USDA Forest Service · Colorado
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 15
- Hookups
- 15 with water, 13 no hookups
- Season
- May 7 to September 25
- Max RV length
- 45 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 8,661 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- ST. CHARLES CG (NFSR 375) · bituminous surface treatment · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- PSICC
- Nearest town
- Canon City
- Address
- SAN CARLOS RANGER DISTRICT, Canon City, CO, 81212
- Phone
- FOR RESERVATIONS CALL (877) 444-6777, FOR NON-REAL TIME INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAMPGROUND, CALL (719) 269-8500.
- Activities
- Camping, Educational Programs, Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking
15 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
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.
Recreation
Lake Isabel is stocked with brown and rainbow trout. The accessible lakeshore path provides ample fishing spots. Brook trout can be found in St. Charles Creek. Several trails begin at the recreation area. Hiking opportunities include the Snowslide Trail and the Cisneros Trail. Both trails are also open to motorcycles, and Cisneros is a challenging ATV route.
Facilities
Campsites can accommodate small trailers; 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.
Natural Features
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.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (719) 489-2034.
Nearby Attractions
Charges & Cancellations
Cancellations
Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee.
A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
No-Shows
A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date.
No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite.
Refunds
Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended.
Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay.
For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive.
In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 13° | -16° | 54° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 38° | 14° | -18° | 52° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 45° | 22° | 3° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 54° | 26° | 0° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 61° | 37° | 23° | 79° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 76° | 48° | 37° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 52° | 45° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 51° | 44° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 72° | 46° | 25° | 82° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 60° | 34° | 15° | 74° | 7 of 10 |
| November | 50° | 28° | -10° | 65° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 40° | 19° | -5° | 54° | 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
- La Vista Campground - Lake Isabel · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 31 sites
- Southside Campground - Lake Isabel · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi · 8 sites
- Spruce Group - Lake Isabel · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 1 sites
- Southside Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi
- Lake Isabel Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 1 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.