Facility Overview

Lake Hasty Campground is the premier full-service outdoor recreation and camping hub situated within John Martin Reservoir State Park, located at 30703 County Road 24 in Hasty, Colorado. Positioned in Bent County along the scenic Lower Arkansas River Valley, this expansive open-air park facility serves thousands of water sports lovers, anglers, campers, and road-trippers navigating southeastern Colorado each year. The parking and camping layout consists of wide, grade-level paved loops, well-compacted gravel parking pads, dedicated boat trailer stalls, and paved day-use staging areas nestled beneath mature shade trees below the John Martin Dam.

Because the facility is completely open to the sky, there are virtually no vertical clearance limits or low ceilings to navigate, making it exceptionally well-suited for all types of vehicles. Standard passenger sedans, pickup trucks, full-size SUVs, oversized motorhomes, camper vans, fifth wheels, and long truck-and-boat combinations can maneuver through the campground loops with ease. Extra-wide turning radii and deep pull-through drives cater specifically to long recreational vehicle configurations.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Known as the 'Sapphire on the Plains,' the surrounding state park and recreation area offer a wealth of natural, sporting, and historic attractions right outside your vehicle door:

• Lake Hasty & Swim Beach: Steps away from the parking pads, Lake Hasty offers tranquil waters stocked with trout, a sandy public swimming beach open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and scenic shoreline banks.
• John Martin Reservoir: Less than a mile north, this massive body of water provides uncrowded motorized boating, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, and warm-water trophy fishing for walleye, wiper, and catfish.
• Caddoa Disc Golf Course: Located just downstream of the dam within a 5-minute walk or short drive, this popular 18-hole disc golf course winds through scenic high-plains terrain.
• Red Shin Trail & Historic Petroglyphs: A 4.5-mile loop trail accessible within the park features Native American rock carvings, historical irrigation canals, and the historic Prowers-Hudnell Ranch ruins.
• Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site: Located roughly 25 to 30 minutes west along US-50 near La Junta, offering living history tours of a premier 1830s Santa Fe Trail trading post.
• Boggsville Historic Site: Situated roughly 18 miles west near Las Animas, showcasing early frontier settlements and crossroads history.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Arriving at Lake Hasty Campground is straightforward via U.S. Route 50 (US-50), the primary east-west transportation artery across southeastern Colorado. When traveling along US-50, drivers simply turn south in the small community of Hasty onto County Road 24 and continue approximately two miles south directly to the park entry gates and check-in station. Street navigation inside the park is designed for two-way, low-speed camper traffic with well-maintained signage directing motorists to specific loops, boat ramp areas, and day-use lots.

Due to its remote, protected rural prairie location, there are no urban subway systems or local metropolitan bus routes. However, regional travelers can access long-distance passenger rail via Amtrak's Southwest Chief line, which maintains passenger depots in neighboring Lamar (approx. 20 miles east) and La Junta (approx. 38 miles west). Drivers should avoid unpaved side roads and county farm tracks when approaching the park; staying on US-50 until turning onto County Road 24 provides the smoothest, fully paved route.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Spacious Open-Air Parking & Campsites: Generous pull-through and back-in driveways engineered to accommodate large RVs, tow trailers, and standard personal vehicles.
• Electrical Hookups: Individual utility pedestals offering 20-amp, 30-amp, and 50-amp service across designated campsites.
• Camper Services Building: Modern seasonal facility featuring clean flush toilets, hot coin-operated showers, and guest laundry amenities (operational April through October).
• Water & Sanitation Infrastructure: Readily accessible drinking water hydrants and an on-site RV sanitary dump station.
• Day-Use & Watercraft Staging: Dedicated paved staging spaces adjacent to the boat ramps and fish-cleaning stations.
• Recreational Equipment: Individual shaded picnic shelters, fire rings, and barbecue grills at parking pads and picnic zones.
• Accessibility (ADA): Designated level ADA-compliant parking stalls, barrier-free access paths, and accessible restrooms.
• Payment Stations: Convenient self-service pay kiosks and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) park office check-in points.

Ideal For

• RV Road-Trippers & Campers: Travelers needing generous pad clearance, electrical hookups, and peaceful overnight accommodations.
• Boaters & Anglers: Fishermen launching dawn excursions onto Lake Hasty or trailering larger motorboats to the reservoir ramps.
• Birdwatchers & Nature Photographers: Enthusiasts visiting for the annual High Plains Snow Goose Festival or observing bald eagles, piping plovers, and interior least terns.
• Santa Fe Trail Explorers: History and cultural heritage tourists using the park as a peaceful staging base for Bent's Old Fort and the Lower Arkansas Valley.
• Stargazers: Dark-sky aficionados looking to escape light pollution and enjoy expansive high-plains night vistas.

Visitor & Driver Tips

All motor vehicles entering John Martin Reservoir State Park and the Lake Hasty Campground area must display a valid Colorado State Parks pass (such as an annual Keep Colorado Wild pass or a standard daily vehicle pass). A daily vehicle pass is required in addition to any overnight camping reservation permits. If arriving outside staffed visitor center hours, use the self-service fee kiosk at the entrance to register and display your pass on your vehicle dashboard.

For peak weekend visits during the late spring through early autumn, advance campsite reservations through the CPW reservation portal are strongly recommended, as prime shaded pads fill rapidly. Drivers operating GPS systems should take note: do not follow navigation instructions that suggest taking Colorado State Highway 101 south out of Las Animas to cut across dirt backroads; instead, remain on US-50 until reaching County Road 24 in Hasty. Finally, keep in mind that Lake Hasty enforces a strict non-motorized or electric trolling motor only rule—gas-powered vessels must be launched from the main reservoir ramps.