USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Rainbow Lakes Campground
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 18
- Hookups
- 17 no hookups
- Season
- June 11 to September 11
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 9,957 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- RAINBOW LAKES (NFSR 116.0) · native material · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- Address
- CO
- Phone
- 530-529-0578
- Activities
- <p> Rainbow Lakes is Boulder Ranger District's smallest and one of its least developed campgrounds. Trash services and drinking water are not provided. The campground is located five miles west of Colorado Highway 72 at the end of Rainbow Lakes Road. This road is rough, although passable by passenger cars.</p>
About
Overview
This campground is at the end of the Rainbow Lakes Road and adjacent to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. There are 18 first-come, first-served Scan & Pay campsites that accommodate tents (on 14x16 foot tent pads) and small trailers. Campsite 8 is oversized and accommodates up to 15 people. Campsites 15 - 18 are walk in sites for tents.
Facilities
Picnic tables, fire grates, vault toilets and trash services are provided. This campground does not feature drinking water, electricity, hook-ups, dump stations, or showers. All campsites with a tent pad have a bear locker.
Natural Features
Abundant hiking trails and opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Nearby Attractions
Brainard Lake Recreation Area is just a 30-minute drive from the campground.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 8° | -17° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 29° | 8° | -14° | 46° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 34° | 14° | -4° | 52° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 42° | 19° | -2° | 56° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 50° | 27° | 17° | 66° | 11 of 11 |
| June | 67° | 38° | 28° | 77° | 3 of 11 |
| July | 71° | 44° | 36° | 78° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 69° | 43° | 38° | 75° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 64° | 39° | 17° | 75° | 3 of 11 |
| October | 52° | 28° | -6° | 62° | 10 of 10 |
| November | 40° | 17° | -4° | 55° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 29° | 9° | -6° | 44° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Pawnee · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 52 sites
- Kelly Dahl · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 46 sites
- Camp Dick · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 42 sites
- Peaceful Valley · USDA Forest Service · 9 mi · 16 sites
- Pickle Gulch · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 7 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.