SPRINGER GULCH

Ponderosa, aspen and fir trees are scattered throughout the campground and become more dense at sites that are further up the gulch. Eleven Mile Canyon was cut by the South Platte River and is bordered by polished gray granite cliffs. The Eleven Mile Reservoir is a short senic drive away. Visitors are likely to see wildlife like elk, mule deer, foxes, and the occasional mountain lions and bears. At dusk, bats may be spotted as well.

Recreation: Hikers can access the nearby Overlook Trail and take in breathtaking views of Eleven Mile Canyon and Eleven Mile Reservoir. On this hike, lucky visitors may catch a glimpse of golden eagles nesting in the nearby granite cliffs and crags. Trail access is from Spillway Campground.

Nearby: Visitors enjoy the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado.