Rainbow Lakes National Forest Campground
| Region: Front Range |
County: Boulder |
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| Latitude: 40.012168 | Longitude: -105.571146 | Elevation: 10,000 ft. |
| Total Sites: 16 |
Group Sites: No |
Max Vehicle length: 20 ft. |
| Water: No | Elec: No | Fire pits: Yes |
| Nearby Towns: Nederland |
The Rainbow Lakes Campground is located in the Roosevelt National Forest near Nederland, Colorado and sits at a high altitude of 10,000 ft. It’s mostly wooded with Aspen trees and pine and has willows near the water. There are 16 sites, 7 of which are suited to RV and the remaining 9 to tenting. The roads are gravel in the campground, and no water is available on site. There are 3 restrooms, none of which are handicapped accessible. The season for this campground is usually mid-June through mid-October depending on weather. Due to the high altitude, use caution when doing strenuous activity until you are acclimated.
Activities in the area include trout fishing in Rainbow Lakes, hiking in the Indian Peaks Wilderness and Arapaho Glacier trails. The Sourdough Trail is good for hiking and mountain biking. You can access it near the Hwy 72 turnoff. Rocky Mountain National Park is nearby and accessible through the entrance in Estes Park. That makes a wonderful day trip with fishing, picnicking, hiking and sightseeing. If you enjoy horseback riding, Estes Park has stables that rent to the public. Brainard Lake Recreation Area, which is adjacent to but outside Indian Peaks Wilderness, offers picnic areas with tables, drinking water and toilets, hiking, fishing and spectacular scenery.
Additional Services Available:
Picnic tables, fire rings or grills, and vault toilets are provided. Water and trash services are not provided. Please pack your water in and your trash out.
Campground Photo Gallery
Directions to Rainbow Lakes Campground
| Location: Drive approximately 17 miles west of Boulder on Colorado Highway 119 to the town of Nederland. Go north on Highway 72 approximately seven miles to the University of Colorado Mountain Research Station Road (County Road 116 or National Forest System Road (NFSR) 298). NFSR 298 curves to the left (south) after approximately one mile; it is approximately four miles to the campground from this point. |
| Please note: This is a rough, rocky, native surface road. It is passable by passenger vehicles and vehicles towing trailers at slow speeds. |
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Additional Information
- Rainbow Lakes is a first-come, first-served campground. Reservations are not accepted.
- For current rates and other information, visit this campgrounds web page
- Please review the bulletin board or consult the campground host for specific rules, regulations and restrictions in this campground
