Rainbow Lakes
Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), camping costs Single Site: $22 per night, and it is open from mid-June to mid-September. Rainbow Lakes is a National Forest campground near Nederland, Colorado.
First-come, first-served
- National Forest
- Managed by
Rainbow Lakes sits inside Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits 0.1 miles outside the boundary of Indian Peaks Wilderness; its permit and camping rules and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- None, first-come
- Fee
- Single Site: $22 per night
Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
What's there
- ✓ Toilets
- ✕ Potable water
On site: Toilets. No potable water.
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 8,300 ft
40.0103, -105.5695 in Boulder. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Season and winter services
Rainbow Lakes is open from mid-June to mid-September , at 8,300 ft.
Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Rainbow Lakes?
No. Rainbow Lakes is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.
How much does it cost to camp at Rainbow Lakes?
Camping at Rainbow Lakes costs Single Site: $22 per night.
Is there drinking water at Rainbow Lakes?
No. Rainbow Lakes has no potable water, so bring all the water you need.
When is Rainbow Lakes open?
Rainbow Lakes is open from mid-June to mid-September.
Who manages Rainbow Lakes?
Rainbow Lakes is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Rainbow Lakes
Hot springs nearby
The nearest hot spring to Rainbow Lakes, in a straight line: Hot Sulphur Springs (hot spring, 29 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
Pawnee - Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $29 per night
Kelly Dahl - Sites
- 25
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $29 per night
Pawnee - Sites
- 45
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Not on record
Camp Dick - Sites
- 20
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $29 per night
More campgrounds: camping near Nederland and campgrounds in Boulder.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30
Photo credits
- Photo 1: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0