Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Southern CO Camping

The family and I are looking to escape this Texas heat for a spell and are looking at the mountains in southern Colorado. Fishing, hiking, sight seeing, kayaking, and relaxing will be the activities of choice. We will be in a 16x20 Davis and an established campground (wife and 14yo daughter) would be preferable, but not a deal breaker as long as there are plenty of shade trees.

Can y'all throw out some of your favorite places in the area to pitch a tent?

We've spent some time around Silverton, lots of campgrounds close by and the town itself is worth looking over. If you have a 4-wheeler or 4X4 there's lots of old mine sites. We fished a little, should have hit it harder. Most of the lakes were fishable. The Animas river downstream near Durango had a few kayakers if memory serves me right.

Ice Lake



Gold Bullion Lake



Both nice day hikes.

Lake Isabel just west of Colorado City is very nice. Well-developed campgrounds with easy access and water, power, toilets, etc. You will probably need reservations after Memorial Day. More info:

Here

And here.

Note, I'm talking about Lake Isabel, not Lake Isabelle, a different lake.

Another great place to go would be the NRA Whittington Center just south of Raton, New Mexico. There's no fishing or kayaking there, but if your family likes to shoot you folks will be amazed at their facilities. I try to get down there at least four times per year. IMO the primitive campground is the best place to camp. More info here:

NRA Whittington Center