Southside Campground
Southside Campground is a small RV facility situated in the Wet Mountains by Lake Isabel. The popular recreation area offers a selection of hiking trails and great fishing and paddle boating on Lake Isabel. Lake Isabel was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s, for the purpose of recreation.The 40-acre lake is stocked with trout and the nearby St. Charles Creek offers additional fishing opportunities.
More like this: reservable in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| RV, no hookups | 8 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
8 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Water / sewer | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 002 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 003 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 004 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 005 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 006 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 007 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 1 | Yes |
| 008 | Pull-through | Gravel | No / No | 8 / 2 | Yes |
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
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 30 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
The campground is designed for RVs less than 30 feet in length, with no large slide-outs and require no hook-ups. Roads are paved. RV hookups are not available. Amenities include campfire grills, vault toilets, drinking water and picnic tables.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Pike-San Isabel National Forests |
| Booking | Call 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov at least four days in advance. Friday and Saturday night minimum required stay on weekends. Three nights minimum on holiday weekends. |
| Fees | $25 fee per site for overnight camping. Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. $10 for a third vehicle. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. Self-servicing fee tube is available. First-come, first-served sites must be occupied the same night. |
| Rules | Maximum of 8 persons per site: 2 tents and 2 vehicles or 1 recreation vehicle (RV). Maximum RV length is 30 feet. Tight turns prevent vehicles over 30 feet in length from safely maneuvering through this campground. 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. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Pueblo, drive 25 miles south on Interstate 25 to exit 74. Go west 18 miles on state Highway 165. Turn into the main entrance at Lake Isabel Recreation Area. The campground is the first within the recreation area on the left.
| Nearest town | Canon City, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 37.9828° N, 105.0575° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- The facility is not ideal for tent camping, but tent camping is permitted.
- All sites are pull-through; backing is not required.
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
- WildfireAspen Acres
3 mi from the campground · 102,007 acres · 90% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 28.2 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Great Divide Ski Bike & Hike ↗ | 31.6 mi |
| RV sales & service | Windish RV Center ↗ | 53.5 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.1 miLake Shore Ada ↗0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.1 miCampground Lake Access0.07 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.2 miPicnic Area Spurunder 0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.4 miLakeshore0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.5 miSnowslide Access From Fsr 3710.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
- 0.9 miWachob1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
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
Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness begins about 5.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 5.4 miGreenhorn Mountain Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 23,116 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Natural features
Aspen and ponderosa pine help shade the campground. Lake Isabel impresses visitors with a shoreline that meets the rocky base of the surrounding mountains at an elevation of 8,600 feet. The Pike and San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado's mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet.
Recreation
Lake Isabel welcomes non-motorized boating and fishing. Brown and brook trout are stocked in the lake and the St. Charles headwaters reap brook trout. Visitors can enjoy hiking, bicycling or motorcycling on either the Snow Slide Trail and Cisneros Trail. The 15-mile Cisneros Trail, also open to ATV riders, leads to the heart of the Wet Mountains, through forests and open, wildflower-speckled valleys. Along the way, the trail connects to St. Charles Trail, which heads to St. Charles Peak.
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Southside Campground?
Sites at Southside Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Call 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov at least four days in advance. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Southside Campground?
$25 fee per site for overnight camping. Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. $10 for a third vehicle.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Southside Campground?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Southside Campground?
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
Source: Charges and cancellations
Is Southside Campground open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Southside Campground have?
8 sites, including 8 RV sites without hookups.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Southside Campground?
The longest site here provides 30 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 Southside Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Southside Campground. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Southside Campground?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Maximum of 8 persons per site: 2 tents and 2 vehicles or 1 recreation vehicle (RV).
Source: Fire nearby
What is there to do at Southside Campground?
Lake Isabel welcomes non-motorized boating and fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Southside Campground?
Canon City, Colorado.
Source: Getting there
What if Southside Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are La Vista Campground (0.2 mi), St Charles Campground (0.5 mi), and Ponderosa Group (1.2 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby