Camping near Lake George and Eleven Mile Reservoir

Nestled at the southeastern gateway to South Park, Lake George lies in close vicinity to the great camping. It’s home to several big reservoirs with world-class fishing and plenty of campgrounds to accommodate travelers.

The Pike National Forest surrounds Lake George, providing a huge range of recreation, from stunning hikes to scenic auto tours. Usually, the town of Lake George is lumped in with South Park too, even though it resides just outside of it. Many of its biggest attractions like Eleven Mile and Spinney Mountain reservoirs, however, reside within the South Park basin.

List of campgrounds by Lake George and Florissant, CO, in order of proximity:

Campgrounds near Lake George

The town of Lake George sits just 45 minutes west of Colorado Springs via Highway 24, though you’ll feel like a world away. The small community boasts just enough restaurants and shops to get you by on a weekend camping excursion. The even tinier community of Florissant lies 5 minutes drive east.

If you need more amenities the larger town of Woodland Park is only 20 minutes to the east. There are several great camping options close by town, which inhabit some breathtaking scenery. The South Platte River flows close to town, providing additional recreation and sightseeing.

Lake George Cabins and RV Park

This historic resort has been around since the 1940s, located at the corner of Highway 24 and County Road 90, only a couple minutes from town. Both RV sites and tent sites are available with the 7th night free.  There are ten heated cabins for rent too, two of which are open year round. They come with private baths and kitchenettes.

• Closest Town: Lake George (1mi)
• Specs: 14 RV sites with full hookups with electric, water, sewer, 3 have 50 AMP, 11 have 30 AMP; Tent sites; Open May 1-October 31; reservable
• Amenities: Toilets, showers, 10 cabins
• Address: 8966 Co Rd 90, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Travel Port Campground

It’s a friendly, family-run private campground. This one is very close to town, less than a mile east on US-24. It’s suitable for RVs and tents looking for a reliable spot with amenities. Some sites have trees.

• Closest Town: Lake George (1mi)
• Specs: Campsites for RVs and tents; reservable
• Amenities: Hookups, dump station, picnic tables, showers, clubhouse, restrooms, propane service
• Address: 39284 US-24, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Blue Mountain Campground

This Forest Service campground lies only 1.5 miles from Lake George at 8,200 feet in elevation. The sites are best suited for tents and RVs 25 feet or less in length. It’s a lovely, wooded campground with good access to the national forest, as well as nearby Eleven Mile Reservoir.

• Closest Town: Lake George (1mi)
• Specs: 21 campsites with parking spurs of 16-40′, accommodating trailers up to 25′ long; Open May to early October; first-come, first-serve
• Amenities: Water, vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings; No trash service
• Address: County Road 96 & County Road 61, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Riverside Campground

Tucked away 2 miles south of Lake George, this is another easy to access campground located near the woods. As its name implies, Riverside sits on the South Platte River at 8,000 feet. Summer requires reservations to be made from 4 to 180 days in advance, and are strongly encouraged. Weekends also require a two night minimum stay, with a three night minimum on holidays.

• Closest Town: Lake George (2mi)
• Specs: 18 campsites, some are walk-in, with parking spurs 30-90′ suitable for RVs up to 30′ long; Open year round; reservable
• Amenities: Vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, water during summer; No hookups
• Address: Co Rd 96, Florissant, CO 80816 (Map)

Springer Gulch Campground

Less than 7 miles south and about a twenty minute drive from Lake George leads you to this secluded Forest Service campground. Spring Gulch has campsites for great for tents and moderately-sized RVs.

• Closest Town: Lake George (6mi)
• Specs: 15 sites with parking spurs 20-28′ accommodating a trailer up to 25′ long; Open May to early October; reservable
• Amenities: Vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, water pump; No water hookups
• Address: Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Happy Meadows Campground

Fish the South Platte River that flows directly by the campground or bring your inner tubes and float away a lazy afternoon in the pristine beauty of the Colorado wilderness. This compact campground is a popular place for outdoor enthusiasts throughout the summer.

• Closest town: Lake George (3mi), Florissant (8mi)
• Specs: 10 campsites, maximum trailer length 22’, water, toilets, open May to early October; reservable
• Amenities: 2 buddy sites, water pump, no hookups, day-use areas, two parking spots at each site
• Recreation: Hiking, fishing on South Platte River, or on nearby Lake George
• Address: Colorado Road 112, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

M Lazy C Ranch

The M Lazy C Ranch is Colorado’s “best of the west” ranch. This western dude ranch has cabin lodging on-site, in addition to RV and tent camping. It can accommodate horses too.

• Closest Town: Lake George (5mi)
• Specs: RV sites with either electric + water, or full hookup with sewer; plus primitive camping area for tents/RVs; reservable
• Amenities: WiFi, bathrooms, showers, central campfire, playground, general store; all campsites have horse pens behind them, two of which are covered
• Address: 801 Co Rd 453, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Round Mountain Campground

This great, rustic campground is located 6.5 miles northwest of town at 8,500 feet in elevation. The large campsites are nicely spaced with plenty of room between each. They are located in a wooded area with ponderosa pines, aspen trees and rock formations.

• Closest Town: Lake George (6mi)
• Specs: 16 sites suitable for trailers up to 35′ long; Open May to early October; reservable
• Amenities: Vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, water pump; No trash service
• Address: Forest Rd 225, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

FREE – Badger Flats Primitive Campsites

Badger Flats offers some fantastic dispersed camping in the ponderosa pine forest starting only about ten minutes from town. This is primitive BLM land, so you must pack-in, pack-out everything and there are no amenities: no water, no trash, no hookups. The drive in is fairly rough but doable for 2WD cars and larger trailers.

• Closest Town: Lake George (8mi)
• Address: Forest Rd 224, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)
• Getting There: Take US-24 west from town for 6.5 miles and make a right onto County Road 31. Follow for 1.6 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 224 and look for prexisting spots.

Campgrounds near Eleven Mile Reservoir

Eleven Mile Reservoir is one of Colorado’s favorite state parks for boating and fishing. Located just ten miles southwest of Lake George, this massive body of water is nestled within the scenic Eleven Mile Canyon. There are a variety of campgrounds to choose from near the lake, with 9 belonging to the state park.

If you’re looking for lakeside camping closest to Colorado Springs, this is probably your best bet. Dispersed camping is not allowed in the Eleven Mile Canyon, nor are there any campgrounds at neighbor state park and reservoir, Spinney Mountain.

Eleven Mile State Park

Includes Campgrounds: Rocky Ridge, North Shore, Stoll Mountain, Cross Creek, Lazy Boy, Rocking Chair, Howbert Point, and Witchers Cove campgrounds, Backcountry campsites

• Closest Town: Lake George (10mi)
• Specs: 9 campgrounds totaling 325 campsites, from basic walk-in tent sites to electric and lakeshore, open year round, 14 campsites are backcountry, requiring you to hike-in or boat in supplies to site; reservable
• Amenities: Bathrooms, boat ramps, picnic table, fire pit, tent pad, dump station, potable water, camper services building with coin-operated showers and laundry, plus flush toilets
• Address: 4229 Co Rd 92, Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Cove Campground

This is a beautifulForest Service campground conveniently located below the Eleven Mile Reservoir. Situated at 9,900 feet in elevation, Cove Campground is popular during the summer and with only four campsites, reservations are encouraged. It’s a nice primitive campground nestled along the South Platte River, suitable for tents and smaller RVs. Fishing and rock climbing are nearby.

• Closest Town: Lake George (8mi)
• Specs: 4 sites with parking spurs 25-34′ in length, max RV length 16′; Open may to early October; reservable
• Amenities: Vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, water pump and trash service
• Address: Lake George, CO 80827 (Map)

Campgrounds near Tarryall Reservoir

The paved County Road 77 north from Lake George connects Highway 24 with Highway 285 by Jefferson. It’s a beautiful hour-long drive that passes by Tarryall Reservoir on the way. This state wildlife area is another splendid place to fish and boat, with several campgrounds and dispersed camping nearby. The lake is only thirty minutes north of Lake George, so it’s easy to access town if you need supplies.

Spruce Grove Campground

This lovely campground is tucked away at 8,6o0 feet between Lake George and Tarryall Reservoir on County Road 77. Spruce Grove Campground provides convenient access to hiking trails within the the nearby Lost Creek Wilderness. There is running water in the nearby creek and some striking rock formations. RVs are well accommodated at drive-up sites and there are a few walk-in tent only sites too across a bridge. It’s popular, especially on weekends, so reserve your campsite far ahead of time.

• Closest Town: Lake George (15mi)
• Specs: 27 sites with parking spurs 18-36′ in length accommodating a max RV length of 35′; Open May to early October; reservable
• Amenities: Vault toilets, fire rings, picnic tables, water pump
• Address: Co Rd 77, Lake George, CO 80827

FREE – Tarryall Reservoir SWA Campground

There are free campsites located by Tarryall Reservoir State Wildlife Area, so you’ll need a valid hunting or fishing license to use. There are a variety of spots, suitable for midsized RVs and tents. It’s popular during the peak summer season and non-reservable, so show up early to get a spot.

• Closest Town: Lake George (22mi)
• Specs: Primitive sites suitable for tents and RVs; first-come, first-serve
• Amenities: Vault toilets, water pump; No trash service
• Address: County Road 77, Lake George, CO 80827

Consider Fairplay, Divide or Woodland Park

Located 45 minutes northwest of Lake George, Fairplay is the county seat. Access many of Lake George’s gems, like Eleven Mile and Spinney Mountains reservoirs, which coincidentally also reside within South Park. Find some cool campgrounds near Fairplay and Alma, which put you within an easy day trip of Breckenridge too for additional activities.

Only twelve miles east of Lake George is the tiny high-elevation town of Divide. It’s a gateway to Highway 67 S, which leads south to the casino town of Cripple Creek, passing by one of Colorado’s most breathtaking state parks, Mueller. There are numerous campgrounds near Divide. If you fancy some exceptional hikes or a night at the roulette table, consider camping here in Teller County.

Twenty miles east of Lake George brings you to Woodland Park. This mountain suburb of Colorado Springs has easy to access from the front range, but still puts you in the Rocky Mountains. Nature is very close to town, with some exceptional camping near Woodland Park at Rampart Reservoir or north on Highway 67 N toward Deckers.

Really, any of the towns here on Highway 24 west of Colorado Springs, from Woodland Park to Divide to Lake George and beyond to Buena Vista, make for terrific camping relatively close to Colorado’s two largest cities.

That’s a roundup of the top places to camp around Lake George, Colorado! Have a terrific stay and be sure to check out all that this exciting and often overlooked region has to offer.