Directions
From Pueblo, go 25 miles south on Interstate 25 to exit 74. Drive west 18 miles on State Highway 165. Turn into the main entrance at Lake Isabel Recreation Area, then turn right into the first campground on the right (about 1.25 miles).
Phone
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 877-444-6777, FOR NON REAL TIME CAMPGROUND INFORMATION, CALL (719) 269-8500.
Activities
BIKING, CAMPING, FISHING, HIKING
Keywords
LAKV,LAKE ISABEL LA VISTA,PIKE AND SAN ISABEL NF- FS
Related Link(s)
Colorado State Road Conditions
Overview
La Vista Campground is situated in a meadow overlooking the west side of the 40-acre Lake Isabel. It is set along the Frontier Pathways and Historic Byway in the Wet Mountains along one of the Colorado Birding Trails.
Lake Isabel is one of the few lakes in Colorado developed purely for recreation purposes. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the lake attracts many campers who come to hike, canoe, fish and spend time bird watching. St. Charles Creek flows near the campground and offers additional fishing opportunities.
Recreation
Lake Isabel welcomes non-motorized boating and fishing. Brown and brook trout are stocked in the lake and the St. Charles headwaters reap brook trout.
Visitors can enjoy hiking, bicycling or motorcycling on either the Snow Slide Trail and Cisneros Trail. The 15-mile Cisneros Trail, also open to ATV riders, leads to the heart of the Wet Mountains, through forests and open, wildflower speckled valleys. Along the way, the trail connects to St. Charles Trail, which heads to St. Charles Peak.
Facilities
Walk-in tent sites are 15 to 50 yards from the parking spurs. RV sites come with electric hookups and all sites include a picnic table, campfire ring and access to vault toilets and drinking water.
Natural Features
Shady pine and aspen trees are scattered throughout the campground. At 8,600 feet, the area enjoys cool summer days, a welcome relief from the heat in the plains far below.
The Pike and San Isabel National Forest includes over a million acres of wilderness and over half of Colorado’s mountain peaks that reach above 14,000 feet.
Nearby Attractions
A nearby lodge provides paddle and rowboat rentals, groceries and a restaurant. Golf courses are about 15 minutes away.
