Echo Lake Campground

Lovely campground, very well maintained with great trails all around. No mosquitoes (early September).

Just completed 2 nights at Echo Lake. Decent overall campground with quick access from Denver area. Water pump is not functioning as of 6/24, so bring your own water. Busy area with tourists and traffic to Mt Evans. Road noise settles down after dark. Ok privacy. We were on site 6 with two tents. Tent pad only big enough for one tent. We had a 3 person tent on the pad. Site 6 also has a bench next to fire pit. Fires were allowed as of 6/24. Lots of hiking trails connected to the campground. Being near echo lake lodge gives you an option for a hot meal or goods you may have need.

One thing to note, there were a lot of no shows on reserved sites. You might get lucky in getting a site by showing up and asking for the one where someone hasn’t checked in. We saw a lot of empty sites that were supposed to be reserved. Could be weather chased em off, but might be worth a shot by looking at reservation cards at an empty site.

We arrived on a Sunday morning without a reservation and were lucky to snag a first-come first-served site. Our site was very spacious and private, which is exactly what we were after. The site offers both shaded and unshaded areas. The camp host has firewood for sale just in case you run out. The campground is less than a 10 minute walk to Echo Lodge and Lake.

Small campground with tight spots (almost as if most spots are doubles), but a great location.   Many hiking trails are nearby from small to long hikes and the Echo lake lodge is just across the road which I recommend for some pie later in the evening.  The entrance to Mt Evans road to the top is just yards a way.  This is beautiful country, though can get busy nearby with the attractions of Echo lake and Mt Evans Road, but nice and quiet in the evening.  Spots include fire pit and picnic table, road is gravel in the CG.  Trash services are available and water is available by a hand pump only.  Vault toilets and spots were very clean.  Idaho Springs is also nearby and a cool mountain town to visit.

I stayed here in a tent for 3 days. It was a blast and a great experience! The campground is right next to the gate to drive up to the top of Mount Evans. You have Echo Lake Lodge right there with a great gift shop, a bar that also serves food! There is Resthouse Trail #57 that is a nice little hike to one hell of a view! This is now going to be a yearly trip for me!

Good amount of space between spots, lots of lovely tree cover and near a great hike.

There is a lodge close by in case you want a hot meal at some point as well.

Pit toilets were exactly as you’d expect.

I came in from out of state and got pretty altitude effected so we had to cut the trip short, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Aside from the one at the picnic table, photos are from the hike and not the campground.

This camp ground is great. It’s at the base of the road that leads to Mt. Evans. The host Rick is very nice and dog friendly. There is also the convenience of a lodge right across the road so if you want some good food and AC. Take note there is no running water but a LOT of trails near by so that was awesome.

I really liked this campground, each site had a lot of room for tents and for your own set up. It was small and really close to the road but that was not bothersome at all. It is very close to the Chicago Lakes Trail which is a 8 mile roundtrip hike.

RV sites are VERY close together and a little close to the main road. That is the only downside. Beautiful and spacious sites surrounded by spruce trees. Camp host was friendly and helpful. No potable water or electric, so plan ahead. Vault bathrooms. The lodge is within walking distance of all sites and had GREAT food. Pulling the trailer up to the campsites was easy and we took a ride up Mt Evans (scary road but beautiful views!). Lots of hiking trails to explore and the lake is beautiful as well.

It’s a small campground at the entrance to Mount Evans. Some of the sites are very close proximity, while others are pretty spread out. The camp host Rick was awesome! If your looking to party it up all night, this is not the place for you. Rick follows the quiet hours to a T! I would recommend this place for a night or 2. Also recommend the drive up to Mount Evans, spectacular views! There is a store/restaurant across the street from the campground, but it’s mostly touristy things, no camping supplies.

why pay to stay at echo lake when you can go up 103 and find great dispersed spots? I frequently camp here due to views, fire pits and close proximity to Denver.

Echo Lake campground is situated off Squaw Pass Rd next to Echo Lake and the start of Mt Evans Rd. The campground has all the facilities: fire ring, picnic table, tent pads, toilets, water, firewood... there's even a lodge right next to it. This is a good campground if you're not trying to rough it. If you're looking for some peace and solitude though, I would not recommend. Being at the base of Mt Evans Rd means a lot of cars driving by and people walking around the lake. For good reason though, because the lake is beautiful and driving to the summit of Mt Evans is a must do. Overall this campsite is at a prime location because the surrounding scenery is great and there are many hikes to do nearby. There's multiple hikes to chose from of different difficulty. Ranging from nature walk status - the Echo Lake Trail, a flat 1 mile walk around Echo Lake - to quick but tough hikes like Chief Mountain Trail, a 3 mile uphill hike to the top of Chief Mountain - to rewarding day hikes like the Chicago Lakes trail, a 9 mile strenuous hike to the Chicago Lakes. Mt Evans Rd also offers great views; it is the highest paved road in North America and from the top at 14,264 ft you can see for miles. There is a per vehicle fee to drive on Mt Evans Rd.

The views were great. Camp host was great too, very pleasant to talk to. Campground was clean and well maintained. Best suited for tents and small trailers. Also it is very close to the Mt Evans Lodge that has a restaurant and gift shop. The only draw back though, is its proximity to the main road. For being situated at a high elevation, it felt like I was much closer to the city. All night long cars went by. Next time I think I'll try to find something a little further into the woods.

This was a great place for a quick getaway, as its only 14 miles south of Idaho Springs. The campground is best suited for tent or small trailers. Its high altitude, nestled in the pines. The camp host keeps the outhouses immaculate and even provided maps for the many hiking trails. Its only a short walk to Echo Lake and there's a lodge nearby with excellent pie!