Round Mountain Camping Overview

Round Mountain Campground is a nice campground a little over an hour west of Colorado Springs on US-24. It is located within Pike National Forest and is just off the main road. There are few amenities here and this campground is not equipped to accommodate campers or RV’s. Small trailer campers will be fine here but this is primarily a tent camping campground. Round Mountain Campground does not have any water, sewer, or electricity hookups for RVs or trailers. This is an ideal camping back up location for the south end of South Park if your original choice of campground is full. This campground is just off the main highway and offers easy access to the many areas of interest in this region. Round Mountain Campground is a great place for ATV enthusiasts to camp since there is access to many ATV trails right from the campground.

Round Mountain Campground Information

Camping at Round Mountain Campground

The campsites here are all nice and flat, allowing you to set up your camp in any configuration that suits your needs. This campground is more open than most state parks, as they do not have dedicated tent pads that you must pitch your tent on. The entire campground is very flat so there are plenty of places for you to pitch a tent or two with ease. Most of the campsites have room for three to four tents around the main campsite itself. The campsites themselves are spread out nicely, giving all the campers here plenty of room to have some forest to themselves. There is a good amount of pine trees in Round Mountain Campground which offers a lot of shade to each campsite as well as nice cover from the wind.

Because there are so few sites at this small campground, and the sites are nicely spaced, it is usually nice and quiet here as long as the ATVs and motorcyclists stick to the campground rules of walking their vehicles through the campground. Each group of campers has their own area without worrying about disturbing the neighbors.

The tables in the campsites are sturdy and made of wood and concrete. These tables do not have one end extended for handicap access. The fire rings for these campsites are the standard three foot size. The ring itself is about eight inches high with a nice rounded edge, providing a nice place to rest your skewers. Fire rings like these are nice as they give off both heat and light. Unfortunately the grate is somewhat small and welded onto one side of the ring. So if you plan on using the grate to cook food, you will need to build up your fire and slide the coals under it. You may want to bring some heavy duty aluminum foil to cover the grate. Remember to add it to the grate before you move the coals underneath it!

It is important to be aware of your food and your trash habits here. Round Mountain Campground is in the middle of bear country and there is no trash service. Make sure to keep your food inside your car and only pull it out for meals. You should also keep your trash inside your car as well. With no trash service in this campground, you will need to pack out everything that you bring in.

The water well here was shut down in 2010 due to public health concerns so there is no fresh water either. Make sure to bring in all the water you will need. If you need more water while you are there you can obtain drinking water at the Divide Water District or the Florissant Water District next to the Florissant Fire Station on Highway 24. The fire station can be found 10 miles to the east on Highway 24 from the Round Mountain Campground turnoff. If you have a Colorado State Park Pass you can head over to Eleven Mile State Park and get water there. However, if you do not have a park pass you will have to pay the state park daily fee to enter.

Final Thoughts on Camping at Round Mountain Campground

All in all, this is a nice quaint campground that is not too far off the beaten path. It is one that may be overlooked by many that are seeking a campground with more amenities. But if you want to a more traditional camping experience without backcountry camping this may be the place for you. This could also be a good backup campground should nearby campgrounds be full.

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!