San Isabel National Forest
Bear Lake

Bear Lake Campground is located at 10,500' elevation and has 14 official camp sites. There are rest rooms and drinking water available. Camping, picnicking, fishing, and parking are fee activities. There are also several hiking trailheads nearby.

In the early 1900's, there was a large black bear causing a lot of havoc in the area and one of the Forest Rangers set a trap for it. The next day he went to retrieve the trap but it was gone. Later on, the trap was found in the middle of the lake, still attached to the bear. The bear was so large that he had dragged the trap cross-country and into the lake, that's how Bear Lake got the name.

The stream feeding into Bear Lake

Where the stream meets Bear Lake

Looking down on Bear Lake Campground from up on the Indian Creek Trail

Directions: Take State Highway 12 south of Cuchara to a sharp turn in the pavement at the northern foot of Cuchara Pass. Turn onto a well marked dirt road leading west into the National Forest. It's 5 miles to Bear Lake from that turn. There's excellent fishing in the Cuchara River Recreation Area for the first couple of miles going in. There's also excellent fishing at Blue Lake, four miles up from the pavement, 1 mile short of Bear Lake.