## Overview

 Blue Lake Campground is located in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest at an elevation of 10,500 ft. Views of the nearby Culebra Range Mountains with aspen and spruce forests offer campers a genuine Colorado experience. 
## Recreation

 A well-marked trail system between Bear Lake and Blue Lake is open to foot and horse traffic. Across the road from the campground FSR 436, a rough jeep road, provides access to Trinchera Peak where Big Horn Sheep are often seen. 
## Facilities

 This rustic campground has 16 campsites, each with a table and fire ring. Some are shaded; others provide full sunlight. An on-site camp host offers firewood bundles for sale. Vault toilets and drinking water are available. No electric or septic hook-ups are available. Both reservation and first-come, first-served sites are available. 
## Natural Features

 A tributary of the Cuchara River runs through the campground. Blue Lake is 1/2 mile from the campground, and Bear Lake is one mile away. Both of these small lakes are stocked several times during the summer providing for good fishing. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The nearby mountain town of Cuchara offers shopping and visitor information. The town of La Veta offers a grocery store, gas stations, and shops. The Spanish Peaks Wilderness, 14 miles from the campground, is a popular hiking destination. 
## Charges &amp; Cancellations

 Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.\_\_ A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night\'s use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night\'s rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.\_\_\_\_ Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.\_\_ In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

Blue Lake Campground - Temporarily Closed

We camped here two nights in July 2019.  The site is about two hours west of Trinidad Colorado in the Spanish Peaks Area along scenic highway 12.  The  road leading to the site is about 5 miles of step gravel and dirt road with multiple switchbacks.  The road is wide enough for vans and smaller campers but not the larger 5th wheels or RVs.  You follow road up the mountain along the stream to blue lake a small mountain lake that is popular for trout fishing The campground is just north of the lake.  The have a couple of loops with about 10 sites in each loop.  Most of the sites are located along a beautiful wooded mountain stream.  The high elevation of 10,000 keeps the temps down in the summer and the night sky is spectacular.   The camp was full during our stay and reservations are highly recommended.  A few campers were moving around each night for the odd opening.  They have fire wood, water, and nice clean pit toilets.  Our site number 8 was great and positioned on the trail to the lake and along the stream.   You can see the mountain tops from sites 6 and 7 but they are along the road.  This is a popular area for ATVs.   So you may have company on the trails or around the site.  The sites had a nice mix of tents, vans, and campers.  We plan to come back in the fall.  This is a keeper.  Each site had a picnic table, fire ring and ample parking for two cars or one van.   You do have some privacy between the sites.  The camps along the river including 8, 9, and 10 are outstanding.  

High Elevation Forest Camp

Limited space

Need higher ground clearance

Clean beautiful place

Only accessible with snow melt

Road to access is small and winding so go slow

Respectable spots

Great views of mountains and fantastic trout fishing at both Blue and Bear lakes. Short drive to Chucara with tourist shops and great restaurants.

No major towns nearby so come prepared. Make sure you fill up!

Small but perfect!

You head down a mile or two off of route 9 down a dirt road and the view opens up to one of the best backdrops we’ve seen for a dispersed campground in a while. I only give it 4 stars because all the shaded camp spots were already taken so we had to suffice with one out in the open and the wind at night kept us awake. There were fire rings at each camp site. Probably around a dozen camp sites available, half of which were in the trees. Beautiful mountain/lake views and we even saw the Milky Way at night it was so clear. 

Beautiful Campsite 

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.

Awesome Spot

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. 

Great for Quandary Peak (Night Before)

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.  

Wake up to magnificent views 

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! 

High elevation camping 

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. 


Unreal. Perfect camping!

Great camping close to hiking, waterfall and quiet! 

Fun spot with great views! 

There are many day trippers walking around. 

Beautiful 

Beautiful!!! Our Prius made it up the terrible road to get there. It was pretty bad but I saw smaller cars making it. but go at your own risk it felt like we were on a boat. You park your car and then do a little hike to the spot you like best. There’s an amazing lake and a dam by the waterfall. It was so pretty. We stayed a couple nights. Set up some hammocks, climbed by the waterfall and past the dam...it was awesome. I set up a chair to draw by the water! It was so nice. Despite the road being horrible there was a decent amount of people hiking around and camping. 

Dispersed tent camping

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! 

One of a kind camp spot!!

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

Breathtaking views 

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!

Beautiful location 

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.

Blue lake weekend trip

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.

Lake & Mountain views

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

Great camping cool people

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!

Worth it

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. 

Blue Lakes

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.

Gorgeous views to wake up to

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. 

Absolutely gorgeous but very popular 

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! 

Breath taking! 

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. 

Gorgeous and Popular 

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

Nice for smaller RV or tent

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.

Late October, limited sites

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)

Paradise Close to Home

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.