Camping (Forest Service)

Camping in the Clear Creek Ranger District offers you a great chance to get away and see some of the best that Colorado has to offer. The elevation of the campgrounds ranges from 9,200 to almost 11,000 feet providing you with cool mountain days and nights. There is also great fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and many other activities that you can do while you are relaxing in and near the campgrounds on the Clear Creek Ranger District. Come on up and relax in your National Forest.

Camping is prohibited within one-half mile of the Mount Evans Road and building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire is prohibited within one-half mile of the Mount Evans Road.

(*) Denotes that a campground is available for reservations by calling the National Forest Reservation System at 1-877-444-6777 or Reserveusa.com. For more information on the campgrounds, please contact the Clear Creek Ranger District at (303) 567-3000 or

* Echo Lake Campground:

• Sites: 18
• Elevation: 10,600 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 20 feet
• Daily Fee: $10.00
• Location: 14 miles south of Idaho Springs at the intersection of Hwy 103 and Hwy 5.

* West Chicago Creek Campground:

• Sites: 18
• Elevation: 9,600 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 30 feet
• Daily Fee: $10.00
• Location: 7 miles south of Idaho Springs on Hwy 103 then 3 miles off of Hwy 103 on Forest Road 188.

* Guanella Pass Campground:

• Sites: 18
• Elevation: 10,900 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 35 feet
• Daily Fee: $11.00
• Location: 9 miles south of Georgetown on Guanella Pass Road.

* Cold Springs Campground:

• Sites: 38
• Elevation: 9,200 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 50 feet
• Daily Fee: $11.00
• Location: 5 Miles north of Central City-Blackhawk on Hwy 119.

* Columbine Campground:

• Sites: 47
• Elevation: 9,200 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 20 feet
• Daily Fee: $10.00
• Location: 2.5 miles Northwest of Central City via Gilpin County Road 3 on Forest Road 176. To access, run left off the Hwy 119 and go through Central City on Hwy 279. At the top, near the cemetery, follow the signs to the campground.

* Pickle Gulch Campground:

• Sites: 6 Group Sites
• Location: 4 miles north of Blackhawk just off Hwy 119. This is a nice campground for groups.

Mizpah Campground:

• Sites: 10
• Elevation: 9,200 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 20 feet
• Daily Fee: $10.00
• Location: 5.5 miles west of Empire on US 40.

Clear Lake Campground:

• Sites: 8
• Elevation: 10,000 feet
• Max Vehicle Length 15 feet
• Daily Fee: $9.00
• Location: 4 miles south of Georgetown on Guanella Pass Road.