means you will be battling flooding, should it rain, and mosquitoes. There is very limited spots and this is a popular area so go early! The area does not have large campsites so doing group camping will be difficult. The rocky road can be done without 4 wheel drive and it is very narrow but opens at the tail end for a turnaround spot. There is no cell reception by anyone and no facilities for miles so be prepared and enjoy the nature.

We drove out there on a Monday afternoon to find there were only like 3 spots total and all of them were taken. Listen when the other reviews say they fill up fast! Roads were a little rocky but my Honda CRV made it just fine.

Nice dispersed camping down by the lower lake. Decent amount of people even on a weekday so make sure to get there early on the weekends. After heavy rainfall the area tends to flood slightly especially on the lower sites. Beautiful views with a great amount of tree coverage for shade when needed.

The views were amazing. With Mt Quandery to the north, the two lakes (the lower is where you can camp) below and the waterfall connecting the two lakes... just amazing. Be advised though... According to the dispersed camping rules (per USFS)you're not supposed to camp within 100 ft of the water... but that's literally the only place to camp unless you wanna pack it up and walk further into the woods vs right off the road. There are plenty of old mines to explore if you're feeling adventurous but even just hanging by the lake is great too. Because of the water so close be prepared for the mosquitoes!

Lots of different spaces to camp. Definitely can find what your looking for. Lake and waterfall were beyond beautiful.

This is a great dispersed area with hiking and lake access for kayaking/SUP. Beautiful views of the mountains around the lake. We camped in Early June and all the snow wasn't close to thawing. We camping in a snowbank and the ground was very wet, so would recommend a RTT. It would be difficult to find a spot with a trailing considering smaller sites and the area being so popular.

Camped here in tents with friends for a couple days. Pretty cold during the summer!

The campsites are great, views are great! Absolutely no complaints. Maybe not the best if you’re looking to hike but one of my favorite car camping places I’ve ever been.

We arrived to this site about an hour before sunset and lots of the spots were taken, however we did find a little spot right on the water. It was kind of sloped but manageable. The views were amazing and we loved being right by the water, however the only issue we had was the wind. It was incredibly windy throughout the night and our tent was flapping the whole time so be prepared for that. We would definitely come back here!

Finding a place over memorial day weekend was a challenge, but ended up finding a beautiful spot that had a firing set up already right above the tree line. Already looking forward to my next trip out

The road to the camp spot was confusing especially coming through at night, take the first left to get to the camping spots it’s a bit of a bumpy ride but very much so worth it! We were lucky to get a spot right by the water, I was happy to see no trace of trash as the area itself is very busy! The hike up is absolutely breathtaking!

Great camping close to hiking, waterfall and quiet!

Fun spot with great views!

There are many day trippers walking around.

BE PREPARED FOR HIGH ALTITUDES! Stay hydrated. Get here early. This a VERY POPULAR area. About a miles beyond the quandary Point trail head, but easily accessible to public. Not everyone will stay, but come and go all night. No phone service. Very remote if you can get a spot on the other side of the lake. Unsure how many sites, if I have to guess 15-20. You do not need 4x4 or high clearance, but will make the drive easier, as it is very rocky at points. Perfect for tent camping and disconnecting from your phone and reconnecting to nature. No facilities - Water, power, toilets.

Beautiful spot, up in the backcountry. No cell phone service. Road can be a little rough when not graved but you can make it in the summer time. Great views of Quandary peak and North Star Mountain. Plenty of hiking around the lake and lots of first come first serve spots. No bathrooms, no running water, no electricity. Just you and nature. Possible moose in the area, i haven't seen any and I've been up a few times. If luck you'll see some beavers and marmots. Lots of mountain goats in the mornings. Pack up your trash and keep it clean!

This is a known area to take day hikes around the lake, to the waterfall and see some mountain goats if you’re lucky. We camped down by the lake for a couple nights. It’s dispersed camping, so you have to find your spot. It’s beautiful here with great early morning and sunset views. Plenty to hike around. There’s always hikers walking by throughout the day especially on weekends. We did not see the moose but caught glimpses of the goats, weasels and a beaver in the water. Beautiful site. Keep it clean! No cell phone service. No water, toilets, bring your own food and water and disconnect from the internet. Pack up all your trash and take it with you.

Beautiful campgrounds near Quandary peak.

This 11k elevation campsite was beautiful. We had views of the lake and hiked the monte cristo trail which was also great. It was definitely cold and windy at night. Unfortunately there was a ton of trash there and it was quite busy. Our friends showed up at 11 am Friday and got one of the only sites available.

Very cool area with many areas to explore. This area has everything Colorado at 11,500’. There is a waterfall, a lake, some marsh land and plenty of views! Up on the adjacent mountainside are a few old mining locations and some caves. Easy hikes for kids of all ages. Heavily trafficked day use area but quiets down around dusk. ZERO cell service in this area! Overall one of the best free places to camp I have found in CO.

Okay. First the good. This campground is perfect if you are going to hike Quandary Peak the next day. There are more than a few dispersed sites on the south side of the lake. Very pretty. When driving down the dirt road to Blue Lakes from highway 9 watch for a left near the end of the Blue Lakes road. Take this left to reach the sites. The road is a bit rough, a two wheel can make it but there’s only room for a car going one way and you’ll probably bottom out, this road eventually dead ends near the end of the lower lake. The other option is keep straight on the original road and then park at the day area and hike in so you don’t have to deal with your car on that road. Also if you want to go in and out a few times to pick up supplies, go to Breckenridge etc, better option. However if you have a 4x4 then you can go back and forth on the road where you can park next to your site. Best time to arrive is before 4pm. Weekdays should be no problem finding a site, not sure about the weekends. The Bad. This place is tourist central and you won’t have any peace during most of the day with hoards of people walking all over the place. Cars are also driving on the two roads on either side of the lake up until 11pm with the lights shining into your tent. The campsites aren’t as clean as they should be. There is also what looks to be a site where two people are living there with two dogs. Next time I’m bringing a tool to pick up garbage and toilet paper etc. NO BATHROOM OR OUTHOUSE. My recommendation is take the first sites before the road goes along the lake. Easier in and out with more privacy.

I was nervous we wouldn’t find a spot, but we arrived at 3pm on a Friday and there were 2 spots available (out of maybe 12). If you’re looking to camp, make a left turn a few hundred feet before the parking lot at the lower lake — but not the left turn immediately before the parking lot. There aren’t official designated spots but there are spots that people have made over time that seem quasi-official.

The sky was clear when we went, and to confirm a previous review, you could see a ton of stars (and a few shooting stars and satellites) and the Milky Way. Super cool! And there were mountain goats on the other side of the lake and near the reservoir at the top. Definitely check out the reservoir. And at the end of the road to the campsites, keep walking the trail and you’ll come across a waterfall.

The only downside is that the campsites are pretty close to each other. We had 2 groups camp directly across the road and another group right next to us. But considering everything else, I think a 5-star review is warranted.

Beautiful setting, no doubt about that. We have a pop up camper so my 4 star is really more related to that experience.

1. The road up to this site needs to be graded; I think I have a couple of loose fillings from all the wash boarding.

2. The site we were at was very uneven so make sure you bring levelers with you.

3. Very narrow road and the majority of the pull in sites are at a 90 degree so make sure you've got skillz backing in to tight areas.

4. I didn't see speed limit signs but there were several ATV campers flying around the site.

BUT the little creek running right next to us was amazing. Neither Blue or Bear lakes are big enough to SUP without having to steer around folks fishing from the banks.  Check it out - it's beautiful.

This was our first time camping since moving to Colorado. We found this spot while out exploring Breckenridge earlier this summer. Spots are first come, first serve tent spaces so the earlier you get there, the better. We arrived at 8:30am and found a spot but the rest filled up shortly after. Most of the spots have excellent views of the lake. Be sure to check Summit County's website before heading out there regarding their fire restrictions. There were a good bit of mosquitos so definitely pack bug spray. Pack out what you pack in...and then some to help keep the area clean (unfortunately lots of previous campers/hikers seem to forget clothes, pillows, food trash, dog toys, cigarette butts and other crap). There are no trash cans, running water, facilities, or phone service. Bear cannisters are not required for this area but the local ranger station highly recommends keeping all food packed away in your vehicle or hanging from a tree. The ranger I spoke to did also warn that the land has mixed ownership with the Forest Service and Colorado Springs Water and Summit County and that camping should only be happening on FS land. Lots of good little hikes nearby to do. The Quandary Peak trailhead is also nearby if you want to tackle a 14er. Unfortunately the only wildlife we saw were birds but last time we were out there we saw pikas and marmots. This will probably be our go to spot from now on just because of how nice the views are. Oh and the road up can get pretty steep and sketchy so go slow, watch out for the giant potholes, and be sure to make space for other cars, especially if you decide to continuing driving up to the dam (past the first parking lot area). That section of the road gets very narrow. We drove a Kia Soul (FWD) and were fine but I had a coworker damage the front end of her low car on potholes out there.

Incredible location and the drive up from the main road is steep but the views are simply magnificent. Great location and the campsites have good views. Highly recommend.