Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland and stay off the beaten path. You're sure to find glamping for your Colorado camping adventure.
Camping at Steamboat Lake offers a spectacular opportunity to immerse yourself in clean, crisp air and true Rocky Mountain living.
The Dutch Hill campground includes the Marina, the Marina convenience store, swim beach, dump station and Camper Services Building with coin operated showers and laundry. The following loops are included: Wheeler loop has all-electric sites with 50amp outlets. Bridge Island sites are all non-electric.
Winter camping with electric outlets is available on a first-come-first-serve basis in our Marina parking lot.
Reservations can be made the day you plan to arrive at the park or up to 6 months in advance. Reservable dates are between the Friday before Memorial Day until September 30. Cabins are available year-round through the Steamboat Lake Marina. Campers can stay up to 14 days at Steamboat Lake during a 28 day period.
Is an awesome camping trip on your calendar this year? Our summer calendar is filling up fast! Now's the time to make your reservations for the 2017 camping season. Don't miss out..call & make your reservations today. You won't find steamboats, but you will find natural hot springs in this scenic northwest Colorado mountain community (and in the area). This KOA puts you in the heart of all the natural wonders you can experience here, from fishing or floating the trout-filled Yampa River to tackling the nearby slopes of Mt. Werner at Steamboat Ski Resort. World-class hiking and mountain biking trails wind through the surrounding mountains. Enjoy the heated pool, mini golf and other activities at the campground. Then hop on the free bus or grab a rental bike and cruise along the bike paths to downtown, just 3 miles south. A true Western ranching town, Steamboat Springs charms with unique galleries and shows, dining and even a pioneer museum. Get a taste of local culture at the many festivals, including the Hot Air Balloon Rodeo, Rocky Mountain Mustang Roundup and Winter Carnival.
This small campground along the reservoir offers a quiet getaway. The 36 campsites and two Yurts at Pearl Lake all of the campsites are sunny and have views of both the lake and surrounding views of our Colorado mountains.
$16 - $24 / night
$60 / night
$18 - $120 / night
Located on the southern end of the Medicine Bow Mountain Range in north central Colorado, Rawah Wilderness was designated by the Wilderness Act of 1964 and now contains 73,868 acres. "Rawah" is a Native American term meaning "wild place."
Elevations in the Rawah Wilderness range from 8,400 to 13,000 feet. The high peaks were carved by glaciers, resulting in spectacular cirque lakes and moraines. There are twenty-five named lakes, ranging in size from five to 39 acres. This high alpine area contains the headwaters of the McIntyre, Rawah, and Fall Creeks, as well as the Laramie River.
The Rawahs are host to mammals such as elk, moose, mule deer, black bear, bighorn sheep, marmot and beaver. There are many species of birds including the red-tailed hawk, white-tailed ptarmigan, golden eagle, raven, Steller's Jay and a variety of warblers. Lakes and streams are inhabited with lake, cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout. Graylings are also found in this area.
The Rawah Wilderness is very popular with summer backpackers, hikers and anglers. It is also popular with hunters in the fall. To encounter the fewest people, plan your trip for mid-week and use less popular trails.
Always use Leave No Trace techniques to help keep this area wild, clean and pristine.
Motorized equipment, or mechanized transportation is prohibited, including motorcycles, chain saws, bicycles or carts. Wheelchairs are exempt. Group size is limited to 12 people and/or livestock combined. Camping and campfires are prohibited within 200’ feet of all lakes, streams and trails to protect water quality, sensitive vegetation and to help assure solitude. Thin soils and mountain vegetation are easily damaged by fire and fires scar rocks and soil. Use a stove, a fire pan or an existing fire ring when and where fires are allowed. Campfires are prohibited in the alpine areas above 10,800 feet. Campfires consume scarce vegetation and leave permanent scars on the fragile soils of the area. Pets must be on a handheld leash at all times if hiking. Equestrian riders can have dogs under voice control.
This campground offers 31 electric sites and is directly accessible from Highway 14 and within a short walk of Ranger Lakes fishing areas.
Features:
The fishing area includes a fishing pier for people with disabilities. Water and vault toilet facilities are available nearby, but please fill large tanks at the water station at the maintenance shop. A nature trail and the Gould Loop Trail are accessible from the campground. Interpretive programs are offered on some weekend nights in the campground amphitheater. Restrictions: Boating and swimming are not permitted in the Ranger Lakes.
$18 - $120 / night
Scout
Was an old KOA. In fact, there are two typical KOA A frame buildings that need to be torn down due to their lack of upkeep. The grounds were overgrown with weeds knee high.
Traveler
The Dutch Hill Campground is north of the State Park Visitors Center on highway 62 in case you get there after hours as we did. We stayed at site 140 in the Wheeler loop. It was level and quiet with a tent pad a short distance away and a separate pad with a fire ring and picnic table. Bring a change of clothes as the mornings and evenings are chilly in June with warm short pant days. We had thunderstorms blow through most every day with 30+ mph winds possible. There is a store at the lake with basic provisions and there are restaurants and food stores down the road from the lake.
Guide
Loads of options going down 103. Found a solid spot by the river that even had a few primitive structures built. Great fishing and pondering spot until neighbors rolled in on both sides. Guessing you can generally count on neighbors in summer months even in seemingly nestled spots quite a ways down 103 and it was a a random Monday. I still had plenty of space and privacy. But I could hear a group of RVers playing music through the trees (and they were in view, too) at night which led me to seek a new spot after night one.
Ranger
Nice spot. Great views. Only a third full mid week September. Water near entrance. Vault toilets. Sites well separated but limited screening between. Very Sunny Trees are sparse and short. Hiking trails in camp. Moose along trail. Nice lakes. Large tent pads 15’x15’. Level sites. Limited T mobile
GuideA nice lake and lots of private was a beautiful location though I happened across an area with lots of private land making it a challenge to explore for me no cell service. Very quiet from planes and light or any other noise pollution caught some epic views of does bucks a moose and a family of black bears bring bug juice the deer flys and mosquitos mean business.
LegendPrimitive camping was great here in the North Camp Area. From what I can tell all the Primitive sites have fire rings. Site 470-480 even have a vault toilet but they are close together. I stayed at site 410 which has a stream behind it and was a beautiful spot. I would also recommend sites 411-414 & 421 for the primitive camper. The hiking is just beautiful and there are several lakes (2 are only accessible by hiking in). Most of the sites around the large lake are for RV or Cabin campers and fill up fast. There is no picnic area near the lake so if you are primitive camping you have to be creative. ALL RESERVATION FOR CAMPING ARE DONE ONLINE. There is no cell serves past the entrance so be sure to book in advance. The vault toilets are well kept there is no indoor plumbing that I could find. There is also Yurt camping here. There is no electric hook up for the RVs but there is a dump station. Water can be found in a few areas around the park.
Scout
Never experienced such unreasonable treatment and Lack of Accountability in a business like this. We drove for 4 hours to reach this place and arrived feeling very hungry, we informed the staff that we wanted to grab something to eat and before starting the hot spring. The staff first said that we could pay upon our return. Then, I asked to use the bathroom, but was informed that there was a fee to enter. So I paid $40 in cash for two people, but no receipt was provided. The staff assured us that they would remember us and let us in when we returned.
However, upon our return, we encountered a different staff member, and had to explained the situation to them. Unfortunately, this individual did not believe our story and refused to let us enter. I suggested that they contact the previous staff member for verification, but the staff member in glasses either declined or claimed to have left their phone behind. Suddenly, in an extremely rude manner, he stood up, leaned out the window, and yelled at me, saying,"Don't tell me what to do!!!!This is private property, and you need to leave!!!!!"
This treatment made it seem as if we were attempting to sneak into the premises. At this point, I no longer wanted to proceed with the hot spring experience. I agreed to leave, but requested a refund for the$40 I had paid. However, this staff member adamantly refused to reimburse me and continued to yell at us, insisting that we leave.
It is incredibly frustrating that they couldn’t even find my payment record because everything was by cash and I never received a receipt. I wasted $40 and endured a grueling 4-hour drive, only to be met with an absolutely unreasonable situation. I’ve been to many hot springs before, never in my life experienced something terrible like this. I urge everyone to learn from my lesson and avoid visiting this place!!
Legend
You had better stock up before you head out to State Forest State park but WOW definitely a stop. There is no gas or groceries til Walden. Beautiful and sweeping vistas. Visit ranger lakes. Totally worth it. Lake Agnes was still closed when we were there. NO service.
Guide
Office people are very friendly. Staff escorted me to the site and was very helpful.
The grounds are pretty and well kept and clean. Showers were spotlessly cleaned.
The river runs right next to the campground.
There is a bus that comes right into the campground and will take you into downtown Steamboat Springs, and it is a free service. It runs until 1130pm.
Site 74 was perfectly flat and needed no leveling. Plenty of room for my 30' trailer.
I will be returning to this place!
Guide
Your neighbors will be moose at this campground. It is remote and the sites are near, but I still found it peaceful. Noobs will fall prey to the moose. Seriously, many meals were stolen. Although I must admit, they are rather quiet and can sneak up on you. Rangers were very friendly.
TravelerI thought this was going to be a real campground with reserved spots as it costs 110$ per night and they say reservations are necessary. However they offered me car park and a spot by the river where I could walk down and cook. There are bathrooms on site too. I decided it wasn’t worth it as I was planning on spending most of the evening at hot springs anyway - did that ($20) and then found a spot elsewhere to park for the night.
ScoutWomen’s restrooms were great and hook ups were awesome. Camped here in our pop up truck camper for a ski weekend and it was great - the free city bus stops by the campground so was super easy to ride to the ski resort and downtown for dinner!
ScoutBe aware the ranger station north of this park will have the state pass needed. Otherwise bring cash
Legend
If you drive about 9 miles or so down the road you’ll come to a sign that points you towards the University (Poudre Park Road).
More of a dirt road than anything but wide for large vehicles. Semis and trucks with large trailers and campers up and down the mountain all day and night.
It’s a road that dead ends at the University, so a lot of student traffic all day.
We seen maybe one ranger patrol the whole 3 weeks we were there. You can camp here all year long. No stay limit.
No bathrooms, water or trash disposal. Nearest town besides Fort Collins is about 13 miles away.
Not quiet at all. Most camp spots are entirely too close together, so close it’s like a huge party spot. The day we left was because there was a fire ban and somewhere around 10 people showed up with chainsaws and were going to have a fire. They weren’t the nicest people and had a lot of dogs as well. No privacy.
The road was so steep that our transmission overflowed and left us stranded for a few days past what we wanted to be there for (when we took a trip into town and back).
Nowhere near water. We walked 3 miles to get to the closest creek (they call them rivers there).
Wildlife was there but not abundant because of the traffic.
Very beautiful and i would definitely give it another go if we had a more updated camper.
Absolutely zero cell service!
GuideThis park has an old and new section. Right on the river. The older (cheaper) section was ok, but muddy and tight for big rigs. Newer section compares to premium resorts
GuideI love camping. I love the opportunity to connect to the wild spaces that surround us. I love finding people who share that same passion. What I don't love, is sharing a campground with someone who obviously has no regard for the safety of their fellow campers or the wild animals that call those wild spaces home. Over Labor Day weekend I got the opportunity to camp at State Forest State Park in Colorado and a 'fellow camper' 2 sites down from us made choices that put us all, and one of the coolest cow moose and her calf in danger. Despite knowledge of moose being present in the area, the campers would go to bed every night and leave all of their trash out, and various food and drink sources scattered around their campsite as well. The moose quickly learned she had easy access to food there and frequented their site. Each time they would honk their horn and blow a whistle and clang pans, but moose are typically not afraid of humans at all, so she did not deter easy. Not only did they lure her into their trap, they then harassed her and disturbed the peace of the other campers. They clearly had no regard for the rules of campground and had their dogs off leash many times, one evening one of their dogs chased the moose out of their site, much to their amusement. I reported them to the rangers, and was assured they would be talked to, but their behavior did not change. If that moose decides to 'fight back' instead of run off, it will be her that pays the price. My sisters and I made sure our site was clean and tidy and even when the moose visited during dinner one evening all that was needed from us to scare her off, were a few claps and shouts. My point is this, we have a responsibility to utilize our wild spaces responsibly, and in my opinion, if you can't do that, then you lose the privilege to use them. Enjoy some of the pictures from that weekend, and remember to recreate responsibly, and if you see something, say something!
GuideLake is full even in early September. Amazing and refreshing
ScoutBeautiful tent sites by the lake. 186-188 are quiet and beautiful. Especially during the week! Highly recommend!
ScoutThis site has some great amenities and the location is not too far from town. The facilities were clean, and the site is well maintained. But, the only showers are in the bath room by the front desk, it is a trek. There is no shade on the far side of camp, but the sites by the entrance have tons of trees! The river is nice, but there aren’t a whole lot of access points.
Guide
The campsites are divided into several campgrounds and there are dispersed and group sites further up in the park. Our site was on the lake in a tent only site. Firewood is easily accessible at a small store right before the park entrance. Pit toilets, very low to the ground, weird, not the best but not the worst I’ve seen. Campground has been affected by beetle infestation so a lot of the trees have been cut down leaving many of the sites in full sun. This is the moose capital of the world but we didn’t see any on our visit. There are several good hikes off the road through the park, several lead to alpine lakes, anywhere from 6-10 miles round trip. The lake is perfect for canoe, paddle board, kayak, we tried swimming but the water is super cold. It’s also very clear and clean. There seemed to be a very chill vibe at the campground and we had a blast.
RangerNice sites with established tent pads. It was pretty empty on Sunday and Monday nights so it was nice and quiet. Pretty views of the reservoir. Not really any shade and according to the rules, you can’t hang hammocks or anything from the trees which was disappointing.
GuideThe campsites are divided into several campgrounds and there are dispersed and group sites further up in the park. Our site was on the lake in a tent only site. Firewood is easily accessible at a small store right before the park entrance. Pit toilets, very low to the ground, weird, not the best but not the worst I’ve seen. Campground has been affected by beetle infestation so a lot of the trees have been cut down leaving many of the sites in full sun. This is the moose capital of the world but we didn’t see any on our visit. There are several good hikes off the road through the park, several lead to alpine lakes, anywhere from 6-10 miles round trip. The lake is perfect for canoe, paddle board, kayak, we tried swimming but the water is super cold. It’s also very clear and clean. There seemed to be a very chill vibe at the campground and we had a blast.
GuideIt’s a large park convenient to steamboat springs. WiFi is good restrooms are clean. Sites in the new section are paved and level. There are only bathrooms in the new section, no showers, so there is a significant walk to get a shower.
GuideUnprecedented scenery in the wilderness just below 10,000 foot elevation. Short hike to multiple high altitude lakes. Glorious views from campsite. Only has electric and water hookup and the dump station was not convenient. Saw moose from the campsite. Clean and very quiet.
TravelerPlenty of camping sites even though some were destroyed in the fires. Options for camping in campgrounds, close to others, or more alone. Options to camp near the lake, river, or on dry land.options for large or small camping areas. Peaceful and beautiful. We will go back again for sure.
RangerWe stayed at the Steamboat KOA for 2-1/2 weeks on a business trip and greatly appreciated the solid Wi-Fi. The setting is idyllic with mature trees and the beautiful Yampa River running through it. The first half of our stay we were in the original Campground with a center, gravel, pull thru, #71. Then, moved to #31 a back-in site against the fence and away from the road. Although it was smaller, we personally liked #31 better. It had more privacy then the larger open center one. The park opened a new section for Memorial Weekend doubling the size. The new area added 27 paved RV lots as well as 10 deluxe cabins and 14 improved tent sites. They had a large friendly staff, working nonstop who took care of everything!! Every arrival received a person golf cart escort to their site. The general store is well stocked, there’s movie nights and a playground for the kiddos. All the facilities were clean and well maintained. By the end of our stay we felt like family thanks to Lance, Ruth and Beth.
GuideWe had reservations for site 184 in the Dutch Hill Campground for Memorial Day Weekend and we didn't let the forecast of snow and below freezing temperatures keep us away. It scared every other tent camper off and we had the walk-in loop to ourselves. The camp host called us his heroes for camping in that weather. Our site was fairly close to the parking lot and we don't pack light so we made a few trips with the provided wheelbarrow. The site had great views of the lake and a shelter that was necessary given the rain and snow. Note-not all sites had shelters. The vault toilet at the top of the loop was clean. Dumpsters were in a few places but not bear proof at all. Firewood was 9$ per bundle at the marina. Shower house was open and operational but we didn't pack for a shower so didn't use it. Overall, a great campsite-but not sure how it would've been if the weather hadn't kept the crowds away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland is Dutch Hill Campground — Steamboat Lake State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 26 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 glamping camping locations near Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland, with real photos and reviews from campers.
