Rainbow Lakes Campground

Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG — lakeside

Location: CO, CO

Price: From $22 per night

Price range: $22–$44 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This campground is at the end of the Rainbow Lakes Road and adjacent to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. There are 18 first-come, first-served Scan & Pay campsites that accommodate tents (on 14x16 foot tent pads) and small trailers. Campsite 8 is oversized and accommodates up to 15 people.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes

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

Beautiful campground adjacent to Indian Peaks Wilderness with clean facilities and great hiking access. Google reviewers consistently praised the scenic location and well-maintained bathrooms and sites.

Wildlife alert: Moose, North American River Otter, Snowshoe Hare, Pacific Marten, Long-tailed Weasel, Boreal Owl, Common Merganser, and Canada Jay documented in area

Insider tips for Rainbow Lakes Campground: Arrive early on weekday mornings — campground is first-come, first-served with no reservations Campsite 8 is oversized and accommodates up to 15 people if you have a larger group Campsites 15-18 are walk-in tent sites; Campsites 1-14 have 14x16 foot tent pads and accommodate small trailers

Skip Rainbow Lakes Campground if: You need guaranteed reservations — all 18 sites are first-come, first-served only. You require hookups — no electric, water, or sewer hookups available. You visit outside May through October — campground operates seasonally.

Best time to visit Rainbow Lakes Campground: Weekdays May-October — Seasonal operations May through October; Google reviews recommend arriving on weekday mornings for better first-come, first-served site availability.

Nearby campgrounds: Kelly Dahl (Morrison, CO), Pawnee (Morrison, CO), Camp Dick (Morrison, CO), Peaceful Valley (Morrison, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Rainbow Lakes Campground

Cell signal at Rainbow Lakes Campground (CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CO›Rainbow Lakes Campground
Rainbow Lakes Campground — photo 1
Rainbow Lakes Campground — photo 2
See all photos
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG — lakesideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Rainbow Lakes Campground

Share:
CO, CO★ 4 (0 reviews)From $22/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This campground is at the end of the Rainbow Lakes Road and adjacent to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. There are 18 first-come, first-served Scan & Pay campsites that accommodate tents (on 14x16 foot tent pads) and small trailers. Campsite 8 is oversized and accommodates up to 15 people.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowersBear Boxes
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsDump Station

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need guaranteed reservations — all 18 sites are first-come, first-served only✕ You require hookups — no electric, water, or sewer hookups available✕ You visit outside May through October — campground operates seasonally

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Arrive early on weekday mornings

campground is first-come, first-served with no reservations

Campsite 8 is oversized and accommodates up to 15 people if you have a larger group

Campsites 15-18 are walk-in tent sites; Campsites 1-14 have 14x16 foot tent pads and accommodate small trailers

Best: Weekdays May-October

Seasonal operations May through October; Google reviews recommend arriving on weekday mornings for better first-come, first-served site availability

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Moose, North American River Otter, Snowshoe Hare, Pacific Marten, Long-tailed Weasel, Boreal Owl, Common Merganser, and Canada Jay documented in area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
530-529-0578· Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Getting there →

From Nederland, head north on Colorado Highway 72 for approximately seven miles. Look for the University of Colorado Mountain Research Station sign and turn west onto National Forest System Road 298. This route is gated during the winter. This road is a five-mile, native-surfaced road. A high clearance vehicle is recommended.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Rainbow Lakes Campground cost per night?+
Rainbow Lakes Campground costs $22–$44 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Rainbow Lakes Campground open?+
Rainbow Lakes Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Rainbow Lakes Campground have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Rainbow Lakes Campground?+
Rainbow Lakes Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Rainbow Lakes Campground?+
Rainbow Lakes Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Rainbow Lakes Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Rainbow Lakes Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Rainbow Lakes Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Rainbow Lakes Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$22 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Rainbow Lakes Campground cost per night?+
What season is Rainbow Lakes Campground open?+
Does Rainbow Lakes Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Kelly Dahl

Morrison, CO

From $18.75/night

Pawnee

Morrison, CO

From $29/night

Camp Dick

Morrison, CO

From $17.25/night

Peaceful Valley

Morrison, CO

From $18.75/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$22–44 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability