USDA Forest Service · Colorado
White Star
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Sites
- 67
- Hookups
- 49 no hookups
- Season
- May 21 to September 18
- Cost
- Extra Vehicle Fee $10.00
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 9,239 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- WHITESTAR CG-RIDGE LOOP (NFSR 172.C) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- PSICC
- Nearest town
- LEADVILLE
- Address
- LEADVILLE RANGER DISTRICT, LEADVILLE, CO, 80461
- Phone
- 719-486-0749 (FOR INFORMATION ONLY, NO RESERVATIONS)
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Mountain Biking
49 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Picturesque White Star Campground lies at the foot of Mt. Elbert, Colorado's highest peak, among fragrant ponderosa pines. The campground provides convenient access to Twin Lakes Reservoir for plenty of water recreation opportunities.
It also works as a base camp for hikers and mountain bikers who love to explore nearby trails such the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and the Mount Elbert Trail.
Recreation
The Continental Divide Trail, which runs from Canada to Mexico, passes by the White Star Campground. The hiking trail is open to mountain bikes in the section from Halfmoon Road South to Twin Lakes. About 300 miles of the trail is within Colorado's borders.
Twin Lakes are Colorado's largest natural glacial lakes, and sailing and water skiing are among the popular activities there. Fishing includes lake, rainbow and Mackinaw trout.
Facilities
White Star Campground is comprised of three loops. Sage Loop has limited shade, and Ridge and Valley Loops have a greater density of ponderosa pine and spruce trees. Vault toilets and trash collection are provided. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Firewood is for sale at the Host site. A boat ramp, parking, and angler fishing areas are located just down the road from the campground.
Natural Features
The campground, at an elevation of 9,200 feet, sits on the north side of the Twin Lakes Reservoir near the base of Mount Elbert. The Twin Lakes Reservoir spans 2,805 acres and Mount Elbert stands tall at 14,433 feet.
Nearby is the Mount Massive Wilderness area, a stretch of 30,540 acres that encompass Mount Massive, Colorado's second highest peak at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420.
Nearby Attractions
Drive on the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway to Independence Pass, one of the highest paved passes in Colorado. Or continue over the pass for a day trip to the town of Aspen, a well-known ski resort town.
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 | 29° | 10° | -14° | 41° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 31° | 12° | -6° | 46° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 38° | 17° | 4° | 54° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 46° | 24° | 3° | 58° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 54° | 34° | 19° | 64° | 9 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 42° | 32° | 80° | 1 of 11 |
| July | 76° | 50° | 42° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 72° | 48° | 40° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 43° | 19° | 78° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 54° | 33° | -2° | 64° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 43° | 16° | -7° | 56° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 32° | 10° | -9° | 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
- Lakeview Campground · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 72 sites
- Dexter · USDA Forest Service · 2 mi · 4 sites
- Parry Peak · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 4 sites
- Parry Peak Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Twin Peaks (CO) · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 4 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-06-05. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.