Best Campgrounds in Colorado

We stayed at Lakeview Campground over the 4th of July weekend, and overall it was an easy, convenient spot. Getting there was a breeze, and the campground host, Rick, was fantastic—super helpful with directions back to Twin Lakes where we did some fishing, and he kept the firewood well stocked ($10/bundle, self-serve with payment to his postbox).

Verizon service worked surprisingly well at our site in Loop B, which was a nice bonus for staying connected. While the campground has loops A through at least G, they’re spread out enough to feel separate, though within each loop some campsites are quite close to one another. We stayed at site 2 in Loop B, and the sparse tree cover made it feel more exposed—probably a result of a past forest fire. The thinner tree line also meant sound traveled easily, and unfortunately, nearby campers (multiple Indian families) kept us up well past the 10pm quiet hours—until around 1 a.m.

The campground had a mix of RVs and tents, which makes it flexible for different setups. Sites have those tall USFS fire rings that can sometimes choke off airflow. Sites also each have those BBQ stands that worked well with charcoal briquets. Mosquitoes were pretty active—everyone in our group who’s popular with bugs went home with a few bites, so don’t forget the deep heavy bug spray. The pit bathrooms were just okay—not the worst, but lacking basics like hand sanitizer and some of them smelled. Some of the deeper loops toward G looked like they offered better views of the lake, so if you can reserve ones in loops later in the alphabet, get it. All in all, it’s a decent base camp if you're looking to explore the Twin Lakes area, just bring earplugs and maybe a citronella candle or two.

We stayed at Hornsilver Campground over Memorial Day weekend in 2024 and had a pretty positive but mixed experience. On the plus side, the sites were clean and well maintained, with super-clean bathrooms and a bear box at each campsite (though we didn’t see any wildlife except for some moose on a nearby unpaved road toward Halfmoon Campground). The ranger was friendly and had firewood available for purchase, which was convenient.

That said, the campground sits right off a fairly busy road, so be prepared for the constant sound of traffic—including big trucks and tractor-trailers barreling by at fairly high speeds. It definitely disrupted the peace we were hoping for especially in the late evenings. I'd suggest bringing a bluetooth speaker for some ambient playlists.

There also aren’t many hiking trails within walking distance, but you can drive to some further afield.

A heads-up about the weather: the forecast said low 40s, but temps dipped to around freezing overnight. I ended up sleeping in my car after 2 a.m. just to stay warm.

The fire pits are those USFS tall metal rings, which while great for preventing sparks that cause forest fires, made it tough to keep a strong fire going with limited oxygen flow. 

Surprisingly, despite it being a holiday weekend and the campground being first-come, first-served, we arrived around 5–6 p.m. and were still some of the first people there. At $19 per night, some reviewers might call it pricey, but compared to another USFS campground I stayed at near Twin Lakes July 2025 for $40 with similar amenities, it actually felt reasonable.

The proximity to Denver is nice but I was surprised that the walk-in sites (29-35) were so close together. This section is probably only worth it if you can get site 34 or 35 which are the furthest back. Site 33 was not private at all and the tent pad was 10 feet from the walkway to 32, 34, and 35 so people were constantly walking by. This campground is also under a flight path so very loud planes flew overhead into the night. Definitely a convenient location and the campsites and toilets were well kept but there are better options within an hour of Denver.