National Park Service · Colorado
Lake Fork Campground
National Park Service · Colorado, United States · in Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Sites
- 83
- Hookups
- 83 no hookups
- Season
- April 13 to October 31
- Max RV length
- 30 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- No
- Dump station
- Yes
- Laundry
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,556 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1 · certified dark-sky place
- Cell coverage
- AT&T good · Verizon good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Nearest town
- GUNNISON
- Address
- 102 ELK CREEK, GUNNISON, CO, 81230
- Phone
- 970-641-2337
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Jet Skiing, Mountain Biking, Swimming, Wildlife Viewing
64 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Lake Fork Campground is on the Blue Mesa Reservoir, near the reservoir's dam. It is a part of the historic Curecanti Recreation Area and is an ideal place to stay for days of boat recreation, hiking and taking in the views of the Black Canyon.
Recreation
Jet skiing, water skiing and canoeing are some of the many water activities available on the reservoir.
Bird Watching is also rewarding, with chances to see the black-billed magpie.
Along the shrubland, visitors can spot Gunnison's Prairie Dogs popping out of their holes.
Facilities
Flush toilets are available in summer months.
Cell phone service is limited.
For anglers, a fish cleaning station is provided for conveniently preparing the days catch.
Elk Creek, Lake Fork and Iola boat ramps are OPEN for the season.
Natural Features
The steep canyon walls in this part of the reservoir were carved out by the Gunnison River, which once flowed with powerful intensity fueled by the snowmelt of nearby mountains.
Today, the Gunnison river is dammed in three places, creating three large and beautiful reservoirs to be enjoyed by visitors.
The land is characterized by semi-arid shrubland with vast expanses of sagebrush. The natural features and ecosystems of Curecanti vary greatly, with Riparian habitats, epic canyons and lush patches of Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and aspen trees.
Nearby Attractions
The recreation area is just south of Gunnison National Forest and east of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. There's no shortage of options for Scenic Drives and Hiking.
Try hiking the Curecanti Creek Trail or Hermit's Rest Trail off HWY 92..
Charges & Cancellations
Fees
Upper & Middle Sections Standard Camping Fee: $24. The nightly camping fee for the Upper and Middle Sections at Lake Fork is $24.00.
Upper & Middle Sections Senior/Access Camping Fee: $12. Discounted camping rate for valid Senior or Access passes. The nightly camping fee with valid passes is $12.00.
Lower Section Standard Camping Fee: $24. The nightly camping fee for Lower Section at Lake Fork is $24.00. The Lower Section is non-reservable (first-come first-served).
Lower Section Senior/Access Camping Fee: $12. Discounted camping rate for valid Senior or Access passes. The nightly camping fee with valid passes is $12.00. The Lower Section is non-reservable (first-come first-served).
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 11° | -10° | 44° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 34° | 15° | -3° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 42° | 22° | 3° | 58° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 51° | 29° | 14° | 64° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 60° | 35° | 21° | 76° | 7 of 11 |
| June | 78° | 47° | 37° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 54° | 44° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 80° | 53° | 44° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 73° | 47° | 27° | 84° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 61° | 36° | 6° | 70° | 4 of 10 |
| November | 48° | 25° | -10° | 61° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 35° | 9° | -10° | 51° | 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
- Ponderosa Campground (CO) · National Park Service · 5 mi · 30 sites
- Red Creek Group Site · National Park Service · 5 mi · 1 sites
- Soap Creek · USDA Forest Service · 6 mi · 4 sites
- Gateview Campground · National Park Service · 7 mi · 6 sites
- Dry Gulch Campground · National Park Service · 8 mi · 9 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.