Colorado · Camping

West Elk

West ElkPhoto: Hustvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
May–Sep
best months

Is West Elk open right now?

Alert in the area

The National Park Service lists an alert for Curecanti National Recreation Area.

  • Toxic Algae May Be Present In Blue Mesa Reservoir

    Park alert covering Curecanti National Recreation Area · NPS · Curecanti National Recreation Area

As of · Source: NPS · Curecanti National Recreation Area. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

  • At 7,526 ft
  • Curecanti National Recreation Area

West Elk Campground is a Bureau of Reclamation campground within Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado. It sits at a high elevation, and the nearest town is Lake City, which makes it a natural base for exploring the recreation area's network of campgrounds, trails and paddling routes. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically June through September. A nearby weather station at Blue Mesa Lake records typical average highs in the upper 70s to low 80s and lows in the mid-30s to mid-40s during that stretch, while winter highs stay in the mid-20s. Several other campgrounds lie close by, including Ponderosa Campground at about 2 miles and Red Creek Group Site at about 2.3 miles. Hikers can head to Dillon Pinnacles Trail, roughly 2.8 miles away, or Coal Mesa at about 3.7 miles.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit West Elk

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      25° / -1°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      30° / 3°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 15°

      5 wet

    4. Apr

      56° / 24°

      5 wet

    5. May

      66° / 32°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 39°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 46°

      7 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 45°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 37°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      60° / 27°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 15°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 3°

      7 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Blue Mesa Lake, CO, 6.3 mi away at 7,568 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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