The village of Red Feather Lakes has fewer than 400 residents living there and barely shows up on the map. Yet it is a Colorado destination that receives many happy visitors each year. It’s located about an hour’s drive northwest of Fort Collins. People head here to get a break from the urban way of living. Camping under the stars is a common theme there. Here’s where to find Red Feather Lakes camping locations.
Header photo courtesy Susan Chesnut Photography.
But not only is there beautiful scenery, diverse wildlife, and camping opportunities, you’ll also discover many thrilling sports activities in the surrounding area as well. Even if camping in a tent really isn’t your thing, there are several campsites on this list that have other lodging options that are right for you. Read on to find out more about camping in the Red Feather Lakes region.
Alpine Lodge
The village of Red Feather Lakes is certainly a sanctuary for wildlife and sports enthusiasts of all different kinds, and this campground destination is smack dab in the middle of all of it. Alpine Lodge offers their campers scenic views, a wide range of wildlife, along with hiking trails conveniently located close by.
There is also a host of lakes in the vicinity and the Cache La Poudre River, where you will find water sports which include fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and whitewater rafting.
The campground offers RV lots that are available from May 1 through September 30th, along with tent sites and four rustic-style cabins available year-round, that are especially popular for hunters throughout the winter.
Ansel Watrous Campground
This campground is a little further outside of the Red Feather Lake area (17 miles to be exact), but it’s one worth mentioning. Surrounded by steep mountains and the Cache La Poudre River that runs alongside it, the Ansel Watrous Campground offers a ton of fun activities for its visitors. Hiking, fishing, white water rafting are just to name a few, but they’re also a few others. This is a heavily-visited campground, but you are able to reserve your campsite several weeks in advance which is highly recommended. Bear lockers are also available there.
Beaver Meadows Resort Ranch
For those of you that are interested in a camping experience that has something to offer for everyone, the 480-acre Beaver Meadows Resort Ranch may be right up your alley. They have over 60 sites, including both RV and tent camping, but there are also other lodging and accommodations that they have on-site. Their facilities include drinking water, toilets, showers, a restaurant, and even a gift shop.
The campground has a creek for fishing, horse stables for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking/biking trails. Other activities include cornhole, horseshoes, and an 18-hole disc golf course. During the fall-winter there’s hunting, and during the winter they have tubing, ice skating, ice hockey, ice fishing, and cross-country ski trails.
Bellaire Lake Campground
Only 4 miles outside of Red Feather Lakes, Bellaire Lake Campground has 27 camping sites, with 22 of those for RV camping, and the other 5 set aside for tent camping. One awesome amenity that the campground has is their wooden ramp and boardwalk down to the lake, for those with a wheelchair handicap. Fishing for rainbow and brook trout is a common activity there, along with canoeing. They have vault toilets and bear-proof lockers available as well.
Dowdy Lake Campground
Another popular campground in the Red Feather Lakes area is Dowdy Lake Campground. It’s a first-come, first-serve campground that provides their campers with nice views of the lake, which includes fishing, canoeing, and a few hiking trails to explore or mountain bike on.
There are 70 sites available, including 10 walk-in tent sites for you to choose from. Each site includes a bear-proof storage locker, picnic table, fire pit, and vault toilets.
The campground has a day-use boat ramp and can also accommodate RVs in season. I have one last piece of advice for you. Be willing to pay just a bit more for your fee in order to grab a lakeside view. It’s worth it!
Kelly Flats Campground
The Kelly Flats Campground is situated along the Cache La Poudre River and is a popular first-come, first-serve campground. They have 29 camping sites, 19 of those being RV sites, and 10 walk-in tent spots. Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and hiking are the most popular activities you can do there when you are visiting. The campground has drinking water available through September, vault toilets, picnic tables, fire grates, tent pads, and bear lockers.
Sleeping Elephant Campground
Located 24 miles outside of Red Feather Lakes, the Sleeping Elephant Campground has been a popular camping location for many years, and it won’t take you long to see why. While the campground doesn’t have any actual sleeping elephants lying around, it does have a mountainous land feature that closely resembles one.
There are 15 sites that include a fire pit, picnic tables, water, and vault toilets that are close by. The Cache La Poudre River is located nearby, but campers have limited access on it due to the private land that runs along it. Fishing and hiking are popular activities to do there. Because of it being an older facility, larger RVs are not permitted.
West Lake Campground
The West Lake Campground is another popular camping destination that has hiking trails and fishing opportunities nearby. It’s situated close to the village of Red Feather Lakes, about 48 miles northwest of Collins, Colorado. Surrounded by luscious pine forest, there are 36 sites available to you, including 5 walk-in sites.
Each site has a picnic table, fire grate, and tent pad, along with electricity, except for the walk-in sites. The campground has vault toilets and drinking water that’s available through most of September. One last thing for you to keep in mind is that this campground fills quickly, so be sure to get there early.
If you’re looking for a place to crash for a weekend getaway, or a campsite that you can call home for the entire week, these campgrounds in the Red Feather Lakes area will be perfect for you and your family. Make sure to research more on the area so that you’re able to take advantage of what’s there while you are visiting.
