OHAVER LAKE campground
SALIDA, Colorado

OHAVER LAKE

Check by phone
Open in maps

Total Campsites

Campground

Reservable Sites

Check by phone

Accessible

ADA-compliant sites

Organization

Overview

About OHAVER LAKE

Overview The Forest Service wants your opinion on reserving sites at O’Haver Lake Campground. Please take a moment to fill out a brief survey at: https://forms.office.com/g/zFknf0tZbS O'Haver Lake Campground sits at an elevation of 9,200 feet, with ponderosa pines and aspen. It is located on the shores of O'Haver Lake. This facility has 31 sites and is a very popular destination that is often full on the weekends. "First come, first served" does not necessarily mean that the site will be available when you get there. Someone may get there before you. This is a popular campground and is normally full starting on Friday, sometimes as early as Thursday, so plan accordingly. Recreation There is an accessible fishing pier and non-motorized watercraft can be used to seek rainbow and brook trout on O'Haver Lake. If using non-motorized watercraft please be courteous to those who are fishing. Facilities There is an accessible fishing pier and non-motorized watercraft can be used to seek rainbow and brook trout on O'Haver Lake. If using non-motorized watercraft please be courteous to those who are fishing. Natural Features This area attracts many campers for fishing, bird watching and canoeing on the calm, pleasant lake. Ponderosa pines provide a fresh vanilla scent in the mountain air and aspens please visitors with golden foliage displays in autumn. Nearby Attractions The historic Denver and Rio Grande railroad grade traveled from Salida, southwest to the summit of Marshall Pass. The grade travels along County Road 200 above O'Haver Lake. This is a very popular mountain biking route with cyclists traveling from Monarch Pass to Marshall Pass on the Crest trail and then traveling down the railroad grade into Poncha Springs. Silver Creek, Starvation Creek, Poncha Creek and the Rainbow Trail are also nearby trails. Shirley Site is located off of Highway 285 and County Road 200 just below Poncha Pass. Shirley got its name during the 1880's when it served as a busy construction camp for men building the Denver and Rio Grande rail line over Marshall Pass to the ore-rich mines in Gunnison. By summer of 1881, Shirley boasted 14 large business tents, most of which were saloons and dance halls. Little remains of the town of Shirley except the coal stained railbed that can be seen just north of the Shirley site parking area. Shirley Site is a popular staging area for OHV riders and mountain bikers during the summer months and snowmobilers during winter. contact_info For facility specific information, please call (661) 702-1420. Charges & Cancellations Cancellations Individual Campsites: Cancellations up to 2 days before a reservation start date incur a $10.00 cancellation fee. A visitor who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee including tax and applicable add-on for a campsite. Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. No-Shows A no-show visitor is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's rate, taxes and applicable add-on for a campsite. Refunds Visitors may submit a refund request through their Recreation.gov profile within 7 days of the end date of their reservation. Refunds will not be issued after the 7 days has ended. Refunds for debit or credit card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank or credit card used to pay. For check or cash purchases, Recreation.gov will mail a Treasury check for refunds of cash, check, or money order payments to the address associated with the reservation. Treasury check refunds may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive. In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team or facility manager will refund all fees and will attempt to notify you using the contact information within the Recreation.gov visitor profile.

  • Map coordinates are available for trip planning.
OHAVER LAKE photo 2
OHAVER LAKE photo 3

Our Take

What makes OHAVER LAKE special

O'Haver Lake Campground sits at 9,200 feet in the Sawatch Range near Salida, Colorado, surrounded by ponderosa pines and quaking aspen that turn brilliant gold in late September. The 31-site campground wraps around a small, trout-stocked lake where float tubes and canoes drift lazily on calm mornings — no motorized boats are allowed, keeping things peaceful. Fishing here is productive for rainbow and brook trout, and the lake is shallow enough that fly-fishing from shore works well. The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis and fills quickly on summer weekends, so arriving Thursday evening is a common strategy. Several 14,000-foot peaks are within striking distance, including Mount Ouray and Mount Shavano, making this a popular staging area for peak-baggers. Nights are cool even in July at this elevation, so pack warm layers. The nearby Monarch Pass area offers additional hiking and mountain biking. With vault toilets and no hookups, O'Haver Lake keeps camping simple and focused on the high-country setting that draws people back year after year.

Reservations & Contact

Plan your stay

Check by phone

Phone

CAMPGROUNDS DO NOT HAVE PHONE SERVICE, CALLING TO CHECK AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO ARRIVAL IS NOT POSSIBLE. FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 1-877-444-6777

Getting There

From Salida, Colorado: Travel west on Highway 50 to Poncha Springs. Turn south on Hwy 285 and travel for 5 miles. Turn right onto County Road 200 and continue for 2.3 miles. Turn west on County Road 202 and proceed 2.5 miles.

FAQ

Common questions

Everything you need to know before your trip to OHAVER LAKE.

How do reservations work for OHAVER LAKE?

Reservation availability for OHAVER LAKE can vary by season and campsite type. Check the contact and access section before booking.

What campsite types are available at OHAVER LAKE?

Campsite type details are limited right now. Check back as this listing is enriched.

Where is OHAVER LAKE located?

OHAVER LAKE is in Colorado near SALIDA. Coordinates: 38.4278, -106.1431.

Keep Exploring

Discover more campgrounds

More campgrounds in Colorado