Lodgepole (Jefferson Lake, Fairplay Colorado)

Lodgepole Campground is a creekside destination with incredible Colorado mountain views. It is located 3 miles south of Jefferson Lake, one of the highest elevation lakes around, capping 10,685 feet and bordered by steep 12,000-foot peaks. Fishing in both the creek and lake offers promising catches of trout, and another noteworthy aspect of the campground is its access to the Colorado Trail. The best hiking, biking and horseback riding experience is on the epic Colorado Trail, a 471-mile trail that extends from Denver to Durango. Also accessible from the campground is the West Jefferson Loop Trail, a foot path that extends for 11 miles and reaches the Continental Divide. Rainbow, brown, mackinaw and brook trout can be found swimming in the creek. For those who prefer fishing by boat, Jefferson Lake has a boat ramp; it is a no-wake lake. Lodgepole offers more than 30 reservable campsites. Parking aprons are gravel and dirt and the maximum RV length is 30 feet. Amenities include picnic tables, vault toilets, drinking water and grills. The campground sits in a valley along Jefferson Creek facing Jefferson Hill at the high elevation of 9,900 feet. The single-loop campground is surrounded by groves of aspen and mixed conifer trees. Jefferson Lake, spanning about 182 acres, has deep, cold waters and freezes over in winter. Visitors enjoy Fairplay, Colorado, a ghost town that was once a frontier boom town. The South Park City Museum there contains 34 authentic buildings with 60,000 artifacts.