Leadville Camping

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Fortis Overland

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Colorado Springs, CO
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Ryan
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Kelly
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Hi everyone,

We're heading to Turquoise Lake in Leadville, CO this weekend from Colorado Springs. Does anyone have recommended camping spots in the Leadville/Buena Vista area worth checking out? I've already given up hope that we can snag a paid spot along the water, but am open for anything in the general area that works now.

Thanks in advance!
 
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Boort

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@Fortis Overland
Hi everyone,
We're heading to Turquoise Lake in Leadville, CO this weekend from Colorado Springs. Does anyone have recommended camping spots in the Leadville/Buena Vista area worth checking out? I've already given up hope that we can snag a paid spot along the water, but am open for anything in the general area that works now.
Thanks in advance!
I used to play around extensively in that area. MayQueen CG used to be first come first served, IFAIK it still is and has some awesome spots on the west inlet to the lake.

Lots of dispersed camping around here as well. I've camped in various turnouts on Haggerman Pass road and on the road to Eagle. Here are some coords from memory and quick run through Google Earth:
39.260083, -106.445040 Slight pull out, Good view of valley and Milky way in Late Summer
39.248603, -106.469803 Hairpin on Haggerman Pass Just before turns 4x4 only, can fit a number of rigs here.
39.259449, -106.459008 Wide Pullout Great view of Lake and Town lights to ENE. Maybe 3 rigs
39.266300, -106.459547 Great place for a night well sheltered from all but winds out of the S.
Beware of Camp Robber Jays here :D
39.266300, -106.459547 Stream Crossing

Lots more on the forest roads between Norrie and Eagle

Watch your dates compared to Runs/ MTB races you don't want to be any where near Leadville if either are going on on the weekend you choose.

Boort
 

Fortis Overland

Rank VI
Launch Member

Influencer I

3,316
Colorado Springs, CO
First Name
Ryan
Last Name
Kelly
Member #

9672

@Fortis Overland


I used to play around extensively in that area. MayQueen CG used to be first come first served, IFAIK it still is and has some awesome spots on the west inlet to the lake.

Lots of dispersed camping around here as well. I've camped in various turnouts on Haggerman Pass road and on the road to Eagle. Here are some coords from memory and quick run through Google Earth:
39.260083, -106.445040 Slight pull out, Good view of valley and Milky way in Late Summer
39.248603, -106.469803 Hairpin on Haggerman Pass Just before turns 4x4 only, can fit a number of rigs here.
39.259449, -106.459008 Wide Pullout Great view of Lake and Town lights to ENE. Maybe 3 rigs
39.266300, -106.459547 Great place for a night well sheltered from all but winds out of the S.
Beware of Camp Robber Jays here :D
39.266300, -106.459547 Stream Crossing

Lots more on the forest roads between Norrie and Eagle

Watch your dates compared to Runs/ MTB races you don't want to be any where near Leadville if either are going on on the weekend you choose.

Boort
Thanks @Boort ! We ended up finding an open spot at the Matchless camp site, right off the water. So no real overlanding experience, but it allowed my father-in-law to go back and forth from the water and campsite really easily, so it made for a good time. I'm definitely going to check those spots out when we go up next. We made it up Hagerman about halfway before our puppy went petrified and scared, so we turned around. We definitely want to head up there though.