Looking for the best campgrounds near Mesa Lakes, CO? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Colorado camping adventure.
$26 - $41 / night
"Great walking path along the river for evening or morning stroll. Tucked in the canyon, surrounded by cliffs."
"Add $9 daily for Colorado State parks. Full hookups (near I70/some road noise), and Electric only, and, Tent
Pit long-drop toilets (fly haven)
Lovely park on banks of Colorado river."
$43 - $137 / night
"Located on the Colorado River. Winery’s & Distillery’s close by. Clean restrooms & laundry, a general store with just about everything you might have forgotten."
"Super clean and close to endless Colorado adventures!"
$26 - $72 / night
"Jumbo is set at at the park for Mesa Lakes. There are multiple little lakes, walking paths and hiking trails. This is also one of my favorite places to snowshoe in the winter."
"They’re positioned a little close together for my liking but, the immediate access to two beautiful lakes, endless hiking and mountain biking trails more than made up for the close proximity to other campers"
"We went searching for a free camping spot near Gunnison and got horribly stuck in mud on roads that were too awful for our car, even with 4wheel drive."
"I pulled up early on a Friday morning and managed to snag a spot pretty close to the lake. Fantastic view and right next to the walking trails."
"Campground Review: We stayed at Ward Lake on Colorado's Grand Mesa. Ward Lake sits at about 10,000 feet. So, depending on time of year, it can get a little chilly."
"A very nice camp ground for tent campers, very few people, beautiful scenes and within a very short distance of good hiking."
$26 - $190 / night
"Located adjacent to Island Lake, this campground is beautiful, but watch out for the mosquitos! We took a non electric pull-through as a stopover for the night. Our 35 ft 5th wheel fit easily. "
"The campground is tucked away and a little hard to find. We chose it because it had electric hookup, had availability on Labor Day weekend and it was near a lake. We were on site #2."
$22 - $24 / night
"There is a nice lake that you can fish on and the visitors center is just on the side of the lake. There were quite a few sites but we were tucked back a little."
"Beside that, the Forrest and lakes were wonderful. The fishing was great. Lots of folks catching there limits.
The campsites are hit or miss if you are tent camping."
"A lush forest surrounding beautiful Cottonwood lakes 1 &4 great fishing access good for kayak / small boats ."
"We found we had privacy and still had great hiking spots near by. May need a car that has AWD if you’re going up the hill to more dispersed spots as we had difficult in our smaller car."
"You can camp at a designated campground right on the lake, or you drive up 24 and find a lot of dispersed camping available - all the way up to the little lakes (great for fishing too)."
"While it's easy in the Chaffee County and Arkansas River area to get your dosage of mountain beauty and river time, Twin Lake gives you the opportunity to combine STELLAR mountain views and the calm of"
"Our site was hidden by trees off a short dirt drive which wasn’t too bad."
"We spent two weeks near vela resevoir. No fish but lots of mushrooms. The first trees are inoxicating. We are disappointed in the virtual take over by atvs."
ScoutIt was a great spot once I finally found it. Waze took me through privately owned land. Google had it right. There’s a T in the road just outside of De Beque. Don’t go on the road marked no outlet! Make the right instead.
ScoutI brought my dog up there yesterday. We car camped overnight without any issues. Only saw a couple of cars, and one group camped 3/4 mile from me. I had a lovely time checking out the bouldering and climbing. While there we couldn't find a clean or easy route to the top of the hill, it made for an interesting charge over loose impediments and various cliff bands. If you go this route, I recommend hiking boots and a pretty good level of mountaineering ability as you could potentially slip or get in a tough cliff band.
Only bummer is that there is no burn season right now (mid-August), so we just enjoyed the night sky.
GuideVisited here back in early season May 2025. There are probably less than 10 spots when you go all the way up the long drive, all with great views, most are on the small side. We ended up making camp in the large open area.
Would recommend 4wd for the last part of the drive to the sites.
TravelerStayed four days, and had an awesome experience. Beautifully maintained park with all amenities you could ask for. The ladies in the front office were accommodating, and the maintenance team were fast and professional!
GuideEasy access off of 90 . Gravel road with easy switch backs our 30 ft TT and truck had no issues navigating the road once there decently level sites for dispersed camping . Awesome night view and sunset over the mountains. Our site was a little close to the road so we did her some road noise but not enough to bother us. dog loved chasing the lizards around the camp site . Sage brush and little cactus so be careful when walking around . Off road access for 4wheel/dirtbikes . Days are hot
TravelerFairly remote with basic services. Road was a bit rough with tight turns for the last 2 miles, so your 40' trailer might be challenging. Aside from those things, this was a fantastic campground in a great location. Beautiful lakes with good fishing, well marked hiking trails, waterfalls(!), friendly camp hosts, week maintained facilities and grounds. I've lived in Colorado most of my life, and this was the first time I'd been over Kebler pass... beautiful expansive views on the west side.
ScoutThis is the third time we have been here. The office staff are super great people
TravelerPlenty of dispersed sites along this road.
TravelerI was up there on a Tuesday-Wednesday so it was very quiet and there was no one else at the site. It’s right on the water although there is a drop off you have to climb down, but it’s not bad. There were some cattle that walked through as I was setting up but otherwise very chill. All sites had areas for parking and fire rings. Driving off the forest road and onto the small road getting up to the campsite, 4WD isn’t required but highly recommended, it is a very rough road. High clearance is necessary. The sites seemed kinda close to each other however there are trees and stumps that define each site. Amazing views, light rain, and still my favorite forest.
Camping near Mesa Lakes, Colorado, offers a fantastic escape into nature with stunning views and plenty of outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a cozy tent site or a comfortable RV spot, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Mesa Lakes, Colorado, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. With beautiful campgrounds and plenty of activities, you're sure to have a memorable experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Mesa Lakes, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 171 campgrounds and RV parks near Mesa Lakes, CO and 46 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mesa Lakes, CO is Island Acres Section Camping — James M. Robb Colorado River State Park with a 3.9-star rating from 38 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 46 free dispersed camping spots near Mesa Lakes, CO.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Mesa Lakes, CO that allow camping, notably Colorado National Monument and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
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