Bear Lake Campground
Bear Lake Campground is located in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest at an elevation of 10,480 ft. Views of the nearby Culebra Mountain Range with aspen and spruce forests offer campers a genuine Colorado experience.
This rustic campground has 14 campsites, each with a table and fire ring. Some are shaded while others provide full sunlight. An on-site camp host offers firewood bundles for sale. Vault toilets and drinking water are available. No electric or septic hook-ups are available.
COOL FACT: IN THE EARLY 1900S, A LARGE BLACK BEAR CAUSED A LOT OF HAVOC IN THE AREA, SO A FOREST RANGER SET A TRAP FOR IT. THE NEXT DAY, HE WENT TO RETRIEVE THE TRAP, BUT IT WAS GONE. LATER ON, THE TRAP WAS FOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, STILL ATTACHED TO A BEAR. THE BEAR WAS SO LARGE, HE HAD DRAGGED THE TRAP CROSS-COUNTRY AND INTO THE LAKE. THAT’S HOW BEAR LAKE GOT THE NAME.
A tributary of the Cuchara River runs through the campground. Bear Lake is 1/8 mile from the campground, and Blue Lake is one mile away. Both of these small lakes are stocked several times during the summer providing for good fishing.
Indian Trail #1300 begins at the north end of the campground, providing direct access to a 23-mile multi-use trail system available for all-terrain vehicle, motorcycle, bike, foot, and horse use. A quieter, well-marked trail system between Bear Lake and Blue Lake is open to foot and horse traffic.