May Queen Campground

May Queen Campground near Leadville, CO. May Queen Campground is located at the far western end of Turquoise Lake in a shaded lodgepole pine forest. Conveniently perched near the Charles Boustead Memorial Tunnel, May Queen offers easy access to boating, fishing and hiking. Incredible views of the Holy Cross and Mount Massive Wildernesses can be seen from the area, and visitors are likely to see native wildlife like chipmunks, beavers and porcupines. The Charles Boustead Memorial Tunnel is a 5.5-mile tunnel that transports water from the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork River Basins through the Continental Divide to the Arkansas River Basin by emptying water into Turquoise Lake. May Queen Campground is located at the far western end of Turquoise Lake in a shaded lodgepole pine forest at an elevation of 9,900 feet. It is near the Charles Boustead Memorial Tunnel and adjacent to a day use/picnic area, which offers easy angler access to the lake. You can also access the Turquoise Lake Nature Trail for a leisurely walk around the lake. Firewood can be purchased at the campground. Facilities include picnic tables, fire rings, potable water, and vault toilets. Accessible sites are located along the southern end of the campground loop. During weekdays, usage is moderate, but heavy on weekends. Please click on the link for Turquoise Lake Campgrounds Map. During the 2020 season, water will be unavailable at this campground. Please bring water for your camp, including enough water to completely drown your fire, leaving it cold to the touch, if you are having a campfire.

Facilities

Campground offers single family sites. Each site is equipped with a campfire ring and picnic table. Vault toilets, drinking water, and trash collection are provided. Easy access to the lake is provided for canoes and other hand-carried boats. Trailered boats can use Matchless Boat Ramp located on the east side of Turquoise Lake.

Natural Features

The campground sits at an elevation of 9,900 ft. on Turquoise Lake. Most campsites are situated on a level, open field along a creek, feeding into the lake. Six first come-first, serve-sites are perched on the wooded hillside above the creek. Nearby is the Mount Massive Wilderness area, a 30,540 acre expanse encompassing Mount Massive, Colorado's second highest peak at 14,421 feet. Much of the wilderness is above timberline with many alpine plant communities and permanent snowfields.

Recreation

Explore the 6.4-mile Turquoise Lake Trail, which parallels the shoreline of Turquoise Lake from May Queen Campground to the dam. The trail offers moderate hiking with spectacular views and a variety of flora and fauna, as well as remnants of old mines. The Timberline Lake trailhead is 1/2 mile up the road. A 2-mile hike to this lake is rewarded with stunning views and high alpine lake fishing. The Colorado Trail can also be accessed from this trailhead. On Turquoise Lake, sailing, boating and canoeing are enjoyed. Anglers seek out mostly mackinaw and rainbow trout.