Bellaire Lake Camping Overview
Bellaire Campground is a nicely spread out campground in the forested and hilly area north west of Bellaire Lake itself. Bellaire Lake Campground is about an hour and a half outside of Fort Collins near Red Feathers Lakes village off of County Road 69. Bellaire Lake is a very popular destination with its reputation for good weather, decent fishing and being handicap accessible. During peak season you are bound to find this a busy place. The campsites in the campground itself are well spaced and not too crowded. The campsites are not on the lake itself, so the campers have to leave their campsites and go enjoy the small 10 acre Bellaire Lake. Because it is small, it can get quite crowded. If you are able and willing to go to the far north east side of the lake, you can find a bit more peace and quiet, and should be able to find room to enjoy your camping vacation.
There are several other places nearby which offer a wide variety of outdoor exploration and adventures depending on what you like to enjoy in the Colorado outdoors.
Bellaire Lake Camping Information
Reserve a Campsite at Bellaire Lake Campground Today!
Bellaire Campsite Details
Bellaire Lake Campground is not very big, but the campsites are so well spaced that there are not as many campsites here as there could have been. And I’m not one to complain about not being crammed in right next to the neighboring campers! The spread-out campsites give each camper a little privacy and some peace and quiet which seems to be harder to find in some other big campgrounds.
The campsites at Bellaire Lake are well groomed and are big enough to accommodate large tents, canopies and other camping gear you may have. There are single, double and even triple campsites here so make sure you know which kind of campsite you are using.
The campground and this whole area in and around Bellaire Lake is very popular so I would make sure that you get reservations before heading up here on a busy summer camping season weekend. It is unlikely you will be able to find any campsites if you do that.
The tables in the campsites are securely mounted into the ground on one center pole, which is great. The wooden tables may be splintery or dirty so make sure you bring a table cloth. The ends of most tables here also extend past the bench on one end to allow for wheelchair accessibility.
The campsites at Bellaire Lake are all pretty flat and easy to get around. Those that are not flat have been landscaped to add in retaining walls, stairs and other features to make it safe and easy to get around the campsite.
Each campsite is also equipped with both a fire ring and a BBQ. This is great so you use the BBQ to cook at a comfortable height. The BBQ’s are located near the end of the tables which makes using them and cooking your meals a breeze.
The camp fire rings themselves are nice. They are a little smaller than others but they are also short. This allows the heat and the light to make its way around the campsite instead of being shot straight up into the sky. The camp fire rings also have BBQ grates that can be flipped out of the fire if you do not want to use them. This is also a plus, to be able to move the grate out of the way of the nighttime campfire.
Almost all of the sites have power hookups. The few that don’t are considered tent camping only and have a smaller fee. Due to the layout of Bellaire Lake campground, you may have a bit of a walk to reach an outhouse, water, or a dumpster.
With the bark beetle epidemic in the area, firewood is easy to find. There are piles of it all over the place and unfortunately there is likely to be more and more every year. If you use the wood here, make sure to keep it at the campsite so you don’t spread the bark beetle problem to your home!
Bellaire Lake Campground Activities
There are a great many things to do at Bellaire Lake Campground and the surrounding area.
Besides just enjoying the beautiful scenery in this glacial formed valley with its tall and strange rock formations, there is usually good fishing in Bellaire Lake. This is one of its main attractions and a great place to take the family. There is easy access on half of the lake with cement walkways, ramps and even a long boardwalk along one shore that allows you to get a little further out to the fish. Don’t be fooled though, a 5’ cast here is still likely to get nibbles.
There is no swimming in Bellaire Lake, but you can use small, motor less watercraft. There is not a boat ramp here, so you will need to carry your boat some distance to get to Bellaire Lake. Since you need to carry your boat in, you usually only see small belly boats and other small inflatable rafts. Make sure that you are considerate and give everyone the room they need.
If you want to go for a walk, there is a nice trail that circles the lake. It is also nice to stroll around the campground. If you are looking for a more serious hike, there are a few popular hiking trails further down the valley a few miles that you can explore. Or you can head further up the valley toward Dead Man’s Pass, where there are many other great places to see. Be aware if you decide to explore the area, that Bellaire Lake Campground is mixed in with a lot of private property around the valley. Be sure you are not trespassing while exploring.
Bellaire Lake Campground is just a few miles away from Red Feathers and Beaver Meadows so there is a plethora of other non-camping related activities such as golf, bowling, and much more. This is a good thing to keep in mind if the weather gets bad and you want something else to do.
Bellaire Lake Camping Summary
Bellaire Lake Campground is a popular and busy campground all season long. It is great for campers of all ages and is even a great place to take outdoor enthusiasts that are disabled or just have trouble getting around a normal campsite. It is a relatively small campground and not many sites will be available if you show up on a Friday afternoon during the normal camping season. So if you want to give this little gem a try, make sure to reserve your campsite ahead of time. There are a few other campgrounds around such as Dowdy Lake Campground and West Lake Campground. They too are very popular and are usually pretty full during the normal camping season. If you are tent camping and have a vehicle with some clearance, keep an eye out as there are a few very small pull-off campgrounds along County Road 69. These are rough roads with no services but might serve in a pinch if the Bellaire Lake Campground is full.
With a variety of things to do both at Bellaire Lake Campground and nearby Red Feathers, this is a very popular and enjoyable campground. It is an hour and a half outside of Fort Collins which makes its relative distance also very attractive to overnight camping and those that are just learning to camp.
Bellaire Lake Campground is a nice place to go camping for all ages of campers. This is a great place for new campers to start learning about what it means to really camp out in Colorado. Just make sure you have a reservation or a backup campground to try, since it is almost always full on the weekends during camping season.
Reserve a Campsite at Bellaire Lake Campground Today!If you have been camping at Bellaire Lake Campground please post your likes, dislikes, and suggestions in the comments below. Your fellow campers would love to hear your thoughts!
Do you have bear boxes?
At the time we did this review they did not have bear boxes here. Has anyone been here recently to verify if they have installed bear boxes? Camp Out Colorado is not directly related or affiliated with any of the campgrounds we review.