Ready For A “No-Motorboat” Colorado Lake Getaway?
Here is western Colorado's best "no motorboat" camping lakes
As a boat owner, it's a bit tough to write a story like this. I love getting out on the lake with my 20ft Champion boat and throttling up its 200 hp motor. It's the perfect bass boat for larger lakes, not so great on smaller mountain bodies of water. I get it. Sometimes when you go camping all you want is that perfect quite, peaceful, out-of-the-way, place where you can enjoy a lake and not have to deal with boat wakes and roaring motors. Here are the top 3 "no-motorboat" camping lakes in western Colorado.
Haviland Lake- It's a beautiful destination not far from Durango. The lake is stocked with trout and plenty can be caught from shore. It’s a quality fly-fishing lake but fine for the kids and their Powerbait. Canoes and small boats are allowed, just no motors. The lake has modern facilities and several great campsites overlooking the lake. The sites are terraced and roomy enough for campers, tents, or RVs.
Teal Campground- This campground is on the west side of Williams Creek Reservoir. The campsites offer great views of the San Juan mountains. The small 343-acre reservoir has plenty of trout and kokanee salmon to catch. Small boats, canoes, and kayaks are allowed on the lake. Again, no motors. There are several trails to explore at nearby Williams Creek and Cimarrona trailheads too. The campground has sites on each of its two loops. All with amazing views and plenty of shade.
Lost Lake- This is one of those trips where getting there is half the fun. The lake is on the West Elk Loop Scenic Byway not far from Crested Butte. The campground is in a beautiful aspen, spruce, and fir forest on the north side of the lake. Fishing and boating are allowed on the lake, and right, no outboard motors. There's hiking too. The Three Lakes Trail is a 2-mile loop around Lost Lake with views of the Ruby Range mountains.
Credit: The Know Outdoors