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Nature
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Water
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Signs & Maps
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Facilities

Established Camping

Molly Brown Campground

Molly Brown Campground, near Leadville, Colorado, is a picturesque spot that offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor activities. Nestled in a wooded pine forest, it’s just a short walk from the stunning Turquoise Lake, making it a prime location for fishing, boating, and soaking in the mountain views.

The campground is known for its clean facilities and friendly atmosphere. Visitors have highlighted the well-maintained restrooms and the availability of drinking water, which makes camping here a breeze. As one camper noted, “This campsite is one of the cleanest I have stayed at.”

For those who enjoy hiking or biking, there’s a lovely trail that winds around the lake, perfect for exploring the area. The campground is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure. Just keep in mind that there are no showers on-site, but local options are available if you need to freshen up.

While some campers have mentioned the hosts can be a bit strict, the overall experience is enhanced by the breathtaking scenery and the chance to connect with nature. Whether you’re looking to relax by the lake or embark on outdoor adventures, Molly Brown Campground is a solid choice for your next getaway.

Description

USDA Forest Service

Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands

Overview

Named after the "unsinkable" Molly Brown on the Titanic, Molly Brown Campground, on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, sits in a shaded lodgepole pine forest. The campground offers access to boating, fishing, and hiking. The famous Molly Brown lived in the town of Leadville, just 5 miles east of the campground. She became wealthy from her husband's mining success and took on a life as a philanthropist, socialite and activist.

Recreation

The 1.2-mile Turquoise Lake Nature Trail is a gentle loop trail through the forest and down to the shoreline of Turquoise Lake. This trail connects to the 6.4 mile Turquoise Lake Trail that parallels the shoreline from the dam to May Queen Campground. It is recommended that hikers pick up a trail guide prior to departure to learn about the flora and fauna along this trail. On the lake, sailing, boating and canoeing are always enjoyed. Anglers seek out mostly mackinaw and rainbow trout.

Natural Features

Campsites are perched along the scenic waters of the lake. Nearby is the Mount Massive Wilderness area, a 30,540 acre stretch of forest land which encompasses Colorado's second highest peak, Mount Massive at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.

Nearby Attractions

The town of Leadville, a historic gold and silver mining town, is a fun place to explore with the family. Drive on the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway to Independence Pass, one of the highest paved passes in Colorado. Continue over the pass to the town of Aspen, a well-known ski resort town.

Charges & 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.

Fee Info

Extra Vehicle Fee $10.00

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Location

Molly Brown Campground is located in Colorado

Detail location of campground

Directions

From Leadville, Colorado, head west on County Road 4 and turn right on County Road 9C. Follow signs to Molly Brown Campground on the right.

Address

LEADVILLE RANGER DISTRICT 810 FRONT STREET
Leadville, CO 80461

Coordinates

39.2663889 N
106.3497222 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

10 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 5, 2023

Nice campground on the lake

Had a great spot with a 3min walk to the water. Most sites were taken (Monday) but found one available, pulled in, paid the host and all was good.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Wes S., August 5, 2023
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Wes S., August 5, 2023
Reviewed Apr. 20, 2023

Terrible Hosts, beautiful place

The hosts are wicked... I truly try to be fair and kind but they ride around on a golf cart and threatened to call the sheriff on everyone. They don't give you so much as the time to put your car in park before they're barking that you owe them money to be there. They would follow our group and other campers from behind from their golf cart as if we were misbehaved children.... we are all grown men in our late or mid 20's, some of us have families of our own and they barked at us like children. The facilities are clean and closeby, and the lake is just beautiful. Truly one of the prettiest places I've been fortunate to stay. The summer heat is brutal and the nights are wicked cold just how I like it! People had boats in the lake, and families and couples play in the bank of the lake all day. The mountain view is AMAZING-- Disregarding the hosts, of course: at one point they yelled at us for laughing too loudly (at 7pm, before quiet hours) but all night we heard their television blaring from their RV. I wish I could give 5 stars, but the hosts alone really made the experience dreadful. If you can, choose a spot FARRRRR OFF from them.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Luke M., April 20, 2023
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Luke M., April 20, 2023
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Luke M., April 20, 2023
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2020

Beautiful wooded campground clean facilities

This campsite is listed twice on the dyrt but thats ok! A short drive to leadville and a short walk to turquoise lake, great location in a wooded pine forest. Lots of locations. Some are marked off to maintain social distancing. Clean restrooms and water is available

  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Katie H., September 3, 2020
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Katie H., September 3, 2020
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Katie H., September 3, 2020
  • (12) View All
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2020

Good site, clean facilities

A short drive to leadville and a short walk to turquoise lake, great location in a wooded pine forest. Lots of locations. Some are marked off to maintain social distancing. Clean restrooms and water is available

  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Katie H., September 3, 2020
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Katie H., September 3, 2020
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Katie H., September 3, 2020
  • (11) View All
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2020

Clean!

One of the cleanest, hosted CG's I have stayed at. Close to Turquoise lake... There are sites almost on the beach but you gotta reserve early. Lovely nature trail nearby. Forest service is clearing and thinning trees to reduce wildfires so there are piles of slash.

Reviewed Aug. 19, 2019

Beautiful lake

The lake is lovely and there is a trail for mountain bikes and hikers that goes halfway around.

Reviewed Aug. 6, 2018

close to town

close to the water and to town. sites are big. good space between sites. the lake is big and views are amazing

  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by Marcy M., August 6, 2018
Reviewed Aug. 6, 2017

Nice getaway

Spent 2 nights in campground so we could fish and camp. Great pine forrest camping. Easy access to Turquoise lake. Campsite was super clean with amenable hosts. Only drawbacks were no showers and no hanging things from trees which meant no hammock. Showers were available at local pool about 25 minutes away.

Site47
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by AnaLee D., August 6, 2017
  • Review photo of Molly Brown Campground by AnaLee D., August 6, 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the max vehicle length at Molly Brown Campground?

    Molly Brown Campground allows vehicles up to 40 feet.

  • Does Molly Brown Campground have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Molly Brown Campground does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Molly Brown Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is unknown.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Molly Brown Campground?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Molly Brown Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Molly Brown Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Molly Brown Campground?

    There are 50 campsites at Molly Brown Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts