When it comes to summer camping, Leadville, Co is one of my favorite destinations! Leadville is the highest city in the United States. At 10,200 feet, Leadville sits in a bowl surrounded by snowcapped peaks of the San Isabel National Forest and in the shadow of Colorado’s highest peak, Mt. Elbert. Aside from the late 1800s silver boom, Leadville has escaped the Colorado explosion and has a noticeable lack of retail, hotel, and food chains. This makes Leadville, and nearby Twin Lakes, two of my favorite small Colorado towns. If you are planning a camping trip to Colorado, check out these spots in and around Leadville!

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See the highlights of Colorado on this Rocky Mountain road trip!

Leadville Camping

Probably my favorite thing to do in Leadville? Camping and relaxing. Cell service is spotty out here, so I’ve been known to set up camp and catch up on my reading list, which is something I almost never do if I have WiFi, sadly. If you are coming from a lower elevation, then you’ll definitely want to take it easy for your first few days of Leadville camping. Even the fittest traveler will notice a marked decrease in oxygen in the air. Fortunately, when it comes to camping near Leadville, we are spoiled for choices. There are several great campgrounds near Leadville, CO. Dispersed camping is not my style, but you’ll find plenty of spots for that, too.

Wildfires are increasingly common in the summer months, so make sure you know the fire regulations. Just because your campsite has fire pits or a campfire ring, that doesn’t mean it’s ok to have a campfire! The later in the summer, the drier it gets, and fire bans are pretty common.

Sugar Loafin’ Campground

I usually stay at Sugar Loafin’ Campground in Leadville. Although it’s an RV park, the tent camping sites are set back in the woods, far from any noise of the main campground. I appreciate having hot showers and flush toilets while still feeling like I’m getting a wilderness experience at night. SugarLoafin is only a 5-minute drive from town and also has cabins if camping isn’t your jam.

Turquoise Lake Colorado Camping

Turquoise Lake is one of the best parts of a visit to Leadville. I guess now that I live in the desert, I’m just obsessed with water! I love letting Bailey splash around chasing sticks in the reservoir or lake. There are eight different campgrounds scattered around the lake, with over 300 campsites in total. Some of the campgrounds include the Molly Brown Campground, Baby Doe, and Silver Dollar. These campsites near Leadville are a bit more rustic, with pit toilets only, but you can’t beat the location. There are several hiking trails along the shores of Turquoise Lake, and miles of shoreline to explore. This is some of the best scenery in Lake County that you can reach without hiking or 4WD!

Twin Lakes Colorado Camping

As you descend from Independence Pass, you’ll enter the village of Twin Lakes, with a population of <200. There’s a general store, a few cabins and lodges, and the Red Rooster Visitor Center where you can pick up maps for nearby trails or a walking tour map of the village. If you are fishing or paddling, head down to the shores of Twin Lakes. Bailey loved playing fetch in the waves on a windy day! If you’re up for a short hike, you can reach Interlaken, a ghost resort on the far side of the lakes. Boat tours to Interlaken are also available twice daily, from May through September. There are several campgrounds in the Twin Lakes Recreation area, most of which are forest service-owned, so like the Turquoise Lake Colorado campsites, the facilities are primitive, with no showers.

Leadville Hotels

Unlike nearby Vail and Aspen, you won’t find a Ritz, Four Seasons, or even a Holiday Inn Express in Leadville. To me, that is part of the charm of this gritty old mining town. Of course, Airbnb now offers many options beyond the few motels you’ll find in town. Otherwise, what you’ll find are bare-bones rooms that serve as a place to rest your head after a long day of Colorado outdoor adventures. I’ve stayed at the Columbine Inn & Suites, which is one of the better options if you’re going the hotel route. Otherwise, I suggest renting a cabin or lodge room.

Browse Leadville hotels on Booking.com

Things to do in Leadville

Other than hiking and relaxing, there are a few fun things to do in Leadville. These are some of my favorites.

Check out this Colorado hot springs resort in nearby Buena Vista!

Independence Pass Scenic Drive

My first introduction to Leadville and Twin Lakes was coming over Independence Pass from Aspen. Highway 82 climbs to just over 12,000 feet before descending into Twin Lakes, and it’s an exhilarating, or terrifying, drive, depending on your fondness of heights. If sheer drop-offs and crumbling shoulders make you nervous, I recommend driving Independence Pass westbound, from Twin Lakes to Aspen, as you’ll be in the inside lane for the hairiest parts. There are beautiful places to stop along the way, such as the grottos, carved by the rushing stream.

There is usually snow at the pass year-round, so it’s fun to jump out and play in the snow for a bit. (The road is closed in winter, so check online before you go to ensure it’s been opened for the season)

Leadville Fish Hatchery

As you enter Leadville from Twin Lakes to the south, the Leadville Fish Hatchery is a quick stop off the highway. This is a fun stop for families with small children, as you can watch the fish run ladders, or purchase fish food to feed the trout here. There are also several great hiking trails that originate from the fish hatchery parking lot.

Harrison Street

Harrison Street is Leadville’s Main Street. Just a few blocks long, it’s lined with pubs, cafes, and boutiques. Unlike busier Colorado mountain towns, free parking is easy to find and you won’t have to battle crowds on the sidewalks, either. Even if you’re just passing through Leadville, Harrison Street is a good place to stretch your legs, do a bit of window shopping and grab an ice cream cone.

National Mining Hall of Fame

The National Mining Hall of Fame is a must for history buffs or anyone interested in how Leadville got its start. The museum covers mining of all eras, including today, and you can spend hours walking through the various exhibits. You can stroll through life-size coal and gold mines to see what life was like as a miner. There’s also a nice display of various gems and minerals from the area.

Leadville Colorado & Southern Train

Take a scenic train ride through the mountains surrounding Leadville on the Leadville Colorado & Southern Train. Ride in an open-air car or a glass-walled car as you listen to a narrated tour of Leadville’s history. In peak summer, there are 2 daily departures, although fall is likely the best time if you can visit when the aspens are changing colors.

Matchless Mine

If you spend any time in Leadville, you’ll see or hear the Tabor name a few times. Horace Tabor was one of the first to discover silver in the Leadville area. His rise and fall spawned many legends in Leadville, and his name remains on several landmarks. Matchless Mine is open for walking tours (above ground) and you can visit Baby Doe Tabor’s cabin which has been preserved since her death in 1935. You can even bring your well-behaved dogs to walk around the property.

Camp Hale & 10th Mountain Division

Another interesting piece of Leadville history is the 10th Mountain Division training center at Camp Hale. The 10th Mountain Division trained in Leadville for deployment to the Italian Alps during WWII. There is also an extensive hut system throughout the Rockies, named for the 10th Mountain Division, which are popular backcountry destinations for outdoor adventurers. As you leave Leadville to the north, you can visit the Memorial of the 10th Mountain Division, at the summit of Tennessee Pass.

Have you visited Leadville and Twin Lakes? What’s your favorite thing to do?