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Bear Lake, Colorado
Just returned from a short trip into the San Isabel National Forest in southern Colorado. Camping at Bear Lake sounded like a good idea. This area is in the Rocky Mountain Southwest, northwest of Trinidad, west of La Veta, near the Cuchara Pass.
Bear Lake is next to Blue Lake, at the end of a 10 miles-per-hour, five mile long washboard road with too many tight switchbacks to count. It's an attractive, great fishing lake and base area for hunters and trail riders. The road, though, is a bear. They close it down after the first snow. But, anyone fool enough to go up there then is allowed, until the road does not get plowed, which happens early. Needed to check Bear Lake out this week, before that happens.
No hookups, about 17 sites but they seem to be compound slopes so good luck with de-hitching level. There is a manual water pump, it is potable, and clean pit toilets. The camp host is excellent. Elevation, about 10,200 feet. Took my dog Josie on several short trail hikes and it had me puffing. Saw no bears and no deer wandering through. Currently is black powder and bow hunting season. I noted several trucks and rv’s that seemed to be abandoned but of course these owners were likely overnight backpacking up into the forest. I was happy to not see anyone dragging a carcass back from the hunt.
We stayed 3 days. Blueberry pancakes for breakfast and for supper, chicken thighs and pot stickers.
$21 per night, half price with the Senior Pass. Most amazing thing up there was seeing several monster RV’s driving through, with pulling off road vehicles attached behind. They were in search of a first come first served site. (We got one.) I cannot comprehend the great anxiety I would feel if I was towing ET-19 up there, confronted one on a hairpin and had to pass by.
On the way home we stopped in Trinidad, on the Santa Fe Trail at the LivWell cannabis store, for some CBD tincture.
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