2026 Fathers' Day Camping at Turquois Lake

This past Sunday was Father's Day, and my wife and kids took me camping.

For quite awhile, our family tradition has been to go camping on Father's Day weekend.

On this blog, you can go all the way back to 2011 Father's Day Weekend to see photos of us camping.

Back then, the kids were pretty small. They are not small anymore. In fact, this year all four of us were drinking alcohol beverages around the camp fire.

I'm not sure how much longer this tradition will continue, but I was lucky enough to have it go at least this year.

This year, like a couple of previous years, we camped just West of Leadville close to Turquois Lake.

On Friday, we packed up our 20-year-old mini-van with camping stuff and personal water craft. I'm not sure how much longer we can rely on this old thing getting us up into the mountains, but it made it at least this year.

We headed up into the mountains. Traffic was really extremely aggravating for the first hour or so, and then things started going a little better.

Regardless, we made it in time to set up camp well before time to start making dinner.

After dinner Friday, we walked down by the lake and spent time throwing rocks into the water.

The mountain views over the lake are amazing. My photos don't really do the area justice.

But, I took the photos anyway.

I was a little surprised that camp fires were allowed, but since they were, we went ahead and had one. As I mentioned, everyone is now old enough to drink.

This is the first time all four of us had alcoholic beverages around a camp fire.

I got up earlier than the rest of the family on Saturday. I brought a kayak and paddle board down to the lake and spent a little time out on the water.

Then, I left the water craft by the water and returned to camp to see how everyone else was doing.

We transported the other kayak and paddle board along with a lunch. Unfortunately, between the time I left the lake and returned, the wind really picked up.

As we were walking down the sand, my son and I saw the wind start tumbling my paddle board across the sand towards us.

Another guy on the beach ran to grab it, but not before the fin broke, unfortunately. Bummer.

I did go out a little against the wind without the fin. I didn't go very far, but it was quite a workout.

The rest of the family just hung out.

Eventually after a little hike and eating lunch, the wind died down enough for the boys to go out in the kayaks and my wife to try paddling.

Not much standing, but it wasn't too bad for awhile.

Eventually the wind picked up again, but we got some decent paddling done before it got too bad.

We headed back to camp, played a game or two, had dinner and then went out for a hike along the lake.

We had another fire.

And then, on Father's Day, the boys made me a pancake breakfast. Delicious. 

We packed up, planning on having lunch in Idaho Springs on the way home, but between lack of parking and a long line in front Tommyknocker, we decided to go home for lunch.

They took me out to dinner that night and we watched a movie. What a wonderful Father's Day!

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