Hi, I'm Tom Daley, and this is Scott Darnell.

And this week on how the West was camped, We're going to take you to Turquoise Lake near Leadville, Colorado.

One summer, two friends set out with their families to camp at some of Colorado's premier outdoor destinations.

This is their story.

Hey, you know, it's funny.

A friend of mine gave me a piece of advice when he found out that I was producing a show on camping.

He said, don't feature your favorite campground or you'll just add to the overcrowding of it.

Well, for me, Turquoise Lake is such a camping jewel, I'd feel guilty if I didn't share it with people who've never been here.

Located in central Colorado, Turquoise Lake is just a few minutes west of the charming mountain town of Leadville.

There are seven different camping areas to choose from at turquoise, and we made our reservations at Silver Dollar Campground.

There are no hookups, and the dense pines can make backing a trailer up a bit of a challenge.

So take your time and use a spotter.

But the trees that make parking tough are what make this area magical.

The sites are huge and give so much solitude that it's easy to forget that you are in a campground with others all around you.

This place is perfect for kids.

There's a one way paved loop that is great for bikes and scooters with adult supervision, of course.

Our site even had a tent pad on it that functioned as a big sandbox for our daughters.

Now you are camping at 10,000ft, so bring plenty of firewood and warm clothes for those cold nights.

There is one downside to camping at Turquoise Lake, and that is at certain times of the year there could be a lot of standing water around and that means a lot of mosquitoes.

So another item you'll want to bring is mosquito repellent with at least 25% deep, and make sure everyone gets slathered up good when the bugs are out.

One amenity that you'll find here at Turquoise Lake that you won't find it most national campgrounds is flush toilets, and for some people that can be very important.

Oh my.

Although I will warn you, they are stainless steel and that will wake you up in the morning.

With flush toilets, it received a low odor reader rating of fresh.

Other neighboring campgrounds include the Belle of Colorado, an all tent facility.

I personally recommend the Molly Brown Campground for its great views of the lake, but it fills up fast, so make your reservations well in advance.

The main attraction to Turquoise Lake is its amazing natural beauty.

Nestled in the shadow of Mount Massive, its high altitude and cooler temperatures remind me more of Canada than Colorado.

Set in the aptly named Lake County, this is one of the few places I've been to in Colorado that seems to abound with water.

Like most larger bodies of water in the state, this lake is actually a reservoir, and it's filled by the Mount Albert Power Plant.

Its depths can accommodate just about any watercraft and makes it a great fishing destination.

I used to catch mostly Lakers here, but in recent years, rainbow and brown trout have made a big comeback.

There is plenty of easy shore access for anglers of all ages, even if you don't catch anything.

The beauty of Turquoise Lake will make your outing memorable.

While in the area definitely takes some time to explore nearby Leadville.

This one time mining boom town once boasted over 40,000 residents, and you can still feel the history and stories in the air.

Because we were rained out one afternoon, we stopped by the National Mining Museum.

Inside, my wife Mary took these pictures of some beautiful mineral samples.

Our kids really loved walking inside the coal mine replicas as well.

Another nearby attraction where visiting is the Leadville Fish Hatchery.

Built in 1892, it's the second oldest national fish hatchery still in operation, and it's currently used to rear greenback cutthroats.

Colorado's only native trout.

the greenbacks, were once thought to be extinct, so it's great to see these natives making a comeback.

There are several nature trails on site as well, one of which leads to Upper Evergreen Lake, a sparkling little gem tucked away in the mountains.

As I watched my buddy time and his dog Leo enjoy the water, I was reminded of all the reasons why I love camping in this enchanting area.

Hey Tom Daley here.

My time saving tip for this episode is to precooked your meat and freeze it before camping.

Browning several pounds of ground beef before a big trip will really speed cooking times and cleanup.

This works well for bacon and chicken breasts as well.

Hey, we really enjoyed camping up here at Turquoise Lake this weekend.

I suggest you come up here and check it out yourselves.

In fact, on a scale of 1 to 4, we give it three and a half marshmallows.

Why don't we take a look?

Why?

I've camped all over Colorado, and very few areas offer the beauty and quiet solitude that you'll find at Turquoise Lake.

For those of us who stay at campgrounds, I don't think it could get any better.

Although I agree totally about the scenery, I would deduct a few more points for the heavy bug population we encountered.

But when camping, you take the good with the not so good, and there is plenty that is almost perfect with this area.

The town of Leadville is teeming with history, and the fish hatchery was fun and educational for the kids to see.

And that wraps up another episode of how the West was camped.

If you enjoy the great outdoors, you're not going to want to miss the upcoming Ken Burns film The National Parks America's Best Idea, coming this September on Rocky Mountain PBS and from Scott's family of mine.

Stay safe and happy trails.