Steamboat Lake State Park Camping Overview
Steamboat Lake State Park campground is one of the nicest state parks in Colorado. Nestled in the valley below Hahns Peak, Steamboat Lake State Park sprawls across a wide area open area with small rolling hills and light tree cover. There are several different places to camp around Steamboat Lake State Park. These range from walk-in tent only campsites on a large island on the northern side of the lake to the more sheltered RV and camper campsites up on the hills surrounding Steamboat Lake. Steamboat Lake State Park campground is a beautiful place to go camping with mild weather and a very scenic view in all directions.
Steamboat Lake has areas where you can take speedboats but also has sections buoyed off for sailing and wakeless water fishing. With the sprawling nature of Steamboat Lake there are a lot of different locations around the lake to suit any camper’s preference.
Along with all of the wonderful ways to enjoy Steamboat Lake itself, there are tons of other great activities around the park such as wildlife viewing, photography, hiking, and even horseback riding.
Steamboat Lake State Park is a great place to go camping. Because it is such a nice campground it has become quite popular and will be full and busy throughout the summer camping season. If you would like to schedule a camping trip to Steamboat Lake State Park make sure to get camping reservations.
Steamboat Lake State Park Campground Information
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Steamboat Lake State Park Campsite Details
Steamboat Lake State Park is a great place to go camping with new campers as well as experienced campers. Most of the campsites are well spread out giving each spot plenty of privacy. There are a few areas where the campsites get a little close together but these are generally where the RV’s and campers go so even though they are close, the vehicles divide each site to help give them privacy. Steamboat Lake State Park campground can accommodate most RV’s and campers up to and a bit over 40 feet long, though these extra-large sites are limited.
The area all around Steamboat Lake State Park is well maintained and there are paved roads over most of the campground. There are many signs spread around the park to help you get to where you are going plus a very nice visitors center near the entrance of the park. They are very helpful to campers here and this should be the first place you go if you have any questions here.
The campsites at Steamboat Lake State Park campground are well groomed and maintained. Most of the campsites are nice and flat. About half of the campsites also have a few trees spread throughout the area. These trees are enough to slow some of the high winds you can get here at Steamboat Lake State Park but are not thick enough to offer much shade. Make sure to bring your own pop up awnings and lots of sunscreen!
The tables here at Steamboat Lake State Park are the metal grate tables that you find in many places. They have a rubber coating but you will want to bring along a thick and durable tablecloth for your table here. I like to put a layer of thin cardboard underneath the table to make the table flatter. As they are, they are not too stable. These tables in the campgrounds can also be moved around and are often done so by other campers. This is generally fine to do as long as you keep the table within the high use areas. These are the areas that are bordered by the thick wood edges.
Steamboat Lake Colorado State Park camping pad and fire ring.
The fire rings in the campgrounds at Steamboat Lake State Park are low to the ground with a single hinged grate that can be slung over one side here. These are not the best fire rings but installed in the campsites for a reason. It can get windy quickly here so it is important to have small and easily contained fires. Never leave any fire unattended here and always be sure to put out any fire you have started completely before leaving camp. The smallest spark or hot ember will quickly ignite the tall thick dry grasses that are in this campground.
Most of the tent pads in the campground at Steamboat Lake State Park are nice and big. Most of them you will find are 14’x14’ with a few even larger than that. The tent pads are flat and very smooth. With the few trees here you do not have to worry about cleaning out a bunch of pinecones from the tent pad.
Most of the campsites are flat and easy to enter and exit for campers who are going camping in their RV’s or campers. Most of the campsites have electricity and each campground has a few water pumps. There is also a dumping station at Steamboat Lake State Park campground.
All in all the campsites at Steamboat Lake State Park are very nice and well taken care of. They are well spread out and all of the campsites have absolutely beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. If you are planning on camping here in the heat of the summer, bring lots of bug spray. The mosquitoes can get pretty bad. Even though it feels like you are high up in the mountains, the elevation here is only a bit over 8000 feet so it is a fairly warm place to go camping. Warm camping can often mean lots of bugs. The mosquitoes can be especially bad in the Bridge Island campground.
Steamboat Lake State Park Campground Activities
Steamboat Lake Colorado State Park camping and hiking.
There is something to do for everyone here. Steamboat Lake State Park draws a large portion of its camping crowd for Steamboat Lake itself. The sprawling lake, which is split between regular water and wakeless water, lets everyone enjoy the water as they want. There are several boat ramps, a nice marina, and segregated areas of the lake that let everyone have plenty of room to enjoy their favorite boating sport.
The many inlets, coves and bays give campers who want to fish plenty of choices on where to go and there is more than enough lake to go around for everyone. Fishing can be very good here year round though many of the most convenient areas to go fishing are overfished. So if you have a few hours it may be worth your time to take a small hike away from the crowds to find a quiet place on shore. The extra effort will pay off in a quick and more productive fishing trip.
Even though Steamboat is a beautiful lake, there are plenty of things to do besides enjoying it. Steamboat Lake State Park has wonderful views in all directions. There are many different hiking trails around the area where you can go to enjoy the scenery, watch for wildlife, and just enjoy the area. Make sure to take your camera along with you as well as your wildlife identification books so you can figure out what you find on your adventures.
There are also some great places nearby that can be enjoyed as well if you find the fishing bad, or want to go hiking in on Hahns Peak. Hahns peak is to the north and there are a lot of great hiking trails that can be explored. There is also Pearl Lake State Park if you want to try another State Park for the day.
If you for some reason need something or want to kill a little bit of time on a rainy day just 30 minutes away is Steamboat springs. There you can find anything you may need whether it is hot meal after a cold night or replacement camping equipment.
Make sure that you stop by the visitors center at Steamboat Lake State Park to see what they may have going on while you camping there. It is also a great place to ask about other activities that you can enjoy while you are camping there.
Steamboat Lake State Park Campground Camping Summary
Steamboat Lake State Park is a great place to go camping all year long. During the summer months the entire campground is going to be full most of the season so make sure you get your reservations early! If for some reason you do not get reservations and try a blind trip, be ready to settle for whatever you have to. You may even have to rent one of the cabins in the height of the season.
There is a good reason that Steamboat Lake State Park is such a popular camping destination. The weather here is usually very nice and mild. The campgrounds are nicely spread out, easy to use, and well taken care of. There are a ton of different things to do here so that everyone that stays can make the most out of their time at Steamboat Lake State Park campground.
Steamboat Lake State Park requires a park pass along with camping fees per vehicle so add a few more dollars to the reservation fees you will pay if you do not already have a pass. This pass must be purchased every day but it will cover you for the day in any State Park, including the nearby Pearl Lake State Park.
Steamboat Lake State Park is a great place to go camping whether you are young or old, experienced or new to it. This would be one of my top camping recommendations. You’re sure to have a good time here, enjoying the wonderful Colorado outdoors.
Reserve a Campsite at Steamboat Lake State Park Today!If you have been camping at Steamboat Lake State Park Campground please post your likes, dislikes, and suggestions. Your fellow campers would love to hear from you!
