U.S. Forest Service · Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands · Leadville, CO

Molly Brown

Named after the "unsinkable" Molly Brown on the Titanic, Molly Brown Campground, on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, sits in a shaded lodgepole pine forest. The campground offers access to boating, fishing, and hiking. The famous Molly Brown lived in the town of Leadville, just 5 miles east of the campground. She became wealthy from her husband's mining success and took on a life as a philanthropist, socialite and activist.

Closed for the seasonReservable · Recreation.gov50 sitesFrom $10 per night40 ft maxNo hookupsPets ok

More like this: reservable in Colorado · big rigs in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Crystal Clear Waters Support a Variety of Recreation ActivitiesCrystal Clear Waters Support a Variety of Recreation ActivitiesMOLLY BROWNMOLLY BROWN
Photos courtesy of Mark Salansky · Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Willow · 5 mi away · 7,359 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups43
Tent-only2
Host/management5
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
001StandardBack-in20GravelFull8 / 2
002StandardBack-in25GravelFull8 / 2
003StandardBack-in25GravelFull8 / 2
004StandardBack-in20GravelFull8 / 2
006StandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 2
007StandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 2
008StandardBack-in20GravelFull8 / 2
009StandardBack-in35GravelFull8 / 2
010StandardBack-in30GravelFull8 / 2
011StandardBack-in35GravelFull8 / 2

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length40 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
FeesExtra Vehicle Fee $10.00

The two-loop campground offers single family sites. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and trash collection are provided. Firewood is for sale at the Host site.

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.
ForestPike-San Isabel National Forests
BookingAll sites are by reservation only. Call 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov at least 4 days in advance. Friday and Saturday night minimum required stay on weekends.
Fees$30 nightly fee per site ($33 for campsites 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 12, and 13), which includes two vehicles. A third vehicle is an additional $11 per night. RVs and ATV/boat trailers count as one vehicle. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. Self-servicing fee tube is available.
RulesMaximum of eight people per site. Maximum three tents per site or one RV and two tents. Dogs, including service dogs, must be leashed at all times. No discharge of firearms or fireworks. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground. Camping is not allowed behind a locked gate. Remember to check fishing regulations before fishing at any body of water.

Pike-San Isabel National Forests recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Molly Brown10°20°30°40°50°60°January: 0.97 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.43 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.34 inches of precipitationApril: 1.71 inches of precipitationMay: 1.40 inches of precipitationJune: 0.93 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.86 inches of precipitationAugust: 2.10 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.42 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.05 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.30 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.06 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 17.5°F averageFebruary: 18.0°F averageMarch: 24.3°F averageApril: 31.1°F averageMay: 41.0°F averageJune: 51.1°F averageJuly: 56.1°F averageAugust: 53.9°F averageSeptember: 46.7°F averageOctober: 37.2°F averageNovember: 26.6°F averageDecember: 18.4°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 in2.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Sugarloaf Rsvr, 2 miles from the campground at 9,738 feet, station USC00058064 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year.

Getting there

From Leadville, Colorado, head west on County Road 4 and turn right on County Road 9C. Follow signs to Molly Brown Campground on the right.

Nearest townLeadville, Colorado
Coordinates39.2664° N, 106.3497° W · Directions ↗

Charges and cancellations

Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    5 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained

  • Prescribed
    Harris Park Broadcast Rx

    49 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

Outdoor gearVail Sports ↗24.1 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗29.2 mi
RV sales & serviceHoliday RV ↗53.9 mi

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

Explore

Video

Camping at Molly Brown Campground | Turquoise Lake, Colorado

Worth a stop

The town of Leadville, a historic gold and silver mining town, is a fun place to explore with the family. Drive on the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway to Independence Pass, one of the highest paved passes in Colorado. Continue over the pass to the town of Aspen, a well-known ski resort town.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Rift
    1.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • under 0.1 mi
    Lateral
    0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.1 mi
    Rift Connector
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Rift Cg Connector
    0.06 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Kettle
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Terminal
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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 →

White River National Forest begins about 0.3 miles 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

Campsites are perched along the scenic waters of the lake. Nearby is the Mount Massive Wilderness area, a 30,540 acre stretch of forest land which encompasses Colorado's second highest peak, Mount Massive at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.

Recreation

The 1.2-mile Turquoise Lake Nature Trail is a gentle loop trail through the forest and down to the shoreline of Turquoise Lake. This trail connects to the 6.4 mile Turquoise Lake Trail that parallels the shoreline from the dam to May Queen Campground. It is recommended that hikers pick up a trail guide prior to departure to learn about the flora and fauna along this trail. On the lake, sailing, boating and canoeing are always enjoyed. Anglers seek out mostly mackinaw and rainbow trout.

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 Molly Brown?

Sites at Molly Brown are reservable on Recreation.gov. All sites are by reservation only. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Molly Brown?

Extra Vehicle Fee $10.00

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Molly Brown?

Check-in 0:00 AM, checkout 0:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Molly Brown?

Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.

Source: Charges and cancellations

Is Molly Brown open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Molly Brown have?

50 sites, including 43 standard sites without power and 2 tent-only sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Molly Brown?

The longest site here provides 40 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are pets allowed at Molly Brown?

Yes, pets are allowed at Molly Brown. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Molly Brown?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Molly Brown?

The 1.2-mile Turquoise Lake Nature Trail is a gentle loop trail through the forest and down to the shoreline of Turquoise Lake. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Molly Brown?

Leadville, Colorado. The town of Leadville, a historic gold and silver mining town, is a fun place to explore with the family.

Source: Getting there

What if Molly Brown is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Belle Of Colorado (0.1 mi, first-come), Baby Doe (0.2 mi), and Printer Boy (0.3 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby