Kite Lake Campground is located 5.5 miles NW of Alma on CR 8. It has five campsites and none are recommended for trailers; camping season begins in May and continues until the road is snowed in. The camping fee is $12.00 per night with a $3.00 day-use parking fee. Facilities include fire ring, tables, and outhouse toilets, but there is no water and no trash service at this campground. Campsites at Kite Lake are first-come, first-serve.

Kite Lake

most reasons to head out to the kite lake area are to try and summit 4 fourteeners in one day. Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, Mt Cameron, and Mt. Bross. We were there to do just that, while we only were able to summit one due to the conditions we still had a great time.

The campsite itself is pretty modest, there are only a few designated spots but plenty of area for extra tents. We went in Late September and there were only 3 other people camping. The temps got way down into the low teens that night so it was a chilly one. The campsite sits at over 12,000 ft so right away the temps will be much colder than other places. Also if you are not from the area or visiting from out of state, remember that you are staying at 12,000 ft and the altitude will effect you much more. Each spot had a metal fire ring and a picnic table. 2 vault toilets were located in the parking lot area and we saw people there that night up keeping them (which is always nice to see)

There is a fee to use this campground, $12 per night or $3 per day use. Envelopes and a drop box are located near the information sign. The road to get out here was pretty rough, 5.5 miles of ruts and bumps. I would stick to a decently high clearance car, 4 wheel drive if the weather is bad.

Note- There is no drinking water out here, so if you are heading up to go for a big hike or just want to spend the night at 12,000 ft you must bring it all in. Oh yea and Kite Lake itself, incredibly scenic and there are tons of trout in there. Bring a rod and spend some time fishing.

Exposed and Scenic

The location of the campsite is great. Access to three 14ers, although Mt bross is privately owned and you can be fined for hiking up it. The 6 mile road up to kite lake is dirt and high clearance 4wd is recommended for some sketchy sections. The area is popular with dirt bike and 4 wheeler enthusiasts. It can get a bit noisy at night if you are a person who turns in early to get up for a big summit day. One way to avoid paying 12 dollars for a traditional campsite is to sleep in your vehicle and only pay the 3 dollars per day. 

Kite Lake camping 

So often you have to drive quite a ways to get to 14er trail heads that a late start is inevitable.  By taking advantage of camping right at the base of Mt Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross, you can get a very early start.  Gives you a chance at being at the peak at sunrise!

The campground is run on the honor system.  Drop some money in the box and find a place to set up camp.  Vault bathroom in the area but no water besides the lake.  You are at 12K ft so it is chilly year round.

Nice and secluded at night but gets busy come morning.  The last 2 miles of road to get to the site requires a 4x4 or very high clearance 2WD.  Even with clearance, you have to really maneuver around the washed out road.

Overall a neat place to spend the night! 

Great way to see the sunrise from one of the nearby 14ers!

Stunningly beautiful setting right at the base of Colorado 14ers Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross. There are a handful of dispersed sites available along the 4x4 road leading up to the Kite Lake Campground in addition to those in the campground. There is a lot of early morning traffic from people coming to hike DeCaLiBro so don't plan on sleeping in but you'll want to get up early anyways to see the sunrise over the mountains. I visited in mid-June 2017 and the 4x4 road was in excellent shape until the final 100 yards before Kite Lake. I couldn't make it to the parking lot with my Subaru Outback. Vehicles with higher clearance made it.

Basecamp for DeCaLiBro

Outstanding campsite. Plenty of fire rings. The absolute cleanest trailhead/campground bathroom ever. Adequate parking. Good camping community there overnight. Gets a bit windy. Gorgeous views.

Kite Lake w/DeCaLiBron climb at dawn. 

At the base of three different 14ers, camping along the road by the river if you can’t stay at the lake. This site has a fee, toilet, no water on site, but there is water from lake a river. Good fishing along the river and great for doing the 14ers then coming back to camp

no great for sedans after about a mile from trailhead parking lot.

Great views of 3 14ers with good fishing 

2-WD may have trouble accessing the parking lot but should be able to get pretty close. Their is a $3 day use fee and a $12 overnight fee. The campground has an outhouse which is nice but otherwise it is very simple and spread out with beautiful views of Kite Lake, Mt. Bross, Mt. Cameron, and Mt. Democrat. You are able to hike right next to the trail head and the parking lot is nearby as well. Nice place, quiet and serene, perfect for tackling the fourteeners or a serene excursion into solitude, plenty to explore here.

Everything a primitive camper needs

We stayed here as a basecamp with a large group in order to hike the Decalibron loop early in the morning. It was a great spot for us to start our journey as it meant we didn't need to get up early to drive 1.5 hours to the start and we could acclimatize a little faster. 

  

The sites were rocky but spacious enough to hold a tent or two and they were pretty spaced out to compensate for lack of trees and shrubs at high altitude for privacy. 

  

The bathrooms get pretty rough after the morning hiking rush but James,  (and his dog Indy) from the town of Alma, were there during the middle of the day to clean and refresh them so when you descended, they were ready and waiting. 

  

The parking lot never stops, there is a constant flow of cars coming in and out at all hours. The road to get there isn't the smoothest, so I would advise you to have a high clearance car to get all the way there or plan on adding a little time to hike up the road. 

  

There are many trails you can hike out from the camp, so it is a great spot to get away if you like a little adventure! 

  

PS It is also right up the road from the previously named "Sweet Home Mine" where the Alma King was discovered. The mine is not still operational but there has been a new mine started above it named "Detroit City".

Great basecamp for Hikers

Stayed here back in June and it was incredible. Was easy to get up there in my Subaru but I could see it being a bit difficult if you were in a 2WD vehicle. Campsites were clean and had incredible views. There wasn’t a lot of people there but everyone was very spread out. It was also extremely quite. I believe it was $15 for an overnight campsite and $5 for day use. I HIGHLY recommend Kite Lake. Will definitely be back! 

Amazing views 

Beautiful area. All sites at the official campground are walk in. I camped in my RTT up the road in a pull out. 