Twin Lakes Dispersed Camping - Site 1 West

The road up to the campground is pretty rough for the first 100 ft or so but then it gets a lot better. Quite a bit of space but no privacy. I would definitely not suggest for large rvs. I’m in a van and didn’t have much problems at all.

Too much partying and loud music until midnight-1am.... Campsites are nice though.

We have camped in this area multiple times and have always had a great stay.  Immediate access to Mt Elbert, Colorado Trail, cycling, and Twin Lakes activities.  Sites vary in size and some are further down the chunky gravel road.  Accessible with a small trailer, but larger RVs should stick to the Forebay or down by the lakes.  Area can get very crowded on summer weekends, so get there early for the best spots.  Decent mobile coverage.  Quiet at night for the most part, but a few early morning arrivals for Elbert hiking.

Beautiful place to spend time with friends and family. Overlooks both lakes. Recommendation would be to put signs telling campers how to dispose of waste & trash.

Unfortunately we did not get here until after dark so we were not able to pick out a better site but there were plenty of places you can pick from.

We did not realize it required awd to get there but it was a bit too late. We were driving my 2017 Prius. The first section seemed fine. There were several rocks that require high clearance but you can easily avoid them. If you drive around the paved area, there are other camp spots that do no require you to drive on the rocky roads. Unfortunately, we did not see them due to it being dark but we did see them in the morning when leaving.

The temperature was cold! It ended up snowing and dropping to 19 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m certain it was much lower than that since it was really high in elevation and by a body of water.

The view was gorgeous!!

This was a great spot. We came the first week of October so, the site was totally empty! Besides day hikers and through hikers, we had a very private campsite with only squirrels to keep us company. Would totally come back here again!

Note for tent campers, the ground is very rocky, so bring appropriate gear and sleeping pads. The roads are also super rocky, so be cautious if you don’t have AWD.

I drive an AWD - 23 Kia sorento for reference. These were some of the most gorgeous views I'd ever witnessed. Sites were pre-established but I was unaware you had to drive through trees to find the spots with lake views! That was new and scary for me especially because I arrived after work on Friday at 8pm. Site was pretty packed but people left Saturday during the day and then more people came so its definitely not a secluded experience. Be wary of the 4x4 roads ! i went up two of them thinking there were campsites there and there wasnt. The coord on the dyrt has you going up the mt elbert trailhead so turn keep going straight and then then left! You'll go up a hill and see the trees where u can go inside.

Many sites to choose from, easy to find, beautiful views

Overnight camped with my dog 7/26-7/27 (Monday-Tuesday). Camp sites somewhat close together with little shade/privacy. Not a whole lot of people when I was out but could see this being an issue. Lots of trees but little shade (at least where I walked around/camped) so plan accordingly. Had a direct view of Twin Lakes from my spot! Drive in was asphalt/gravel, somewhat bumpy in spots but maneuverable (I drive a Honda CR-V). Weather was sunny/cool. Had some rain sprinkles but no downpour. As a beginner tent camper, would highly recommend this spot if camping solo or with friends/family.

The gorgeous views and easy access make up for the crowding. Came in on a Saturday of a holiday weekend and was still able to find a spot with a most excellent view.

There are several campgrounds in the area, some free and some with a fee. For free at the top of the hill high above the twin lakes and even above the Mt. Elbert Forebay is national forest dispersed camping. It's very popular on the weekends with many tent campers who sometime party well into the night. The views are epic. On the south-east end of the Twin Lakes is the Reservoir camping area, dispersed camping on bureau of reclamation land. The roads get rough as you reach the more desirable sites. Paid camping is available at Dexter Point, a parking lot with pit toilets and dumpsters within walking distance to the shore. Lake View campground is large with 6 or more loops, toilets, maintained roads, some big rig friendly sites, awesome views, but packed in pretty tight, but so is the dispersed camping. White star campground is a fee area right on the lake front for boaters, etc. In August it's a busy area, off season may be closed. Highway 82 goes to independence pass, a detour route if I-70 is closed due to landslides. 7/21.