U.S. Forest Service · Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG · Colorado

Rainbow Lakes Campground

This campground is at the end of the Rainbow Lakes Road and adjacent to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. There are 18 first-come, first-served Scan & Pay campsites that accommodate tents (on 14x16 foot tent pads) and small trailers. Campsite 8 is oversized and accommodates up to 15 people. Campsites 15 - 18 are walk in sites for tents.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served18 sitesTents only

Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.

More like this: first-come in Colorado · tent only in Colorado

Rainbow Lakes Entry SignUSFS map for Rainbow Lakes CampgroundRainbow Lakes Campground
Photos courtesy of USFS, Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (CC BY 2.0) · Recreation.gov
1fire
active
Harris Park Broadcast Rx (prescribed burn) · 34 mi away · 390 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-16
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups17
Host/management1
No reservations, so arrive before checkout on a weekday, usually 11 a.m. to noon, and take what is open. In season, weekends fill by Thursday. The first-come playbook

Site guide

17 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteSurfacePeople / vehiclesFires
01Gravel8 / 1Yes
02Gravel8 / 1Yes
03Gravel8 / 1Yes
04Gravel8 / 1Yes
05Gravel8 / 1Yes
06Gravel8 / 1Yes
07Gravel8 / 1Yes
08Gravel8 / 1Yes
09Gravel8 / 1Yes
11Gravel8 / 1Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

18 campsite locations mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The site numbers are theirs and may not match the posts at the campground. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents

Picnic tables, fire grates, vault toilets and trash services are provided. This campground does not feature drinking water, electricity, hook-ups, dump stations, or showers. All campsites with a tent pad have a bear locker.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestArapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
BookingThis campground consists entirely of first-come, first-served campsites.
FeesCheck the campground table for fee information. Interagency Senior, Interagency Access, Golden Age and Golden Access passes provide cardholders a 50% discount on campground fees (this discount only applies to single campsites).
RulesPets must be on a hand-held leash at all times. A maximum of eight people are allowed per site. RVs, trailers or other vehicles must fit on the parking spur. Fishing is regulated by the Colorado Parks & Wildlife.

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Rainbow Lakes Campground10°20°30°40°50°60°January: 2.67 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.77 inches of precipitationMarch: 3.68 inches of precipitationApril: 4.83 inches of precipitationMay: 3.82 inches of precipitationJune: 1.95 inches of precipitationJuly: 3.04 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.51 inches of precipitationSeptember: 2.01 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.17 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.26 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.15 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 20.2°F averageFebruary: 19.6°F averageMarch: 26.1°F averageApril: 30.9°F averageMay: 39.4°F averageJune: 48.9°F averageJuly: 55.2°F averageAugust: 53.3°F averageSeptember: 46.0°F averageOctober: 36.4°F averageNovember: 27.2°F averageDecember: 19.7°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Boulder 14 W, 2 miles from the campground at 9,828 feet, station USW00094075 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 34 inches a year.

Getting there

From Nederland, head north on Colorado Highway 72 for approximately seven miles. Look for the University of Colorado Mountain Research Station sign and turn west onto National Forest System Road 298. This route is gated during the winter. This road is a five-mile, native-surfaced road. A high clearance vehicle is recommended.

Coordinates40.0091° N, 105.5689° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Harris Park Broadcast Rx

    34 mi from the campground · 390 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump Station ↗11.2 mi
Outdoor gearBeavers Sports Shop ↗13 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗27.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

I Would NOT Bring an RV Here! | Rainbow Lakes Campground Colorado

Worth a stop

Brainard Lake Recreation Area is just a 30-minute drive from the campground.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.2 mi
    Arapaho Glacier ↗
    8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Rainbow Lakes
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 2.7 mi
    Sourdough ↗
    14.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.1 mi
    Niwot Ridge
    2.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.2 mi
    Chittenden Mtn
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 3.4 mi
    Fourmile Creek
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Indian Peaks Wilderness begins about 1 mile away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

Abundant hiking trails and opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Guidebooks for Colorado

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Rainbow Lakes Campground?

No. Rainbow Lakes Campground is first-come, first-served. This campground consists entirely of first-come, first-served campsites. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Rainbow Lakes Campground?

Check the campground table for fee information. Interagency Senior, Interagency Access, Golden Age and Golden Access passes provide cardholders a 50% discount on campground fees (this discount only applies to single campsites).

Source: Forest Service

What time is check-in at Rainbow Lakes Campground?

Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Forest Service

Is Rainbow Lakes Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Rainbow Lakes Campground have?

18 sites, including 17 standard sites without power.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Rainbow Lakes Campground?

Rainbow Lakes Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

Are there showers or a dump station at Rainbow Lakes Campground?

This campground does not feature drinking water, electricity, hook-ups, dump stations, or showers.

Source: Forest Service

What if Rainbow Lakes Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Kelly Dahl (6.5 mi, partly first-come), Pawnee (8.5 mi), and Camp Dick (8.8 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby