St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel

PSICC — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Canon City, CO, CO

Price: From $25 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (93 reviews)

Season: May through October

Nestled among aspen and tall Douglas fir trees, St. Charles Campground is in a quiet part of the Lake Isabel Recreation Area. Charles Creek, the campground is popular with campers who enjoy the sounds of water tumbling through the shaded boulders.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Bear Boxes, Camp Host, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

St. Charles Campground sits on the banks of St. Charles Creek amid aspen and Douglas fir trees in a quiet part of Lake Isabel Recreation Area, with excellent fishing for brown, rainbow, and brook trout plus several hiking trails nearby. Campers consistently praise it as a beautiful, clean, and well-maintained facility with a helpful camp host.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lions, wapiti, and rocky mountain mule deer present in the area. Also watch for striped skunks and wandering garter snakes.

Insider tips for St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel: Book early — this is a federal campground that fills quickly. Site #8 is noted as one of the best by campers. First-come, first-serve spots exist but fill rapidly; reservations are strongly recommended.

Skip St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites; only suitable for self-contained RVs.. You're sensitive to generator noise — some campers and the camp host run generators during the day.. You prefer to camp outside the May-October window — seasonal operations only..

Best time to visit St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: La Vista Campground - Lake Isabel (Canon City, CO), Lake Isabel Cabin (CANON CITY, CO), Ponderosa Group - Lake Isabel (CANON CITY, CO), Davenport Campground (Canon City, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel

Cell signal at St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel (Canon City, 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›CO›St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel — photo 1
PSICC — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel

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Canon City, CO, CO★ 4.7 (93 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Nestled among aspen and tall Douglas fir trees, St. Charles Campground is in a quiet part of the Lake Isabel Recreation Area. Charles Creek, the campground is popular with campers who enjoy the sounds of water tumbling through the shaded boulders.

Best for:AnglersHikersFamiliesSites:TentRV
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
Max RV45 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesBear BoxesFirewood for Sale
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsCamp Host

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 RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites; only suitable for self-contained RVs.✕ You're sensitive to generator noise — some campers and the camp host run generators during the day.✕ You prefer to camp outside the May-October window — seasonal operations only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground that fills quickly.

Site #8 is noted as one of the best by campers.

First-come, first-serve spots exist but fill rapidly; reservations are strongly recommended.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

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: Mountain lions, wapiti, and rocky mountain mule deer present in the area. Also watch for striped skunks and wandering garter snakes.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From Pueblo, go 25 miles south on I-25 to exit 74. Drive west 18 miles on state Highway 165. Turn into the main entrance at Lake Isabel Recreation Area and drive to Forest Road 374, the second left. Follow signs to the campground.

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 — PSICC fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at PSICC 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 St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel cost per night?+
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel costs $25 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel open?+
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel?+
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
How do I make reservations at St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel?+
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel 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 St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel open, and what are check-in times?+
St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Forest Service ConcessionairePrint Facility Map
●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.

$25 /night★ 4.7 (93)
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 St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel cost per night?+
What season is St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel open?+
Does St Charles Campground - Lake Isabel have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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