Best Campgrounds near Oak Creek, CO

Camping areas around Oak Creek, Colorado range from established campgrounds with amenities to primitive dispersed sites on public lands. Stagecoach State Park Campground offers year-round accessibility with RV hookups and boat access, while Chapman Reservoir provides seasonal camping from June to September with picnic tables and drinking water. Several dispersed camping options exist in the surrounding national forest lands, including FR-302 Dispersed Camping near Rabbit Ears Pass and Buffalo Pass Dispersed sites, which provide free primitive camping without amenities but allow for greater privacy and natural immersion.

Road conditions and seasonal factors significantly affect campground availability in the region. Most developed campgrounds like Meadows Campground operate from June to October due to heavy snowfall at higher elevations. Many Forest Service roads leading to dispersed camping areas require high-clearance vehicles, particularly during spring melt or after rainfall. Several campground options around Steamboat Lake and Stagecoach Reservoir feature electric hookups and water access, though amenities vary widely between sites. Cell service can be limited or non-existent in more remote locations. A visitor commented about Freeman Reservoir Campground: "We hit this place coming from the northern Colorado border with Wyoming on a Sunday night. I've grown up and camped in Colorado my whole life, this place was 10/10, and one of my favorite spots ever! With hiking, biking, and fishing, you could spend some time here!"

Wildlife viewing opportunities rank high among camper experiences in the Oak Creek area. Several visitors mentioned moose sightings and trout fishing as highlights of their stays at campgrounds like Hahns Peak Lake, which offers spacious sites and lake access. Proximity to the Colorado River provides additional recreation options at campgrounds such as Pumphouse Recreation Site. Mountain views dominate the landscape, with many campgrounds offering panoramic vistas of snow-capped peaks. Campers seeking solitude often prefer mid-week visits, as weekend occupancy rates typically reach capacity during summer months. Reviewers consistently note the quality of hiking trails and water recreation opportunities throughout the region. Noise levels vary significantly, with highway-adjacent sites experiencing more traffic sounds than remote forest locations.

Best Camping Sites Near Oak Creek, Colorado (204)

    1. Stagecoach State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Oak Creek, CO
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 736-2436

    $18 - $100 / night

    "There were many trails to hike around or bike around the lake and campsites. There were plenty of water activities from swimming to boating and fishing. "

    "Clean facilities overall with great proximity to the water and marina."

    2. Steamboat Springs KOA

    24 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 879-0273

    "Close to town and right off the river. Bis service has a stop in the park so you dont have to drive in. Open year around and beautiful all around."

    "Showers are located in center of KOA so be ready to walk or drive over. Very dog friendly and well maintained tent sites!"

    3. Meadows Campground

    12 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    14 miles
    Website

    $26 / night

    "I was wandering from Yellowstone/Tetons en route to Colorado Springs when I reach a necessary point for rest."

    "Convenient forest service campground off highway 40 at rabbit ears pass.  First come first serve but there were still a handful of sites open on a Friday afternoon in August. "

    4. Bear Lake Campground

    15 Reviews
    Yampa, CO
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 638-4516

    $20 - $40 / night

    "Also , there are some Lakeside sites. Fantastic scenery and beautiful sites. Short drive to tails which can be accessed from campground via feeder trail. The Grand Mesa is pretty."

    "There are multiple campgrounds in this immediate area that all surround Yamcolo Reservoir, Bear Lake, and Stillwater Reservoir."

    5. Chapman Reservoir

    6 Reviews
    Oak Creek, CO
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 638-4516

    "pretty private and a reservoir that’s awesome for kayaks, paddle boards, etc. there are also great trails to hike from the campsite. bring plenty of supplies, though, because the closest place to restock"

    "We were near the reservoir and saw a few mule deer. Easily accessible vault toilets. No on site water. Will be back!"

    6. Dispersed Overlook off Hwy 40

    5 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    12 miles
    Website

    "Quick stop overlooking Lake Catamount. This is actually a pull off from the highway but noticed people had camped here so we did too."

    "I stayed at another pull off a little higher up on the hlll and with that pull off you can get a little more down the mountain and hence away from the noise."

    7. Buffalo Pass Dispersed

    19 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    21 miles

    "This was our first stop on a week long road trip from Colorado Springs to the Oregon Coast and, honestly, we could have just hung out there and saved all the miles."

    "I had just done Rock Creek's drive up to dispersed near Dillon and thought that was bad, but this was worse. "

    8. FR-302 Dispersed Camping - Rabbit Ears Pass

    10 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 745-2300

    "We walked our dog on FR-302 a fair bit and only once encountered a vehicle on the road."

    "Stopped for one night, easy drive on forest road. Found a great spot on a rock ledge with a great view. Nobody around on a Thursday early October."

    9. Pleasant Valley Roadside Camp on Hwy 40

    5 Reviews
    Steamboat Springs, CO
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 745-2300

    "As it says in the name is RIGHT off the highway so be ready for lots of car noise and close quarters with other campers."

    10. Crosho Lake Recreation Area

    3 Reviews
    Yampa, CO
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 638-4516

    "We spent the weekend near Crosho lake and had an awesome time! The trail to the lake is bumpy, and I would recommend a 4x4 vehicle to get to this lake."

    "Fishing in the lake was great."

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Recent Reviews near Oak Creek, CO

590 Reviews of 204 Oak Creek Campgrounds


  • Kevin C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2025

    Bevercreek Dispersed Camping

    Quiet overnighter

    It's a nice dirt road up the hill to these three or four sites. The first site is about a quarter mile before the last three sites. It can be windy as all the sites are completely exposed. No facilities or access to water available. Relatively flat pads that are quite generous in size could fit two or three smallish campers per site. Big rigs could pull in here as well.

  • H
    Oct. 14, 2025

    Coffee Pot Road Dispersed

    Picked up a Rodent Hitchhiker

    I tried to stay here in Oct 2024.  The marked sites at deep creek seemed taken, so I drove up the hill and checked out the dispersed spots. One of them, a large one on the hill vs. dropoff side of the road, had a large shrine set IP for a suicide victim. I went back down and saw that site 1, on the creek was actually open. Backed in and set up my SUV for sleeping...  As I turned off my light, I heard critter sounds.  It was so loud, I thought it might be a coon on my roof, so I hit the road. Long story short, it was IN my sunroof channel (and actually came down the pillars into my front seat foot well).  Although I did not stay the night, i did finally rid my vehicle of the critter using bright motion sensor lights.  If you stay here, beware of the critters down near the creek.

  • Ben W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Pioneer Park

    Cute, but...

    Great little campground, right on the Colorado River.

    Would be better if a freight train didn't pass through every 2-3 hours, blowing the train horn.

  • Connie H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Upper Colorado River BLM Dispersed

    Good Overnight Spot

    Convenient spot right off of I70. It’s really just a dirt parking area, but good enough for an overnight stop! We pulled in after 11:00 PM. It was dark! There were a few other cars spread about. We had our pop up camper, and we were able to find a level spot and set up to get a few hours of sleep. Left around 5:30 AM, and it was still dark out, so didn’t really get to see the view of the river, and didn’t get any pics. The area was fairly quiet, other than the train that went by.

  • Angela M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Yampa River Headquarters Campground — Yampa River State Park

    No frills easy right off of 40

    Nice little campground. Dump station and potable water fill available. Sites only have electric but 30 and 50 Amp. Sites have plenty of room between them. Additional $10 entrance fee for non Colorado residents.

  • Susan D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2025

    FR-302 Dispersed Camping - Rabbit Ears Pass

    Great spot

    We found a spot about a mile up 302. You hit kind of an intersection. We took the road to the right and went all the way to the end. It ends in a big loop (really big enough space for a few rvs). We pull a 33' fifth wheel and just went slow. The spot at the end was beautiful!

  • Philip P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Lake John Dispersed Camping

    Relatively Private Site right next to Lake John Shoreline

    After driving past the more established Lake John RV Resort we found this spot to park our campervan. Site has a metal tin can fire pit. Very peaceful with private location.

  • Chris C.
    Sep. 19, 2025

    Red Table Road, White River National Forest

    Vast OHV Area with Scenic Table Top Mountain Views

    I ran across this gem, ripe for OHV, 4WD/AWD and some pull behind trailer use.  

    • Red Table Road is in the White River National Forest (see Map Posting image).  
    • Map Posting Coordinates: Lat: 39.5213888889; Long: -107.1108333333
    • Directions:  From Cotton Wood Pass (paved road) at the Red Table OHV Staging Area (Gypsum, CO 81623) heading East, look right and down for Red Table Mountain Road (Forest Road-FR 514).  From the Map Posting, the road heads up the north side of Basalt Mountain (vis-a-vis Google Maps).  
    • This road is narrow, no turnabouts for about 2 miles (wall-to-wall Manzanita and canyon drop offs), then about 2.2-4.4 there are some areas to turn around (area is maintained for stormwater runoff).  
    • Cellular Service: I had 1-2 bars of service on my T-Mobile at a few different spots with good clearing. 
    • Remote: Over Labor Day Weekend there was limited vehicle pressure and people, so relatively undiscovered in 2025.
    • Camping: Dispersed, a few carved out, most are pull-outs, informal, no postings, crude fire rings, no water, utilities, etc.
    • Views: Wow, look all around and its immense.  

    Enjoy!

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Freeman Reservoir Campground

    Well spaced and shelter sites near the reservoir

    Beautiful spot. Almost at 9,000 ft. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Most of them are slightly treed. There is garbage pickup. The fall colors are just starting to show. Horses are allowed. There are pens for horses. They're not allowed to walk through the campsite though. The reservoir is kind of small. There are picnic tables. Many locations around it. We arrived late so we didn't get to see how beautiful it was until the morning.


Guide to Oak Creek

Camping sites near Oak Creek, Colorado sit between 7,000-10,000 feet elevation, experiencing significant seasonal temperature swings with summer highs in the 80s and winter lows frequently below freezing. Most dispersed camping areas close by early October due to snowfall, with many forest roads becoming impassable until late May. Cell service remains highly variable throughout the region, with coverage strongest near major highways.

What to do

Fishing at Crosho Lake: The 10-acre Crosho Lake Recreation Area provides excellent fishing opportunities with stocked trout. "The fishing in the lake was great," notes a visitor to Crosho Lake Recreation Area. Access requires a 4WD vehicle on bumpy forest roads.

Family-friendly water activities: Paddleboarding and swimming options abound at several reservoirs. "The reservoir gets busy so go early to stake out a spot to hang for the day. Once there, it's a wonderful place to play—paddle boarding, fishing, jumping off the dam," explains a visitor to Chapman Reservoir.

Mountain biking access: Some campgrounds provide direct access to nearby trail systems. A camper at Steamboat Springs KOA shares: "I love the ability to ride into town to the mountain bike trails on Emerald Mountain. On your way back from the amazing singletrack, be sure to stop at Taco Cabo to grab to-go grub."

Winter camping options: For cold-weather enthusiasts, select campgrounds remain accessible year-round. "We visited this park in the dead of winter and we were the only campers there. There weren't any services available but the site had excellent views," reports a winter camper at Stagecoach State Park.

What campers like

Riverside relaxation: Several campgrounds feature riverside sites allowing for cooling off during hot summer days. "The river running through the campground was so refreshing after a day at the Balloon Rodeo. Once we got back to the KOA we were so hot we took our chairs & sat them in the middle of the river & chilled," shares one visitor.

Wildlife viewing: Campsites throughout the area offer opportunities to observe local wildlife. At Bear Lake Campground, visitors report: "We were near the reservoir and saw a few mule deer. Easily accessible vault toilets." Many campers mention moose sightings in marshy areas around FR-302.

Space between sites: Certain campgrounds offer more privacy than others. "The tent sites are set back and space and trees separate sites," reports a camper at Bear Lake Campground. In contrast, other reviewers note when sites lack separation: "The tent sites are tiny, you are packed together with no space."

Early season access: FR-302 dispersed camping areas often open earlier than established campgrounds. "We found a beautiful spot 1.9 miles in on the East (left) side of the road," shares a visitor. "We had a beautiful view and the weather was perfect. Only downfall was the mosquitos."

What you should know

Reservation systems vary: While some campgrounds require reservations, others operate on first-come, first-served basis. At Meadows Campground, a visitor notes: "We pulled off Route 40 at 7pm on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend and were able to nab the last camping spot."

Water limitations: Water availability fluctuates by location and season. A visitor to Chapman Reservoir cautions: "Skip this Campground. No potable water is available."

Road conditions matter: Many dispersed sites require high-clearance vehicles. A Buffalo Pass visitor warns: "Very busy on a weekend and hard road. Some nice spots but many are blocked from a view so get there early." Another mentions: "Gates not open as of memorial weekend."

Mosquito pressure: Summer months bring significant insect activity, particularly in marshy areas. "Perfect for a night. Lots of places to park/camp. My only complaint were the mosquitos. Tons. But if you have spray you'll be fine," advises a camper at FR-302.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly amenities: Some campgrounds offer specific family activities. "There is a small pool, updated miniature golf course, trike rentals and the Yampa running through the campground," describes a visitor to Steamboat Springs KOA.

Protected swim areas: Families with children appreciate designated swimming spots. "The protected swim beach was a hit during the day with day visitors as well as campers. Lots of the children enjoyed the warm(ish) waters and my son particularly enjoyed hunting for crawfish or crawdads," reports a Stagecoach State Park visitor.

Educational opportunities: Some campgrounds offer ranger-led programs. "Yoga was offered early Sunday morning and had approximately a dozen participants... the Parks offered fur, skulls, scat, and tracks for guests/visitors to examine and learn about," mentions a visitor to Stagecoach State Park.

Family-sized campsites: FR-302 Dispersed Camping offers spacious sites for families. "Found a great spot on a rock ledge with a great view. Nobody around on a Thursday early October," shares a visitor, while another notes: "There is room for several vehicles and endless tent spots."

Tips from RVers

Electric hookups: For RVers requiring power, Stagecoach State Park offers designated sites. "We stayed in site # 62 with a waterview & a mountain view. We have a great site nice & big with electric hook up and had to fill with water," describes one RVer.

Water quality considerations: Some campgrounds have water quality issues requiring planning. A Stagecoach State Park visitor cautions: "The water was Iron colored so we used bottled water for making coffee & ice cubes."

Leveling challenges: Roadside camping areas often require significant leveling. An RVer at Pleasant Valley Roadside Camp notes: "Place has very good views from the mountain, however, the terrain isn't level. I found it difficult to get a good spot for my camper to be leveled."

Campground expansions: Some facilities are expanding capacity for larger rigs. A camper reports: "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."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find camping near Oak Creek, Colorado?

Oak Creek, Colorado offers several excellent camping options nearby. Stagecoach State Park Campground provides reservable sites with amenities suitable for RVs and tent campers alike, situated right on the water. For those seeking a more primitive experience, Pioneer Park offers free camping with basic amenities, close to town and the river, with convenient access to nearby hot springs. Additional options include Steamboat Springs KOA for full amenities or Chapman Reservoir for a more secluded experience. The region features both established campgrounds with facilities and dispersed camping opportunities throughout the surrounding national forest areas, particularly along Buffalo Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass.

How has the Crosho fire affected camping in Oak Creek?

The Crosho fire has impacted camping in the Oak Creek area, particularly affecting access to Crosho Lake Recreation Area and nearby sites. Allen Basin Reservoir Dispersed camping, approximately one mile from Crosho Lake, has also been affected with potential trail closures on route #1181. Before planning a trip, check current fire restrictions and closures with the US Forest Service or Colorado Parks & Wildlife, as conditions can change rapidly. Some areas may have reopened with limited access, while others remain closed for rehabilitation. Always respect any closure notices and be prepared for altered camping conditions including reduced amenities and possible smoke impacts even after reopening.

What camping is available near Oak Creek, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, Oak Creek, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 204 campgrounds and RV parks near Oak Creek, CO and 71 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Oak Creek, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Oak Creek, CO is Stagecoach State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 12 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Oak Creek, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 71 free dispersed camping spots near Oak Creek, CO.