Camping Near Saint Elmo, Colorado

It has been said that the population of Saint Elmo, Colorado, rode the last train out of town in 1922 and never went back. Though the mining industry that once sustained it is long gone, the buildings of this historic ghost town still stand. Nestled among the peaks of the Sawatch Range in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Saint Elmo is still an attraction for historically-minded tourists, and several campgrounds in the area provide accommodations.

  1. Saint Elmo History

    • First settled in 1878, Saint Elmo was a prosperous mining town until the failures of several mines in the area began its decline in 1910. The town emptied over the next few years, and the railroad discontinued service in 1922, tearing up the tracks a few years later. A few hardy souls stayed in the town until the 1950s. Today, the town -- said by some to be haunted -- exists only as a tourist attraction, with its buildings in varying states of restoration and disrepair. The town is accessible along County Road 162, and the nearby Iron City Campground sits less than half a mile east on County Road 292.

    Iron City Campground

    • The Iron City Campground sits among a stand of tall aspen trees and lodgepole pines along either side of County Road 292, and the sites range from shady and secluded to partly open. Fifteen campsites are available for tents and RVs. The maximum RV length is 25 feet. The campground is within walking distance of Saint Elmo as well as the nearby Iron City Cemetery. The historic cemetery is just east of the campground, and an interpretive sign at its entrance describes the history of the area. Each campsite includes a picnic table and campfire grill, and amenities are limited to drinking water and vault toilets. Electric hookups and showers are not available.

    Additional Campgrounds

    • Four additional campgrounds provide accommodations roughly 5 to 7 miles east of Saint Elmo along County Route 162. Like the Iron City Campground, the Cascade, Chalk Lake, Mount Princeton and Bootleg campgrounds are operated by the USDA Forest Service and offer primitive campsites with water, vault toilets and little else. The Chalk Lake and Mount Princeton campgrounds are able to accommodate larger RVs -- up to 50 feet at some sites -- while the Bootleg Campground is restricted to tents only. The Cascade Campground is the largest and busiest campground in the area, with fishing access on Chalk Creek and a trail that leads to cascade Falls.

    Considerations

    • Campsites at the Iron City Campground are strictly first-come, first-served; reservations are neither required nor accepted. The campground is open year round. Access cannot be guaranteed in severe winter weather. Camping in winter is free of charge, but running water is not available. The Cascade, Chalk Creek and Mount Princeton campgrounds do accept reservations, though only during summer. You can reserve a campsite online through Recreation.gov.