Island Lake Campground

Colorado Rockies

ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND in Colorado Rockies — photo 4

Island Lake Campground

Colorado Rockies

About this campsite

Overview

Island Lake Campground is located at an elevation of 10,000 feet on Colorado's Grand Mesa, which is home to more than 300 fishing lakes, near the cities of Cedaredge and Delta. Visitors enjoy the area for its excellent fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities.

Recreation

More than 3,000 miles of trails and routes provide access to areas of rugged beauty and solitude. Many were carved by indigenous peoples, early explorers and miners, offering an experience that connects visitors to the land and its prehistoric and historic past.

The topography allows the forest to provide year-round trails for beginners to experts. The mountains, plateau and mesa never fail to provide a breathtaking backdrop.

Facilities

The campground offers 39 sites, including electric, non-electric and group sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided. Three vault restrooms are located within the facility.

Trail access for hiking and off-road vehicle driving can be found within the campground. Visitors will find a boat ramp, fish cleaning station and new restroom at nearby Island Lake. Day-use parking and boat trailer parking are available for a small fee.

Natural Features

Island Lake is just .10 miles from the campground. A few sites offer panoramic views of Grand Valley and several lakes below. A dense grove of mature spruce trees covers most sites.

A wide variety of wildlife frequents the area, including deer and elk.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.

Nearby Attractions

Recreation opportunities on the Grand Mesa National National Forest and surrounding areas are varied, and millions of visitors come to enjoy nearly 60 campgrounds and 13 picnic areas and more than 3,700 miles of system roads, including national and state-designated scenic byways and other scenic or recreation travel corridors.

Thousands of miles of trails for hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, mountain biking and motorcycle riding are available, including sections of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Colorado Trail.

More than 300 lakes and 3,600 miles of streams are found on the Forest. Six mountain peaks reach more than 14,000 feet in elevation, creating many popular areas for rock and ice climbing, hiking and driving along high elevation meadows thick with colorful wildflowers and nature observation and photography of Colorado's abundant wildlife.

A variety of historic mining sites are also found in the forest, including the San Juan Mining area, as well as the Alpine Tunnel Historic District, which includes approximately 13 miles of the former Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad railbed across the Continental Divide. The forest also contains three ski resorts, three lodges, two organizational camps and one marina.

Location

ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND•CO

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Common questions about ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND

Is ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND free to camp at?

Yes. ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND in CO is a free camp, so there is no nightly fee to stay. There is no booking system for it, so plan on first in, best dressed, especially on long weekends. We hold no facilities list for it, so go in self sufficient with your own water and a way to deal with rubbish.

Can you book ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND online?

We hold no online booking link for ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND, so it is not bookable through this page. For sites like this, turning up early in the day is the surest way to get a spot, particularly in peak season.

Where is ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND?

ISLAND LAKE CAMPGROUND sits in CO. The map on this page shows the exact spot, and the coordinates travel straight into your navigation app. Check road conditions before you set out if you are towing, since access tracks can change with the weather.

Nearby Campsites

within 50km

1.1 km away

Little Bear

Overview This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature. If this option is available, you will need to first download the free Recreation.gov mobile app https://www.recreation.gov/mobile-app prior to your arrival as some remote areas have limited or no cellular service.

2.6 km away

COBBETT LAKE

Overview Cobbett Lake Campground is located on Colorado's Grand Mesa, in the Land O' Lakes area, which is home to more than 300 lakes. Visitors enjoy the area for its great fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities. Recreation Cobbett Lake is open to non-motorized watercraft, making it a perfect place for canoeing and fishing. Anglers cast for rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout. Numerous additional lakes in the area provide more fishing and canoeing opportunities, as well as beautiful scenery. A variety of hiking trails, including the Cobbett Lake Trail and Grand Mesa Discovery Trail begin nearby. Several off-road vehicle trails are in the surrounding area. Grand Mesa Visitor Center is within walking distance at Island Lake. The center offers interpretive exhibits, a bookstore and a high-altitude wildflower garden containing more than 50 native species. Facilities The campground offers single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets, drinking water and trash collection are provided. Natural Features The campground is situated along the Grand Mesa National Scenic and Historic Byway on the shore of Cobbett Lake, at an elevation of 10,300 feet. A dense grove of spruce trees covers the campground, offering shade in nearly every site. A variety of wildlife, including deer and elk, frequents the area. Nearby Attractions The Grand Mesa National Scenic and Historic Byway offers 63 miles of scenic driving as it climbs from the rugged canyon floor, up to the forested mesa tops, at 11,000 feet. The road passes sparkling lakes and meadows bursting with wildflowers. Many trailheads are found along the byway. The town of Cedaredge is 15 miles from the campground. It is home to Pioneer Town, a 19th Century village with frontier museums and more than 20 structures. A historic schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, saloon and jail can be visited there. Cedaredge's "Applefest" festival is held annually in October. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.

2.9 km away