If coming from US285 drive north from the SH 9/US285 junction in Fairplay to Alma. In the center of town, turn west onto the Kite Lake Road, which is Park County Road 8. Park County Road 10 is not the correct road access which many inadvertently turn onto and which is on the southern end of the town. PC8 is across from Buckskin St. It's just north of the "Almart" General Store and just before the South Park Saloon.
If coming from the north over Hoosier Pass, the directions will be similar. Just turn west (right) onto Park County 8, which will be north of Park County 10, aka: the Park Hill Road. Look for the same landmarks as described above. The road is a graded gravel road.
Follow Park County 8 west as it rounds below the south flank of Bross and then gradually turns north to reach the lake parking area which now requires a fee. There is a vault toilet there. The last mile of road can be difficult for passenger vehicles. Crossover SUV's with better clearance and other higher clearance vehicles will be preferred. Some people park down just below the set of switchbacks a little over a half mile below the lake parking area and hike from there.
Since the Kite Lake trailhead offers one of the best locations for climbing the three 14ers, Democrat, Lincoln and Bross, this is a very busy and crowded area on summer weekends. We are presently not sure if camping is allowed at the trailhead. The County Road 8 on the drive in passes any number of private residences and mining claims, so at-large camping spots are few. Be careful to not violate private property. The nearest National Forest Campgrounds are the ones up the road to Mt. Sherman. Those campgrounds are the Horseshoe and Fourmile. They are both small and fill on weekends. The best camping possibility close by may be up the Beaver Creek drainage out of Fairplay. See the directions for Mt. Silverheels for more detail.