Established Camping
Pawnee Campground
About
National Forest
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Overview
Pawnee Campground is located in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, off the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, 35 miles south of Estes Park and the main entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities.
Recreation
Brainard Lake is a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Long Lake, Red Rock Lake and Left Hand Reservoir are nearby. Several trails in the area provide access to the adjacent Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Hiking is allowed on all trails; mountain biking is allowed outside the wilderness area. Rock climbing, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are often available, weather permitting.
Facilities
The campground offers several single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.
Natural Features
The campground lies at the foot of the Continental Divide, next to 25-acre Brainard Lake and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area at an elevation of 10,350 feet. A scenic forest of spruce and fir trees covers the area. Summertime temperatures are warm in the day and cool at night. Afternoon thunderstorms are common.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (530) 529-0578.
Nearby Attractions
The town of Nederland is 14 miles south of the campground, offering grocery and hardware stores, restaurants, gas, a bank and a post office. Rocky Mountain National Park's main entrance is 35 miles north in Estes Park. With lush valleys and craggy peaks reaching elevations higher than 14,000 feet, visitors are provided opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. Scenic driving, hiking, backpacking, fishing, horseback riding and wildlife viewing are popular activities in the park. Estes Park is a full-service community. Dining, shopping, rafting, fly-fishing, horseback riding and golfing opportunities are available there. Lake Estes offers boating, sailboarding and fishing.
Reservation Info
Reservations can be made from up to 180 to a minimum of four days in advance of your arrival to the campground.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
TravelerGorgeous area!
We love this campground! Moose loop is wooded, elk loop not so much. However, there are great views from the elk loop. We especially like the walk in spots. You have to get on the web site early (like months in advance) to get a reservation. However, when we there this week, there were many empty camp spaces, so keep checking the web site if you want to camp. My favorite spot in Colorado. The views from the lake and the hikes are so amazing!
RangerGreat Camp at 10K Feet
This is a very nice campground. There are a lot of trees around but avoid sites 1-14 since there is not much shade. Bathrooms were very clean. There a few lakes around bad the river where you can fish. Camping in September was a bit cold at night. Recommend to be prepare for the cold. There is a lot of moose activity. We will come back.
- (10) View All
GuideNot accurate
Says these are first come sites on recreation.gov but got there and told i had to have a reservation. American Land and Leisure campgrounds suck.
Location
Pawnee Campground is located in Colorado
Directions
From Denver, travel north on Interstate 25 to U.S. Highway 36 West to Boulder. Continue on Colorado Highway 119 (Canyon Boulevard) for 22 miles to Nederland, then go north on Colorado Highway 72 to Ward. Turn left at the sign and travel 5 miles to Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
Coordinates
40.1314556 N
105.5670611 W