Forested and set along the shore of Turquoise Lake at roughly 10,000 feet elevation, this established campground in San Isabel National Forest draws a range of campers, from tent setups to big rigs with electric hookups. The sites sit among trees, and reviewers consistently note open sightlines toward the lake and surrounding terrain. A host is on-site, which tends to keep the grounds well-maintained. Toilets, picnic tables, firewood, and a dump station are all available on-site.
Crowd levels vary. Some visitors find the campground manageable even during holiday weekends, while others report sites packed close enough together that generator noise from neighbors becomes a real factor. Reservations are available and worth considering for summer trips. Broken glass has been noted at some sites, so walking barefoot around camp is not advisable.
The forested setting provides reasonable shade, and afternoon thundershowers are common in summer, with daytime highs around 65 degrees and nighttime temperatures dropping to around 40. Off-roading trails are accessible from the area. Campers planning a broader trip can look into camping near Leadville to compare options along the corridor. John F. describes it as "very clean wooded campground spacious sites and host onsite."
Campers wanting a different setup nearby can check out Silver Dollar to the east or Matchless Campground to the southwest.
Description
Sitting deep in the forest to the west of Leadville, Turquoise Lake takes its name from the Turquoise mines that produced the semiprecious stone in Leadville's not too distant past. A spot prized for its fishing, camping, and hiking, Turquoise Lake provides some of the most beautiful views on the Leadville Ranger District. The east end of the lake hosts the majority of campgrounds, while the west end of the lake hosts the popular May Queen Campground near the Timberline Lake trailhead, which accesses the Holy Cross Wilderness. To the southwest of the lake rises the Mt. Massive Wilderness, along with such beautiful hikes as Native Lake and Windsor Lake. Snow in these areas can stay well into midsummer, and possibly longer. Turquoise Lake is heavily visited, especially during the summer months. Reservations for those campgrounds on Turquoise Lake that take reservations are often filled early, especially for holiday weekends. Camping is only allowed in developed campgrounds in the Turquoise Lake Area. There is no dispersed camping available.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsTurquoise Lake Primitive Camping is located in Colorado near Leadville
Public CampgroundDirections
De Lappe Ditch is a canal in Colorado and has an elevation of 9646 feet. De Lappe Ditch is situated northwest of Malta, close to De Lappe Henderson Ditch.
Coordinates
39.2613235 N
106.3568304 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 8 usersLast on 9/10/26
VerizonLTEGood CoverageVerified by 27 usersLast on 9/10/26- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 9/10/26
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 8 usersLast on 9/10/26
- VerizonLTEGood CoverageVerified by 27 usersLast on 9/10/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 9/10/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 1 hr 56 min from Denver, CO
- 2 hrs 6 min from Boulder, CO
- 2 hrs 32 min from Colorado Springs, CO
- 2 hrs 42 min from Fort Collins, CO
