Lake Isabel Cabin

$130.00/night

Overview

Lake Isabel Cabin is ideal for guests who wish to experience camping in the Pike and San Isabel National Forest, yet sleep in a bed with a roof overhead. The modern cabin is full-service and can accommodate up to six guests, with convenient access to Lake Isabel, just three minutes away.

Lake Isabel is one of the few lakes in Colorado developed purely for recreation. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the lake attracts many campers who come to hike, canoe, fish and spend time bird watching. St. Charles Creek flows near the cabin and offers an extra option for fishing.

Recreation

Lake Isabel welcomes non-motorized boating and fishing. Brown, brook, and Rainbow trout are stocked in the lake and the St. Charles headwaters also reaps brook trout.

Hiking is available on two nearby trails, the Snow Slide Trail and the Cisneros Trail. The 15-mile Cisneros Trail leads to the heart of the Wet Mountains, through forests and open, wildflower speckled valleys. Along the way, the trail connects to St. Charles Trail, which heads to St. Charles Peak. 

The Cisneros trail is also a 50" motorized trail, open to ATV'S and UTV's.

Both the Snow Slide and St Charles are single track mortorcycle trails.

Winter activities are also offered, with everything from ice fishing to sledding, tubing and cross country skiing.

Facilities

The one-bedroom hideaway with three bunk beds has modern conveniences; tub & shower, flush toilet, washer and dryer, full kitchen, outside picnic table & campfire ring; inside wood fireplace. Fire wood is not provided. Parking for up to four cars. Bring your own bedding, pillows, towels. No sewer or water hook ups.Click here for more cabin details.)

Natural Features

The cabin sits on the uphill portion of a grassy meadow, offering spectacular mountain views and a chance to see abundant wildlife. Shady pine and aspen trees dot the area. Across the road is the 40-acre Lake Isabel, with a beautiful shoreline that meets the base of rocky mountains.

Nearby Attractions

The cabin is five minutes from the Lake Isabel Recreation Area offering summer hiking, fishing and picnicing, in winter sledding, cross country skiing, ice fishing. A nearby summer lodge provides paddle and rowboat rentals, groceries and a restaurant. A golf course is about 15 minutes away.

Charges & Cancellations

Change and Cancellation Policies: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed outside the 6 or 12 month booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation. Camping/Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. Cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.Late Cancellations: Late cancellations are in most cases, those cancelled after 12:00 midnight (Eastern Time) two days before arrival. Individual Campsites: A $10.00 service fee plus the first night’s use fee will be charged (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation) when a reservation is cancelled the day before or the day of arrival, except when the reservation is for a single night, then no service fee applies. Cabins/Lookouts: A $10.00 service fee plus the first night’s cabin or lookout use fee will be charged when a reservation for a cabin or lookout is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for single night’s use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Overnight and Day Use Facility: A $10.00 service will be charged plus the first night’s use fee when a reservation for a group overnight facility is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night’s use will not be assessed a service fee. Customers cancelling a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date will forfeit the total day use fee (but will not pay a service fee). No Shows:Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date.Cabins, Lookouts, and Group Day Use Facilities: No shows, early departures, or cancellations after the scheduled arrival date are not entitled to a refund. Campsites and Group Overnight Facilities: If you do not arrive at the campground or group overnight facility and do not cancel your reservation by check out time on the day after your scheduled arrival date, you are considered a no show. A $20.00 service fee applies and you will forfeit the first night’s use fee. Refunds: Refunds must be requested no later than 14 days after your scheduled departure date. Reservation Fee: Some facilities charge a reservation service fee. This non-refundable fee is $10.00 for call center and online reservations.Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bankcard payments will appear on the original bankcard. Please note the charge on your bankcard statement will read "Recreation.gov 888-448-1474".Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Reservations paid by cash, check or money order will be refunded by check. A refund check will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approvalRefunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, Recreation.gov will attempt to notify customers and offer alternate dates and sites (as appropriate). If this is not possible, Recreation.gov will cancel the reservation and refund all fees paid.To request a refund, please contact our Call Center customer service at 1-888-448-1474 or submit your request online. Senior and Access Pass Discounts: Owners of the Interagency Senior and Access Passes (and the Golden Age and Access Passes) may receive a fifty-percent discount on the use fee for individual campsites. This discount does not apply to fees for cabins, lookouts, or group facilities and it may not apply for specific facility amenities such as electricity, water, sewer, or extra fees charged for prime or premium sites. Pass Verification: The pass number must be provided at the time the reservation is made in order to receive the discount, and the pass and one form of identification must be presented upon arrival. If the proper documentation is not provided, the full recreation use fee must be paid to use the facility. If a customer makes more than one reservation for the same location and date(s), the discount will only apply to the site the pass owner occupies.Changes to the Policies and Procedures: Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. Military Discounts:Day Use Fee WaiverThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shall waive day use fees for active service military personnel and their dependents who present the new America the Beautiful (ATB) Military Pass. NOTE: You must have an America the Beautiful Military Pass to receive the day use fee waiver. To get the ATB Military Pass all you need is your Military CAC Card or DOD Form 1173 showing you are an active service military member or dependent. The Military day use fee waiver does NOT apply to DOD (Department of Defense) civilians.Camping Fee WaiverThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shall waive camping fees for active service military personnel and their dependents who are on mid- or post- deployment leave orders from a Global War on Terror Overseas Contingency Operations. The Military camping fee waiver does NOT apply to other active military personnel or DOD (Department of Defense) civilians.Camping fees are waived on a walk-up and space available basis as well as reservations made through the Recreation.gov call center at 1-877-444-6777.To qualify for the free Military camping waiver you must present the following on arrival/check-in:America the Beautiful Military Pass or proper ID showing you are an active service military member (CAC Card or DOD Form 1173). NOTE: If you do not have an ATB Military Pass you should have one issued to you for future use. To get the ATB Military Pass all you need is your Military CAC Card or DOD Form 1173 showing you are an active service military member or dependent. Copy of your mid- or post- deployment (reintegration) leave orders from a Global War on Terror to Overseas Contingency Operations.

Camp site features

Across 1 camp site:

  • Water hookups: all 1 sites
  • Sewer hookups: all 1 sites
  • Largest party: 6 people

Directions

From Pueblo, Colorado, take I-25 south to exit #74. Then head west on Highway 165 for about 20 miles. Cabin is directly across from the entrance to Lake Isabel Recreation Area.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 12 PM.

Reviews

58 reviews
5 stars
38
4 stars
6
3 stars
11
1 stars
3
Brian N
Loop:Lake Isabel Cabin
Site:
Reviewed 23 days ago
5th visit to this cabin for my family, it's one of our happy places. Message to the forest service: the cabin needs a new log book. And the refrigerator shelf is broken. These can be bought online & work great. The town store/restaurant/cabins are back in business! Open Fri-Sun. We expected the fire-damaged areas in the area to be devastated and that wasn't what we found. There were fingers of scorched earth where the fire got into the crown and burned catastrophically. But those tended to be somewhat narrow bands, maybe a couple hundred yards wide. In between the scorched earth areas you could see where the fire crept along the ground, scorched the base of trees, and didn't get into the crown. Those trees seem like they'll be fine. Damage transitioned between the two extremes. MANY houses survived, despite being surrounded by burned trees. Really interesting to see. The cabin has a new wood burning stove. We were bummed since we loved making fires in the giant fireplace. But it didn't take long to appreciate not filling the cabin with smoke like the old fireplace did. To make smores, just open the door and roast marshmallows as normal. The new stove is nice. Pro Tip: the directions for the stove are on the closet door to the right. The bathroom window doesn't open. Well, it does. Pop the screen out and nudge it open and claw it shut. The closure of most of the San Isabel forest was disappointing, especially since a lot of the closed area was unaffected by the fires. But that just led us to explore farther out. We went to Cuchara Pass. Fantastic area. The ski area (now reopened!) has some great aspen hikes. The drive to the pass itself is pretty dull until you get up toward the actual pass. Then it's spectacular. To the north, Bishop's Castle escaped the fire. And the fish in Lake Isabel were as naive as always. Pro Tip: slip bobbers for the shore anglers. Or troll nearly anything from a canoe.
Rick P
Loop:Lake Isabel Cabin
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Not a bad little get away. Pros. Front porch view is pretty amazing. No neighbors. Cons. Super old and very creaky cabin. Don't expect to sneak around in the AM while trying not wake anyone up, impossible. The traffic is fairly loud till about 8pm. Overall, a cool little experience. Wouldn't do it again though.
Shawn K
Loop:Lake Isabel Cabin
Site:
Reviewed 5 months ago
My wife and I spent a lovely long weekend here. We we’re nervous at first because we thought there would be a lot of road noise, but it was more of a white noise. (Traffic stops at night anyway.) It’s literally right across the street from the lake, so it’s fun to grab your fishing stuff and just walk over. The views from the cabin and backyard picnic table are unmatched, especially for the convenience of the location and coziness of the quarters. The beds were comfortable, the kitchen was fully equipped, and it was amazing to have a good shower after venturing out on the mini available trails. We will definitely return to this cabin!
Michael S
Loop:Lake Isabel Cabin
Site:
Reviewed 7 months ago
We had a great time at the cabin! On arrival everything was neat and tidy, there are a lot of flies in the window seals but a quick pass with the small broom and dust pan got that in order. Everything worked perfectly, had no issues with anything in the cabin. Loved the lake Isabel area and being so close to the trails and lake was a huge plus! We were lucky enough to get snowfall all day on our 2nd day which was followed by 2 more days of beautiful weather so the kids got to experience the snow, but we were also able to get out and do some hiking and explore the area.
Julie B
Loop:Lake Isabel Cabin
Site:
Reviewed 9 months ago
This is one my favorite cabins to stay in, due to location. However, this stay was a little disappointing compared to ours a couple years back. You are required to bring your own linens, towels, etc., and to clean when departing. Unfortunately the Cabin didn’t have any toilet paper paper towels, dish soap, wash rag or sponge to clean the dishes with and no rags to clean the bathrooms making it very difficult to have ready for the next guest. It would’ve been convenient to have some kind of vacuum cleaner to vacuum out all of the dead flies and bugs left in the windowsills and on some of the beds.. I don’t remember this being an issue in past stays.
Marcus F
Loop:Lake Isabel Cabin
Site:
Reviewed a year ago
This cabin has everything you need for a family trip or a romantic weekend getaway. The kitchen is well stocked (just missing trash bags) to make whatever meal you are thinking and the place is clean with lots of cozy nooks to curl up in. Yes there are flies but it's summer time in the rocky mountains so that is expected. You even have some cell service to stay somewhat connected. 10 minutes from the Bishops Castle and 20 minutes from the interstate, some restaurants and I-25 (40 minutes to Pueblo). The fireplace is great (though we didnt use it as we are outdoor fire enthusiasts) and the few groups before us left enough firewood for us to enjoy a few evening's worth of fires. All in all a great setting at a great price. FYI The issues of the clogged sink and non-flushing toilets were fixed by the time we arrived.
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve
Popularity: Very quiet

Busiest in November, when about 7% of guest capacity is reserved. Based on 4 years of reservations.

Season dates

Peak season

Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

Reservable online

Peak season

Jan 1, 2027 – Dec 31, 2027

Reservable online

Peak season

Jan 1, 2028 – Dec 31, 2028

Reservable online

Camp Sites

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