Rated the "Most Scenic Campground in Colorado" - by AAA

"If you should, in your imagination, put together in one small group, perhaps 12 miles square, all the heights and depths, the rugged precipices and polished faces of rock, and all the sharp pinnacles and deeply indented crests, and twenty times the inaccessible summits that both of us have ever seen, you would not have a picture equal to this."

- W.H. Holmes, describing the San Juan Mountains in 1876.

 

Molas Lake Campground 2024 Camping Season Starts June 1! 

 

 

Before booking your reservation, please review our current  Reservation Policies.

BOOKING INFORMATION, CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICIES

Thanks to our hosts and guests for another successful camping season in 2023.  We ask that all guests strictly follow campground guidelines and assist in doing their part to keep Molas Lake Campground safe and open!

 

 

Molas Lake Campground Store has a tandem kayak,  5 kayaks, 4 stand-up-paddle boards, and a rowboat for rent at Molas Lake. Enjoy the water!

 

Molas Lake & Campground was granted to the Town of Silverton in 1925 from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.  The 137-acre campground sits along the Million Dollar Highway (US 550) in the central San Juan Mountains; the most spectacular peaks in the Colorado Rockies.  The Campground is adjacent to the largest wilderness area in the state of Colorado, the Weminuche Wilderness.

 

Molas Lake Campground provides visitors with unforgettable scenery, a stocked 25-acre lake, National Forest access via the Colorado Trail, and dark, starry skies free from light-pollution.

 

We were featured in the October 15, 2011 "Colorado Getaways". View the clip embedded below or click on this link: Molas Lake Campground "Colorado Getaways" Feature

 

 

General Information:

Molas Lake Campground and day-use amenities were completely renovated in 2008. There are more than 50 campsites serving tent-campers, small RV's and pop-ups, and a few sites over 1,500 square feet to serve even the largest RV's. The park has one water pump, several clean and new vault-style restrooms, and showers.

 

Day-Use Information:

• Pets are welcome.All dogs must be on-leash at all times when in the park and never left unattended. Owners are responsible for picking up after their pets to ensure a clean campground, campsite and surrounding trails.

• Day-Use Areas: Our four day-use areas are available free of charge, on a first-come first-serve basis. Each area has a BBQ grill and picnic table. Day-use hours are “Dawn-to-Dusk”.

• No swimming is allowed in Molas Lake.

• Fishing: Colorado Fishing Licenses can be purchased from Colorado Parks and Wildlife using their online CPW store (https://www.cpwshop.com/purchaseprivilege.page?_PageParam.displayCategoryID=251532604). Silverton no longer has a store selling licenses on-site.

   

  Check the Colorado Parks and Wildlife fishing webpage for current license fees. You'll need to supply your own fishing equipment. Rainbow and brown trout are  the most common species in the lake. Cleaning of fish is only allowed at the fish cleaning station and all unwanted fish byproduct must be bagged and discarded in the dumpster. Limit of fish is 4 per person.

 

Fishing Regulations:

 

Fishing: Colorado Fishing Licenses can be purchased from Colorado Parks and Wildlife using their online CPW store (https://www.cpwshop.com/purchaseprivilege.page?_PageParam.displayCategoryID=251532604). Silverton no longer has a store selling licenses on-site.

 

Check the Colorado Parks and Wildlife fishing webpage for current license fees. You'll need to supply your own fishing equipment. Rainbow and brown trout are  the most common species in the lake. Cleaning of fish is only allowed at the fish cleaning station and all unwanted fish byproduct must be bagged and discarded in the dumpster. Limit of fish is 4 per person.

 

 

Directions:

Molas Lake Park & Campground is located between mile markers 65 & 66 on U.S. Highway 550, approximately 5 miles south of Silverton in San Juan County, Colorado.

View Larger Map | Molas Lake Park is on the U.S. Geological Survey 1:24,000 Snowden Peak Quadrangle.

 

From Durango

Head out of town north on highway 550. After approximately 42 miles, you'll reach Molas Pass. Continue for approximately one more mile and find the entrance to the park on the right, immediately off of highway 550. Driving time from Durango is approximately one hour.

From Silverton

Head out of town south on highway 550, towards Durango. After approximately 5 miles, you'll see the entrance to Molas Park on the left side of the road. If you reach the top of Molas Pass, you've gone too far. Driving time from Silverton is approximately 10 minutes.

From Montrose

Head out of town south on highway 550, towards Ouray. Continue through Ouray on highway 550. Continue over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton. Go past Silverton and continue and additional 5 miles, you'll see the entrance to Molas Park on the left side of the road. If you reach the top of Molas Pass, you've gone too far. Total distance from Montrose is about 65 miles with a driving time of about 1.5 hours.

 

Approximate Driving Times & Distances

• Durango: 44.5 miles (about 54 minutes)
• Telluride: 29.7 miles (about 1 hour 12 minutes)
• Grand Junction: 127 miles (about 2 hours 39 minutes)
• Colorado Springs: 300 miles (about 5 hours 48 minutes)
• Denver: 362 miles (6 hours 15 minutes)
• Flagstaff, Arizona: 355 miles (about 6 hours 49 minutes)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico: 257 miles (about 4 hours and 58 minutes)
• Farmington, New Mexico: 92.1 miles (about 1 hour 55 minutes)
• Salt Lake City, Utah: 408 miles (about 7 hours 18 minutes)
• El Paso, Texas: 523 miles (about 8 hours 36 minutes)
• Twin Falls, Idaho: 629 miles (about 10 hours, 22 minutes)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 802 miles (about 12 hours 40 minutes)

 

Nearest Airports

• Durango - La Plata County Airport (about 1 hour 20 minutes drive)
• Telluride Regional Airport (about 1 hour 30 minutes drive away)
• Montrose Regional Airport (about 2 hours drive)

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions & Answers:

Have a question or comment about Molas Lake Park & Campground? Email Us

 

Q. How big is Molas Lake Campground?
A. 137 wooded acres, including 25-acre Molas Lake. Our 58 campsites are completely surrounded by national forest and other public lands including a wilderness area.

 

Q. Is there a fee to use the Day Use Picnic Areas?
A. No. Our four (4) day-use areas are available first-come first-serve, free of charge. Each area has a BBQ grill and picnic table(s).

 

Q. Can I swim in Molas Lake?
A. No. Swimming is not permitted in Molas Lake.

 

Q. Can I bring my dog or cat to the campground?
A. Pets are welcome. All dogs must be on-leash at all times when in the park and never left unattended. Owners are responsible for picking up after their pets to ensure a clean campground, campsite and surrounding trails.

 

Q. What do I need to fish at Molas Lake?
A. Colorado Fishing Licenses can be purchased from Colorado Parks and Wildlife using their online CPW store (https://www.cpwshop.com/home.page). Silverton no longer has a store selling licenses on-site. Check the Colorado Parks and Wildlife fishing webpage for current license fees. You'll need to supply your own fishing equipment. Rainbow and brown trout are  the most common species in the lake. Cleaning of fish is only allowed at the fish cleaning station and all unwanted fish byproduct must be bagged and discarded in the dumpster. Limit of fish is 4 per person.

 

Q. Are there electrical outlets in the campground bathrooms? How about water?
A. There are no electrical outlets in the campground bathrooms. Outlets can only be found in the shower facilities. The bathrooms are clean vault-style toilets without electricity and without running water. A central water pump provides clean water for guests.

 

Q. Does the campground have a dumping station?
A. No -- Molas Lake Campground no longer has a dump station. Dump stations are available within the Town of Silverton, just 10 minutes away. The fee is typically around $10.

 

Q. Is there a camp store? What supplies can we buy at the campground?
A. Yes. Our store is open every day from 7:00AM – 7:00PM and has basic fishing and camping supplies, souvenirs, as well as snacks, ice cream and drinks.

 

Q. Do you sell firewood?
A. Yes, firewood is available for purchase from the Camp Hosts during store hours. Due to ecological concerns and the appearance of invasive species, campers are strictly prohibited from bringing firewood from out-of-state. NO CUTTING OF TREES IN THE CAMPGROUND IS PERMITTED. VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED BY THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW AND WILL BE IVITED TO LEAVE WITHOUT REFUND.

 

Q. We are a large group. Can you accommodate us?
A. For groups of 15 or more, please email your details to us. We recommend groups reserve in the Small RV/Tent Sites as not all waterfront sites are close enough together to accommodate a group gathering.

 

Q. We may arrive after later in the evening for check-in, what do we need to do?
A. Our office is open every day from 7:00 AM -7:00 PM. If you plan on arriving after 7:00PM, your site number and last name will be listed and marked on a map on the front door of the office. Just come back in the morning to grab your paperwork!

 

Q. We haven't camped at Molas Lake before, what is the best campsite for us?
A. All sites have different characteristics, topography, views, and sizes. Each individual camper or group will like something different, so it is difficult to ask and answer "what is the best campsite for us." We recommend reading the descriptions of the individual campsites on our Camping page for an understanding of what fits best and the general location/views. Important to note, we are a developed campground and campers do not have an unlimited amount of space. Some campsites work better for RVs, some for small tents, others for a cabin/wall tent. Most sites accommodate two normal size, 3-4 person tents; our sites do not generally fit two very large tents. Sites are developed for 6-8 people maximum with respective size tents.

 

Q. Are there showers at Molas Lake Campground?
A. Yes. Hot water shower facilities are available for $5.00 per token. Most campers will buy one token. The campground bathrooms do not have any running water.

 

Q. What is the cancellation policy?

A. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY - OUR CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICIES HAVE CHANGED for the 2022 camping season. * If the Town of Silverton cancels your reservation due to COVID-19: there will be a 100% refund. * If you cancel your reservation: 1) No refunds for any cancellations that are after 90 days of creating your reservation; 2) If your cancellation date is less than 90 days from the date the reservation was created and at least 7 days before your arrival date, we will issue a 50% refund; 3) There will be no refunds for any cancellations that are less than 7 days before your arrival date; 4) Refunds will be made to the credit card used to book the reservation. * To cancel or change your reservation, please Email Us (info@molaslake.com) and specify that you booked your reservation online with the reservation identification code. * PLEASE be sure you booked an appropriate campsite for what you are bringing. IF YOU INCORRECTLY BOOK A CAMPSITE THAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE, WE CANNOT GUARANTEE WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A DIFFERENT CAMPSITE AT CHECK-IN - we do sell out for most of the summer. Please email us with any questions (info@molaslake.com). Please refer to the current Reservation & Cancellation Policies before booking a reservation.

 

Q. Are there hiking and mountain biking trails close?
A. Yes. There are amazing hikes for all abilities directly from the campground. Many other hiking trails are a short drive from the campground. You can mountain bike directly from the campground on the Colorado Trail towards Durango, note this trail is strenuous due the elevation gain. World class mountain bike trails are close by in the Durango and Cortez area.

 

Q. Can I bring and ride my ATV in the campground and surrounding trails?
A. No. ATVs cannot be ridden in the campground and surrounding trails. Molas Lake Campground is surrounded by BLM lands and wilderness areas. ATVs must be placed on a trailer from the campground and driven to the allowed areas within the Town of Silverton and other many surrounding OHV staging areas.

 

Q. I camp at Molas Lake often, but can never reserve the site I want, why?
A. Reservations for the season open on January 1st, People book and request campsites on the 1st to be sure they have the site they want. Starting in 2017, campers can make reservation for their sites by Campsite #. We recommend reserving as soon as you plan on coming out to visit. Although our waterfront campsites are highly desirable, we have many other great sites that may be more spacious in the Small RV/Tent Site area.

 

Q. Do bears visit Molas Lake Campground?
A. Although there have not been any bear-human contact incidents in recent memory, black bears have been known to visit the campground from time to time. Because of the remoteness of the campground and the bears' limited interactions with humans, the bears in the area tend to have a natural fear of people. However, you should play it safe and avoid storing food in your tent.

  

Q. What animals live in the area?
A. A wide variety of species live in the San Juan Mountains, including mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves, coyotes, black bears, bobcat, and lynx. Although you will probably see some of these species on your trip, such as deer, elk, coyotes, and sheep are frequently seen, while bear- and big cat-sightings are more rare.

 

 

 

Download & Print Campground Map

Rendering Map

 

Q. I am hiking to Colorado Trail and need to send a resupply package. Can I send one to the campground?

A. Yes! We are conveniently located right off the Colorado Trail.
The best way to send your package is by UPS to the following address:

Molas Lake Campground
C/O *your name here*
65560 US Hwy 550 N
Silverton, CO 81433

If you send your boxes via USPS General Delivery (NOT RECOMMENDED!), you will incur a fee based on the size of your package(s) and cost of transportation from the Silverton Post Office to Molas Lake Campground.

 

We are getting a lot more boxes this year, so to cover the increase in our storage costs, there will be a storage fee based on the size of your package(s). Please label your box(s) clearly with your name, estimated time of arrival, and mark it with something that differentiates it from the other boxes (stickers, colorful duct tape, ect). Boxes that haven’t been asked to be returned or have not been picked up within 30 days of the ETA will be donated to our hiker box for fellow CT hikers to enjoy.

 

Don’t forget we also have a store filled with drinks, snacks, and ice cream!

 

Packages can be picked up during campground office/store hours, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM.