Elk Run Campground

We chose this park on a long trip around Colorado because Colorado State Parks have showers. Our site was lovely as it was right on the lake. No shade so we were able to use solar to keep things charged. The trail around the lake is lovely. There is also a long, more difficult out and back trail that is accessible from the campground and offers great views. There was a dump station water refill also. From the Colorado State Parls website:

“Located in the Heart of the Rockies, Sylvan Lake is a haven for those who enjoy the outdoors. At 8,500 feet in elevation, visitors to Sylvan Lake discover a high mountain scene with aspen, pine and fir forests bordering green, grassy meadows. It is a place to truly get away from it all and reconnect...not even cell phones work at this peaceful park.”

Beautiful surroundings and plenty of activities. The lake is small but is well stocked with trout. There is a 1.5 mile hiking trail around the lake and also the West Brush Creek trail that starts at the lake. The West Brush Creek trail is listed as a 5.8 mile one way trail. However, it’s worth hiking as a shorter out & back hike. Within the first mile, there are views of forest, meadow, aspen grove, creek and a historical site. Eagle has great biking, both road and mountain.

The dirt road to the park is rough due to washboarding. No AT&T signal at the park or within 10 miles of Eagle.

This park is about 11 miles from I-70 (Eagle CO exit) but seems much further away. You'll climb over 2,000 feet in elevation to end up at 8,500 feet in the mountains, so this is not a winter destination.

The campground is very busy and books up starting mid-May on weekends. Reservations are mandatory. Weekdays are easier.

The campground is directly on Sylvan Lake, a small man-made reservoir with a nice walking trail around it. Some campsites are at water's edge but are basically just cramped parking spaces, while the bulk of sites are in three loops a short walk from the lake, with much more spacing between them. The loop sites are not very level and only a few will fit 30+ ft trailers.

There is absolutely no cell service, even with a booster and external antenna. Wifi is available in the Visitor Center, but that's miles away down the dirt road. Don't come here planning to get some work done.

The real killer is the 4 mile dirt entrance road. In May when we visited it was riddled with potholes and took nearly an hour to traverse each way when pulling the trailer. Expect to travel at 3 to 10 MPH under these conditions. Running down to Eagle for supplies is not practical, so arrive with everything you need. If the road was graded it would be no problem.

All of this makes the place sound bad, but it's actually really nice. There's fishing in the lake, great scenery, hiking trails, some wildlife in the area, and fantastic views. There are no hookups but water is available, as well as a dump station, trash and recycling. If you make the effort to come up here you'll probably enjoy it.