St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel

Nestled among aspen and tall Douglas fir trees, St. Charles Campground is in a quiet part of the Lake Isabel Recreation Area. Located on the banks of St. Charles Creek, the campground is popular with campers who enjoy the sounds of water tumbling through the shaded boulders. Campsites can accommodate small trailers, and tent pads are provided for tent campers. Each campsite contains a bear-proof food locker, picnic table, fire ring and fire pedestal. Campground amenities include accessible vault toilets, drinking water from a hand pump, and bear-proof trash dumpsters. Firewood is sold by the on-site campground host. Lake Isabel is stocked with brown and rainbow trout, and the accessible lakeshore path provides ample fishing spots. Brook trout can be found in St. Charles Creek. Several trails begin at the recreation area, including the Snowslide Trail and the Cisneros Trail; both are also open to motorcycles, and Cisneros is a challenging ATV route. The campground sits a mile west of Lake Isabel in the Wet Mountains, a beautiful range in the San Isabel National Forest. At an elevation of 8,600 feet, Lake Isabel was designed and constructed in the 1930s as a recreational haven from the dusty plains far below. Rugged mountain peaks in the area provide water for the abundant wildlife and fish populations.