Gerle Creek Campground

Gerle Creek Campground is a U.S. Forest Service campground in the Crystal Basin area of Eldorado National Forest, sitting at 5,300 feet along its namesake creek upstream of Gerle Creek Reservoir. The campground has 50 sites, 31 of them tent-only, with the rest suited to RVs and trailers, each with a fire pit, food locker, picnic table, and grill, plus vault toilets. Reached via Ice House Road off Highway 50 and then Forest Road 33, the campground offers quiet access to the reservoir for non-motorized boating, swimming, and fishing, along with nearby hiking and biking trails. Reservations run through Recreation.gov, and campers are advised to store food properly given the area's active bear population.