The Silver Dollar Campground is located on Turquoise Lake near Leadville, Colorado and offers forest camping with easy access to the lake and a short drive into the historic mining town of Leadville.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Rating: 4 of 5
Location: West of Leadville (map)
Reservations: Available at Recreation.gov
Amenities: Pit Toilet, Lake Access, NO POTABLE WATER*
Silver Dollar Campground Review: What to Expect at Turquoise Lake
The Silver Dollar Campground is one of the multiple campgrounds around Turquoise Lake near Leadville, Colorado. It offers large campsites in a forested area. There isn’t a lot of privacy between sites due to the lack of underbrush, but the site spaces are large and offer space.
There are hiking and biking trails near the campground. We have taken Pip onto these trails on foot, on the Mac Ride, and on the Strider. The hike to the lake is a bit long (we ended up offering a “ride” on our hip each time) but once we got there the sandy shore kept the kids busy.
The potable water has been unavailable for the past two years so definitely pack along extra water. The bathrooms are clean, the firewood was plentiful at the hosts’ site, and the campsites were well maintained.
No Potable Water. Now What?
There is no potable water at this campsite. The spigots are turned off, likely for the upcoming seasons as well. You will need to plan ahead by bringing water with you. We have two collapsible 5-gallon water containers. This gives us plenty of water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning up. These are the collapsible water containers we have had for years and swear by: Collapsible Water Containers for Camping.
Would We Return? Yes, and we have. We have camped in this campground a few times and have enjoyed our visit each time. It is a bit further from the lake that is ideal for a toddler to walk but the roads are fantastic for riding Strider bikes.
Our Experience: We have camped at Silver Dollar Campground a few times. Each time we were lucky enough to get sites on the outer ring of the campground loop — this offered us more space away from the other campers.
The weather can be variable in the spring but we have still made the trip multiple times in May. I would highly recommend packing extra layers and maybe even snow clothes if you’re coming early in the season. We have gone so far as to layer up Pip in snow pants before heading out onto the campground road with the balance bike. Worth it!
If you are lucky enough to snag a site during the summer months TAKE IT! It’s a fantastic spot and they go fast…but the days do get toasty. For the hot summer days bring camp chairs and sand/water toys to stay cool on the shore of Turquoise Lake. Paddle boards are also great on the lake.
Meals We Cooked: Brats and Tots, Oatmeal Bowls, Chicken Salad Wraps, Burgers on the Campfire
Gear We Used: Coleman Skydome Darkroom Tent, Nemo Roamer Sleeping Pads, ALPS Mountaineering Camp Seat, Strider Balance Bike, Mac Ride Bike Seat|
Places We Visited: City on a Hill Coffee, Before & After Coffee & Cocktails, Lake County Library, Leadville Railroad Scenic Rides, Kiddie Koral Playground
