South Meadows Campground

Post-Labor Day camping so "first come first served". We came across South Meadows Campground out of necessity but we're pleasantly surprised! Our reservation at another nearby campground proved to be way less than ideal. Very small pads and very sloped grounds. There were several nice pads to choose from upon our unplanned arrival and the camp host was very helpful in getting us settled. Highl... Post-Labor Day camping so "first come first served". We came across South Meadows Campground out of necessity but we're pleasantly surprised! Our reservation at another nearby campground proved to be way less than ideal. Very small pads and very sloped grounds. There were several nice pads to choose from upon our unplanned arrival and the camp host was very helpful in getting us settled. Highly recommended.

Peaceful, spacious, and family-friendly! We camped at tent site #41 for 3 nights in June and had a great experience. The site was clean, grassy, and very private—even though we could see neighbors, it was quiet and peaceful. No tent pad meant we could set up wherever we wanted, and there was plenty of space. Bathrooms (vault toilets) were clean, firewood was available onsite, and there were bear-... Peaceful, spacious, and family-friendly! We camped at tent site #41 for 3 nights in June and had a great experience. The site was clean, grassy, and very private—even though we could see neighbors, it was quiet and peaceful. No tent pad meant we could set up wherever we wanted, and there was plenty of space. Bathrooms (vault toilets) were clean, firewood was available onsite, and there were bear-proof containers. The campground has both sun and shade, with lots of trees and a beautiful setting. Manitou Lake is just a 3-minute drive away, and town is about 6 minutes out—close but still feels like a getaway. What made this campground amazing was how family-friendly it is. My daughter made friends, rode her scooter on the paved roads, and had a blast. We saw lots of families biking, walking, and enjoying the outdoors together. Can’t wait to come back—highly recommend for families! Heads up: I have Verizon and had no cell service at the campground.

I have camped at this campground 5 times now and we really like it. It is close enough to Woodland Park to feel accessible, but it is also in the mountains at elevation with a lot of trees to feel like you are camping in the mountains. These are non electric sites. During peak season you need to book online on the website. On shoulder seasons, half of the sites become first come first served, so b... I have camped at this campground 5 times now and we really like it. It is close enough to Woodland Park to feel accessible, but it is also in the mountains at elevation with a lot of trees to feel like you are camping in the mountains. These are non electric sites. During peak season you need to book online on the website. On shoulder seasons, half of the sites become first come first served, so be sure to look on the website to see which ones those are, and when those are. You can also drive around and look for the green "open" signs on the campsites, as opposed to the red "reserved" signs. The campsites here have both pull through sites and back in sites, they are larger than you think in terms of parking and also site space. Since it is national forest you can put your tent and set up anywhere (there is no tent pad). There were many large groups here with lots of tents and having a grand time. There were lots of families around spending time together walking, biking, and scootering. The campground loop is paved, and there is also the centennial trail nearby towards the entrance of the campground to walk or bike on as well. The campground is not super large, so it is easy enough to find your way around and to your campsite. Each time I have stayed here the campground hosts are very nice, friendly, and helpful. They keep the vault toilets clean. There are dumpsters and water spickets scattered around as well as multiple different vault toilets. The sites have a lot of pine trees which is great for shade and cover from storms, but there are some openings which is good for stargazing or warming up in the sun. The site has a wooden picnic table (recommend bringing table cloths and seat cloths) and a fire pit. The sites are far enough away and large enough to where you feel like you have your own space. The sites towards the front get the most road noise from highway 67. Lots of trucks use this road and the noise starts up about 6am. If you are towards the back of the campground, its a little better but there's still some road noise. The back sites back to national forest land and there are some trails and roads that you can walk/hike around (there are some openings in the fence to walk through). By staying at this campground (or Colorado campground) you also get access with your camp fee to manitou lake which is a few miles up the road. It is good for hanging out with good views, you can walk around the lake, and do a little shore fishing. If there are no sites left at South meadows, then you can look at Colorado campground which is just up the road a little. This is a little bit bigger of a campground so there are more sites to choose from. We found those to be a little closer together, but it is closer to manitou lake by driving, and you can also take a footpath/trail from the campground to the lake as well. While camping we saw birds, squirrels, chipmunks and ground squirrels and we even heard elk bugling! AT&T has one bar of 4G internet, and if you walk to the open meadow behind the campground you get more. Verizon has no internet, but you could still place a call. Overall this is a pretty place to camp with a decent amount of activities nearby. We have also brought our UTV/dirt bikes and gone riding close by in Divide. Or you can hang out at the campsite and have a good time there too. Overall we really enjoy camping here and have a good experience every time.

This is the nicest campground in the area! Vault toilets were clean and not smelly. Access to water throughout the campground. Camp hosts were friendly. Keep in mind that there is no electricity at sites and there are no showers in the campground. The sites are spacious and clean, not overgrown, and spaced out for more privacy. The meadow behind the campground is beautiful but ranchers moved in a... This is the nicest campground in the area! Vault toilets were clean and not smelly. Access to water throughout the campground. Camp hosts were friendly. Keep in mind that there is no electricity at sites and there are no showers in the campground. The sites are spacious and clean, not overgrown, and spaced out for more privacy. The meadow behind the campground is beautiful but ranchers moved in a herd of cows on our second day and they were a bit noisy at night. Keep food put away during the day because the chipmunks are fearless!