Choosing the correct campsite is one of the most important steps of vacation planning. It determines if you listen to your neighbor's generator all night, have cars driving by until 1 am, sleep in silence, or drift off to sleep with the sound of water rushing by. Dispersed camping is always an option but for those who prefer a USFS Campground, it isn't an easy task to narrow down the thousands of potential campsites to find the right one. After visiting nearly 100 campgrounds around Central Colorado, we are happy to share this list of some of the best tent camping sites in Central Colorado.

Belle Of Colorado Campground - Site #2

Camping at Belle of Colorado provides great views of Turquoise Lake and the surrounding mountains including Mt Elbert & Mt Massive.

Location: Eastern shore of Turquoise Lake - 5 Minutes west of Leadville
Elevation: ~9780
Cell Service: Yes - AT&T and Verizon
Area Attractions:

A dirt hiking & biking trail that follows along the shore of Turquoise Lake is a few steps away from the campsite.
Fishing in Turquoise Lake
Boating - 2 Boat ramps are located in nearby campgrounds
Hagerman Pass - Scenic drive above the west end of the lake.
Turquoise Lake Loop Road - Scenic drive around the lake with several overlooks and picnic areas.
Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad - Video of our ride
A number of museums in Leadville plus the Tabor Opera House and Historic Delaware Hotel.
Twin Lakes & Independence Pass are a short drive. Makes a great day-trip.

Additional info & video tours: www.coloradotraveltips.com/leadville-camping

Chalk Lake Campground - Site #13

Camp next to the rushing water of Chalk Creek. You won't hear your neighbors over the roar of the creek.

Location: Chaffee Co Rd 162 west of Nathrop - Between Mt Antero & Mt Princeton
Elevation: ~8800
Cell Service: None
Area Attractions:

Narrow Gauge Trail - Overlooks the campground to the south. Entrance across the road from Cascade Falls
Cascade Falls - Less than a mile west.
St Elmo - Colorado's Best Preserved Ghost Town is about 6 miles west of Chalk Lake. Get an up close look with our photo tour
Mt Princeton Hot Springs
Chalk Creek Trailhead of the Colorado Trail is nearby
Poplar Gulch Trail - This hiking & single track trail begins west of St Elmo along the road to Tincup Pass
Love Meadow Watchable Wildlife Area
Chalk Lake Fishing Area
Jeep & ATV Trails - Access hundreds of miles of off-road trails from the Mt Antero Trailhead or St Elmo
Horseback Rides
Whitewater Rafting on the Arkansas River - Discount coupons here - www.coloradotraveltips.com/coupons

Chalk Lake Campground Map and additional area info

Rosy Lane - Campsite #3

If you need the sound of a roaring river to help you sleep, this campsite is for you. The Taylor River is a few steps away from camp

Location: Gunnison Co Rd 742 - Along the Taylor River
Elevation: ~8600
Cell Service: No Service with AT&T or Verizon in 2014, but Verizon has had service in 2015 & 2016.
Area Attractions:

Fly Fishing on the Taylor River or nearby Taylor Park Reservoir
Boating on Taylor Park Reservoir
Taylor River Rafting
Doctor Park Trailhead is located at nearby North Bank Campground
Jeep & ATV trails are located near Taylor Park & Tincup.

More Info & Video Tour: www.coloradotraveltips.com/camping

Taylor River Next to Campsite #3 - Rosy Lane Campground

Lake Irwin - Campsite #12

Wildlife, quiet, water, and amazing views.

Location: Gunnison Co Rd 12 west from Crested Butte
Elevation: ~10,200
Cell Service: None
Area Attractions:

Site 12 has it's own pond
Watch deer come down the mountains to the pond in the evening.
Non-motorized boating on Lake Irwin
3 Waterfalls nearby
Hiking
Wildflowers - Lake Irwin is a regular stop during the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival
Kebler Pass - One of the largest aspen groves in the United States is a popular destination for fall foliage.

More Info & Video Tour: www.coloradotraveltips.com/camping

Read our Colorado Travel Blog for more details about our Lake Irwin experience

Storm moving in over the pond at Lake Irwin campground - Site #12

Ruby Mountain - Sites 14-19

Located next to the Arkansas River at the north end of Browns Canyon National Monument. Ruby Mountain Campground was rebuilt and sites were renumbered in the spring of 2016.

Location: Chaffee Co Rd 300
Elevation: ~7600
Cell Service: Yes
Area Attractions:

Open year round. This is a great place to stay after the campgrounds along Chalk Creek close in mid September.
Hiking in Browns Canyon National Monument. We have maps and trail info here.
Arkansas River Fly Fishing
Whitewater Rafting on the Arkansas River - Discount coupons here - www.coloradotraveltips.com/coupons
Ziplines nearby off Highway 285
Jeep & ATV trails nearby. Chinaman Gulch, Carnage Canyon, & Bald Mtn Gulch are just a few of the popular trails.
Boat ramp is located at the campground

Arkansas River passing Ruby mountain campground Sites 14-19

Hopefully, this list of the 5 best campsites in central Colorado will help you avoid some of the bad camping experiences we have had. There are plenty of other awesome campsites that we haven't visited yet. Follow us on YouTube to keep up with our latest discoveries.
What are some of your favorite Colorado campsites?

Colorado Vacation Blog

5 of the Best Tent Camping Sites in Central Colorado