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."
TravelerGreat little campground off of I-70. Fishing swimming and plenty of walking. While the campground doesn't have a store on site there is a gas station less than a mile away. Would come again! They have no hookups, electric only and full hookups. Great service with Tmobile. Enough open space for starlink as well.
GuideWe went back to Island Lake Campground two times this year. The campground continues to be great and has potable water. Be aware that the campground next to the lake, the day use area, and lower road are all closed through the 2026 season for construction. The upper road is narrow and steep, and the day use people fill the shoulder of the road trying to park. We walked our paddleboards across the road down to the lake and did not have to worry about parking. This year our group used the last three sites in the campground, which worked out perfectly. Sun was ample for the solar panels and we used a Starlink this year instead of messing around with cellular antennas. Sites 36 and 38 are definitely our favorites. The lake was a bit low this year but the fishing was great. We plan to try and get back again next year. I did confirm their tent pads are 20x20 for sites with double pads and 20x40 for those with a single pad. I think I found other sizes listed online.
ScoutNice size sights. Gravel lots. Do hear a bit of traffic noise from highway when close to front gate. River sights look nicer. I would stay here again without hesitation
ScoutUsed to love camping here in the orchards but the pricing is no longer worth it and the gouging during events is BS, greed. +$30 premium for a primative tent site during Cider Fest, after fees and taxes you're looking at $84 a night, to put up a tent.
TravelerWe stopped here for an overnight on our way to Moab. It’s definitely HOT right now in July without a ton of tree coverage but once the sun started to set it was fine. There was only one other camper here besides us. Road is fairly easy to get back to the sites. We only saw like 5 sites but there may have been more somewhere? Views were wonderful and stars were popping at night.
LegendThis CG is on a long gravel road access and is a sort of rundown place. Many sites are overgrown and not maintained, every picnic table needs painting. One old pit toilet. No cell and lake is just going to be drained in summer. $16/$9 senior, CG host on site and run buy a pvt concession.
TravelerAbsolutely beautiful views! The campground is small but well set up. Most sites are within earshot of the creek which is gorgeous. There are several trails from the trailhead at the end of the campground, including Capitol peak (campground is at 7,300 feet so you do the math….. will definitely be back!
TravelerThe road in is longer than you expect, but definitely worth it and it fills up quick. The view is the lake is beautiful! Take the hike that goes around the lake and takes you to the other two lakes!! Surprisingly not buggy at the end of June and not too chilly at night. Tons of wildflowers in bloom!!
RangerNot worth the reviews I saw previously.
View isn’t that great (compared to what you COULD have)
The sites are on gravel ? And there were like 2.
Just don’t do it if you’re seeking views, adventure and solitude.
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 169 campgrounds and RV parks near Mesa Lakes, CO and 44 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 44 free dispersed camping spots near Mesa Lakes, CO.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 18 parks near Mesa Lakes, CO that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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