USDA Forest Service · Colorado
Spectacle Lake Campground
USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 8,786 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
- SPECTACLE LAKE CG (NFSR 250.7B) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Nearest town
- Antonito
- Activities
- Fishing
Season dates aren't confirmed for this campground yet - opening and closing dates haven't been verified. Check the operator's page or call ahead before you plan a trip.
Site map
The imagery of the campground. Press and hold the map to drop your own pins and notes; the operator publishes no site points here. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
US Forest Service campground. There is fishing access to the Conejos River and Spectacle Lake. The lake is year round, with winter ice-fishing. Two sites have parking for two car groups. Both day and overnight use is permitted. The facility has 24 sites (13 sites are pull-through) with tables and fireplaces. Firewood is limited. Refuse containers and pickup. Most sites have a panoramic view of towering cliff walls. No boating is allowed on Spectacle Lake. The Spectacle Lake Trail #730 begins 1/2 mile south on Forest Road 250. Ruybalid Trail 855 and Notch Trail 729 are also accessible. Open season: Memorial Day weekend . Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Fees
Day Use:
$12 per day
Overnight Use:
Single Site: $29 per night
Single Site Hookup: $31 per night
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 14° | -12° | 50° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 35° | 15° | -2° | 52° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 22° | 8° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 49° | 26° | 12° | 60° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 60° | 35° | 23° | 70° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 72° | 47° | 35° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 78° | 52° | 45° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 74° | 51° | 44° | 81° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 68° | 46° | 25° | 79° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 58° | 35° | 24° | 68° | 8 of 10 |
| November | 49° | 29° | -9° | 61° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 37° | 14° | -9° | 52° | 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.
Trails nearby
- Alverjones Cutoff Trailhead - No # · 2.6 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Alverjones Trailhead · 4.3 mi as the crow flies · Drive there
- Duck Lake Trailhead - Trail # 732 · 4.8 mi as the crow flies
Duck Lake 3.7 mi Hike · Drive there - Elk Creek Trailhead - Trail # 731 · 4.8 mi as the crow flies
Elk Creek 15 mi Hike · Drive there - South Fork Conejos Trailhead - Trail # 724 · 4.9 mi as the crow flies
South Fork 11 mi Hike, Roaring Gulch 9.9 mi Hike · Drive there
All 227 trails in Rio Grande National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Conejos Campground · USDA Forest Service · 0 mi
- Elk Creek Campground (Rio Grande NF) · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 38 sites
- Trujillo Meadows Campground · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi
- Lake Fork(Rio Grande Natl Fore · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 19 sites
- Aspen Glade (Rio Grande National Forest, CO) · USDA Forest Service · 11 mi · 32 sites
All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2025-07-31. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.