Directions
From Denver, take Highway 285 southwest to Pine Junction and turn south on Jefferson County Road 126. Travel approximately 17 miles to the campground.
Phone
303-275-5610
Activities
BIKING, CLIMBING, CAMPING, HIKING, WILDLIFE VIEWING
Keywords
KELS,PIKE AND SAN ISABEL NF- FS
Related Link(s)
Colorado State Road Conditions
Overview
Kelsey is one of two campgrounds within the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area, about an hour’s drive southwest of Denver, Colorado. Visitors enjoy a variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and trout fishing.
Recreation
The Buffalo Creek Recreation Area is home to a 40-mile trail system most popular with mountain bikers, but hikers and horseback riders enjoy the area as well. Several trailheads are within the area, including Little Scraggy Trail, just 3 miles north of the campground. Access to the Colorado Trail and the Buffalo Burn Trail begin from this trailhead. Shinglemill Trail is also nearby.
Buffalo Creek is a popular fishing stream for brook trout. The area offers great wildlife viewing opportunities for turkey, elk, mule deer, chipmunks and porcupines.
Facilities
The campground offers single-family sites, some of which are designated for tent camping only. Each site is equipped with picnic tables and campfire rings with grills. Vault toilets are provided. Drinking water is available from a hand pump, but hookups are not available.
Natural Features
The campground sits at an elevation of 7,400 feet in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Summer temperatures are mild and range from 75-80 during the day to 55-65 at night.
The Kelsey Overlook is just north of the campground along County Road 126, offering beautiful views of the valley below.
Nearby Attractions
The drive along County Road 126 southwest from Pine Junction affords magnificent views of the valleys below. Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet, can be seen in the distance and other prominent rock formations present themselves throughout the scenic drive.
