Summit Lake Campground

Closed — Closed for winter due to snow at 10,300 feet elevation. Generally opens mid-July and stays open until snow makes the road unreachable in fall. All sites are first-come, first-served with no reservations.

About

Summit Lake Campground is a high-elevation Forest Service campground located at 10,300 feet on Buffalo Pass outside Steamboat Springs. The campground provides 9 back-in campsites and 6 walk-in tent sites, all available on a first-come, first-served basis with no advance reservations. Each site includes a picnic table and fire grate, and the facility offers vault toilets and trash service. Two day-use parking areas provide access to Summit Lake for fishing and picnicking. The campground is situated near the boundary of Mount Zirkel Wilderness, offering numerous backcountry opportunities for experienced hikers. Only hand-powered watercraft are permitted on Summit Lake, with no boat ramp available. The area is popular for mountain biking, dirt biking, ATVing, horseback riding, and fishing. The access road from Steamboat Springs via Buffalo Pass Road (Routt County Road 38) is described as bumpy with large rocks requiring careful navigation. Due to the extreme elevation, the campground typically doesn't open until mid-July and remains open until snow makes it unreachable, usually sometime in fall. The remote location and spectacular alpine setting make this a destination for those seeking high-country camping experiences and wilderness access in the Routt National Forest.

Directions

From Steamboat Springs, travel 2 miles north on Routt County Road 36 (Strawberry Park Road), then 13 miles northeast on Routt County Road 38 (Buffalo Pass Road). Campground is at the summit.

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