Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain Campground sits between Eleven Mile Canyon with the South Platte River to the north and the peak of Blue Mountain to the south, creating an impressive location for recreation and diverse scenery. The campground is primitive and quiet, creating a peaceful outdoor experience for guests. Hiking, biking, rock climbing in the canyon and trout fishing in the river are popular pastimes.
More like this: reservable in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado · dark sky in Colorado
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 18 |
| Tent-only | 2 |
| Host/management | 1 |
Site guide
20 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Type | Entry | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | |
| 002 | Standard | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | ||
| 004 | Tent only | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | |
| 005 | Tent only | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | |
| 006 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | |
| 007 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | Yes |
| 008 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | |
| 009 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | |
| 010 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | Yes |
| 011 | Standard | Back-in | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 2 | Yes | 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 | 35 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Dark sky | 5.3 miles from Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, a certified International Dark Sky Park |
| Accessibility | Sites 007, 010, 011, 012 and 5 more are listed accessible |
Blue Mountain offers more than 20 reservable campsites. Parking aprons are dirt and gravel and there are two vault toilets. Drinking water from a water pump. Each site comes with a picnic table, camp fire ring, and enough space to park two vehicles.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Mid May (depending on conditions) to Mid October |
| Forest | Pike-San Isabel National Forests |
| Booking | Reservations must be made at least four days in advance; two night minimum stay on weekends; three night minimum stay on holidays. Visit www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. |
| Fees | $24.00 fee per site for overnight camping. Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. $11.00 for a third vehicle. $11.00 fee for day use if not camping overnight. Fees are payable by cash, check, or money order. Self-service fee tube is available. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Lake George, Colorado, turn off of Highway 24 onto County Road 96. Follow the road for about a 1 1/2 miles towards Eleven Mile Canyon. The campground is just up the way on the right hand side just past the entrance of Eleven Mile Canyon on County Road 61.
| Nearest town | Lake George, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 38.9614° N, 105.3614° 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
- PrescribedO'Brien 2 Broadcast Rx
2 mi from the campground · 267 acres
- PrescribedRainbow Gulch Rx
20 mi from the campground · 912 acres
- PrescribedHarris Park Broadcast Rx
39 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 station | Dump station ↗ | 7.8 mi |
| Outdoor gear | South Platte Fly Shop ↗ | 17 mi |
| RV sales & service | RVs of America Off-Road ↗ | 34.8 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Blue Mountain Campground - Pike National Forest
Worth a stop
Visit the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado.
- 3 miEleven Mile Picnic Area ↗Day use
- 3.3 mi
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miHardrock0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.5 miElevenmile Fishing Access0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miBlue Moutain1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.5 miPlatte River4.1 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
Lost Creek Wilderness begins about 14.7 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 14.7 miLost Creek Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 114,864 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
On the National Register nearby
- South Platte River BridgeStructure · Lake George · 1.7 mi
- Florissant SchoolBuilding · Florissant · 3.7 mi
- Hornbek HouseBuilding · Florissant · 4.9 mi
Natural features
The campground, at 8,200 feet, sits on a hill a half-mile from the South Platte River. Campsites are nicely spaced on a single loop among scattered ponderosa pine. 3,405-acre Eleven Mile Reservoir feeds into the South Platte River that carves through the Eleven Mile Canyon.
Recreation
Hard Rock Interpretive Trail, accessible from the campground, is a 1-mile self-guided interpretive trail that leads to an impressive overlook of Eleven Mile Canyon. The trail explores the diverse life of the region and offers a chance to see plenty of wildlife and take photos of the sweeping views. Rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout can be caught from the South Platte River. Benches and Picnic Areas along the river allow anglers to relax in comfort waiting for a fish to bite.
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 Blue Mountain?
Sites at Blue Mountain are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations must be made at least four days in advance; two night minimum stay on weekends; three night minimum stay on holidays. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Blue Mountain?
$24.00 fee per site for overnight camping. Two vehicles or one RV per site is included in the camping fee. $11.00 for a third vehicle.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Blue Mountain?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Blue Mountain?
Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
Source: Charges and cancellations
Is Blue Mountain open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Mid May (depending on conditions) to Mid October.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Blue Mountain have?
21 sites, including 18 standard sites without power and 2 tent-only sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Blue Mountain?
The longest site here provides 35 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 Blue Mountain?
Yes, pets are allowed at Blue Mountain. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Blue Mountain?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 3 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there accessible sites at Blue Mountain?
Sites 007, 010, 011, and 012 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 9 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Blue Mountain good for stargazing?
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 5.3 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.
Source: DarkSky International
Is there cell service at Blue Mountain?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map