Echo Lake

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Morrison, CO, CO

Price: From $26 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (77 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Echo Lake Campground is located on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in central Colorado near its namesake lake at the base of Mount Blue Sky along Hwy 103. Visitors enjoy hiking, fishing and taking scenic drives along Mount Evans Road. Activities in the area include hiking in the Mount Evans Wilderness, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/echo-lake to be notified when sites open up.

Echo Lake offers scenic high-altitude camping at over 10,500 ft near Mount Evans with direct access to hiking trails, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Multiple Google reviewers praise it as an excellent first camping spot for Colorado acclimatization.

Wildlife alert: Red Fox, Bighorn Sheep, Yellow-bellied Marmot, Park Marmot, Red-backed Mouse, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and Hairy Woodpecker documented in the area.

Insider tips for Echo Lake: Book early—this is a popular federal campground Bring your own firewood; summer bundle pricing is approximately $10 Elevation over 10,500 ft makes it ideal for acclimatization before higher-altitude activities Trailheads for Renthouse Trail and Chicago Lakes remain accessible even during seasonal closures

Skip Echo Lake if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available, suitable only for self-contained RVs. You require private campsites—sites are not private but reviewers report respectful camping etiquette. You want to avoid nighttime road traffic—reports indicate vehicles driving through site area at night.

Best time to visit Echo Lake: May-September — Campground operates year-round but Google reviews indicate winter closures; summer offers full access to trailheads and activities..

Nearby campgrounds: West Chicago Creek (Morrison, CO), Mestaa’Ėhehe Mountain Fire Lookout (Idaho Springs, CO), Clear Lake Campground (CO), Guanella Pass (Morrison, CO).