Trappers Lake Horse Thief Equestrian Campground accommodates riders with trailer parking and direct access to surrounding trail systems. The campground features picnic tables and traditional campfire pits while maintaining toilets and drinking water for visitors. Big-rig friendly access allows horse owners with larger trailers and RVs to navigate the grounds without difficulty. The mosquitoes can be significant during summer months, particularly in early evening hours. Located approximately 25 miles from Oak Creek, the campground remains open from June through September, providing adequate time for seasonal trail exploration.
Trail access surrounding Trappers Lake connects riders to forest service routes throughout the White River National Forest. The rough road conditions on Buffalo Pass require high clearance vehicles, especially when towing horse trailers. Riders should come prepared with bug spray during summer months when mosquito populations increase dramatically. The campground's sanitary dump station allows for extended stays without leaving the grounds. Water troughs are available seasonally, though during periods of heavy use, water pressure may diminish. No reservation system exists for equestrian sites, requiring early arrival during peak summer weekends to secure suitable camping spots with adequate space for horses and equipment.
"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. "
$11 - $25 / night
"We stayed in the equestrian campground. In two of the campgrounds (on the left as you come in), only the smallest of trailers will work. "
"It does have facilities including horse corrals."
"Located between a bunch of Aspen trees. There are about 27 spots available, all are mostly shaded depending on the time of day."
"A couple of miles down the road there are pull outs were there is easy access to the river. Follow county road 8 to the left and about 20 miles up the road there are numerous hiking trails."
$20 - $80 / night
"The lake is incredible and the panoramic view is out of this world. I was fortunate to drive in right around sunset and the whole valley was lit with a glorious red light."
"I have spent many years coming to Teal lake, its always been a family favorite!"
"Site 1 is a pull-thru near the restrooms."
$10 - $75 / night
"I have stayed at this campground many times over the last few times due to its’ close proximity to access points along the Upper Colorado River and one of Colorado’s best kept secrets, Radium Hot Springs"
$23 - $52 / night
"Trailhead for East Marvine Trail and Marvine Trail is not far from the campground entrance. Both trails lead into the Flat Tops Wilderness and are popular for pack rides. "
"There are a few campsites next to the river and additional camp sites up the canyon."
"Easy to find the site, ours was near the river. Lots of bugs so bring bug spray. Very calming and felt safe. Would recommend!"
"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!"
"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."
$20 / night
"The campground is next to a trailhead. We stopped at the cave, but didn’t go in and then took the Cliff Lake Trail up a couple of miles. Beautiful views."
"There is a bathroom nearby with vault toilets. It was self-pay, cash only, $27. It was very secluded and peaceful. No WiFi service. This became our favorite campsite of our trip."
TravelerGreat spot for car camping in Colorado except its distance from Denver. It’s a trek! Takes at least 4 hours (that’s if you’re lucky). Lots to do. Great fishing, beautiful hiking trails to a water fall, and trails for the RZR near by.
ScoutWe 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!
GuideBig Creek Lakes Campground, Colorado (close to Wyoming border): camping here is only open for 3 months out of the year: June, July & August. It's camping at over 9,000ft elevation and requires for you to be extra prepared for snow even in the summer months, bears, mountain lions, mosquitos, aggressive horse flies, leeches, strong winds, thunder storms and altitude sickness. They do provide water which tastes fresh like newly melted snow. You can boat, fish, even hunt at some spots with a permit, hike, and swim at your own risk (can be cold, leeches, snakes). It is truly beautiful up here and the drive up the Poudre river makes it worth it. You can also spend the day rafting down the river or fishing.
RangerBeautiful 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.
RangerThere are 4 small US Forest Service campgrounds here. The access road is in great shape and while it is gravel, it is passable with any vehicle and trailer combination.
One of the campgrounds is reservable, the the others are FCFS. We stayed in the equestrian campground. In two of the campgrounds (on the left as you come in), only the smallest of trailers will work. The first one on the right is the equestrian campground and the second one on the right is the reservable campground. We have a short 5th wheel (26') and we found only a couple of sites we could fit in. I would say that 32' is about it. On the other hand, the campgrounds get very little use and you should have no problems finding a spot. We were there in early June and we had our campground to our selves. There is water but no other services. Cell service? Forget about it.
The hiking is fantastic from the campground. Trappers Lake is outstanding. There was a forest fire a few years back so the trees around the lake are gone. There are many trails and the views are some of the best.
GuideThis campground was less than half full. Trailhead for East Marvine Trail and Marvine Trail is not far from the campground entrance. Both trails lead into the Flat Tops Wilderness and are popular for pack rides. Horse corrals are available at the trailhead and nearby East Marvine Campground for an additional $5 / night.
GuideThe 7 campsites at East Marvine Campground were surprisingly empty in mid-July and the neighboring Marvine Campground was only half full. Site 1 is a pull-thru near the restrooms.
Open late-May to late-October
First Come First Served
$20 per night +$5 for horse corrals
50ft max RV length
The big attraction in the area seems to be the East Marvine Trail and Marvine Trail that leads into the Flat Tops Wilderness. Very popular for pack trips. We saw quite a few horse trailers in the area.
LegendI have stayed at this campground many times over the last few times due to its’ close proximity to access points along the Upper Colorado River and one of Colorado’s best kept secrets, Radium Hot Springs. Often times, I will “backpack” into the dispersed backcountry sites located next to the hot spring itself. I say backpack lightly, as it is only about a 20-minute hike in from the main parking/O.C. Murage Campground. On my most recent stay though, I opted for car camping at the campground itself, although I still managed to hike over to the hot spring for an amazing moonlight soak.
The campground itself is basic, but suits the needs of most backpackers. It is essentially just a large clearing near the river, with a stream running along the far side. There is plenty of parking in the dirt/gravel clearing and “campsites” are designated by stoned-lined fire pits along the perimeter of the campground. The sites are quite flat and most offer significant shade which is quite nice in the summer. Pit toilet bathrooms are located near the entrance, for both male and female. The bathrooms offer toilet paper, but definitely could use a good cleaning. The bathrooms also had a few funny signs regarding the rules (see photos).
In general, this campground is easily accessible by most cars year-round. The road to the campground is gravel but well maintained. This area has been gaining popularity over the last few years, so if camping on the summer weekends, be sure to get there early in order to get a spot. I haven’t camped at the campground itself on the weekends, but it can get rather busy so privacy is likely limited. We camped on a Thursday and there were only two other groups camping at that time.
The hot spring is definitely the highlight of this campground and a major draw for me. It is a beautiful natural hot spring located at the bottom of a cliff along the banks of the Colorado River. Some call this a warm spring, as it stays around 80-90 degrees. I have heard that this can fluctuate based on the river levels, and it can become washed out in the spring when water levels are quite high. As a warning, the hot spring can get crowded and rowdy with partiers on the summer weekends…some of whom may opt for nudity after dark. My favorite time to visit the hot spring is late at night during the week, when you are most likely to have the pool to yourself and enjoy the scenery and starry nights in seclusion :)
RangerThis campground is rather small. It does have facilities including horse corrals.
Buffalo Pass Dispersed camping offers rugged mountain terrain camping options north of Oak Creek at elevations between 8,000-10,000 feet. Road conditions require high-clearance 4WD vehicles, especially when navigating beyond the initial forest service roads. Most dispersed sites sit within aspen groves and provide variable access to mountain streams depending on seasonal conditions.
Hiking nearby trails: At Dry Lake Campground, the trailhead for Spring Creek Trail sits directly across from the campground. "We arrived in early afternoon on a Monday and despite the sign out front that said 'campground full' we found that there were 2 or 3 available sites that must have been recently vacated," notes Kristin M., who adds that "sunset colors over the Aspens was gorgeous and we saw some amazing shooting stars as well."
Soak in hot springs: Radium Hot Springs offers a natural thermal pool experience when camping at Radium Recreation Site. "It is a beautiful natural hot spring located at the bottom of a cliff along the banks of the Colorado River. Some call this a warm spring, as it stays around 80-90 degrees," explains Isabelle K., who recommends visiting "late at night during the week, when you are most likely to have the pool to yourself."
Fishing access: The reservoirs near Oak Creek provide fishing opportunities throughout summer months. At Freeman Reservoir Campground, Charlie B. reports, "We went up in Mid-sept with our dogs to photograph fall color change and were not disappointed. There is a short trail around the reservoir and we even got pictures of a couple beavers."
Well-maintained facilities: Equestrian campers appreciate the dedicated horse campgrounds near Oak Creek, Colorado. At Trappers Lake Horse Thief Equestrian Campground, Greg L. notes: "This is the official CG for the horse crowd, however if it is empty anyone can camp there. FCFS, about 10 sites some with powder river corrals. One water spigot up at top by the single toilet."
Secluded sites: The North Fork Campground provides private camping areas with shade. "This was an amazing site! Even though this is a group campground you wouldn't know it! We chose a great site that was actually 2 tiered! We had a spot for our truck with truck bed tent and then some stairs led to the picnic table, fire ring, and ground tent site," writes Nikki and Will W.
Season flexibility: Many campgrounds operate from early summer through fall. Doug W. observes at Trappers Lake: "The access road is in great shape and while it is gravel, it is passable with any vehicle and trailer combination. One of the campgrounds is reservable, the others are FCFS. We stayed in the equestrian campground."
Road conditions: Buffalo Pass requires appropriate vehicles for access. "Very busy on a weekend and hard road. Some nice spots but many are blocked from a view so get there early. Found a dirt road that took off from the main road but my car couldn't handle it (AWD)," advises Nora S. about Buffalo Pass Dispersed.
Bug preparations: Mosquitoes can be intense in certain areas. Doug B. warns: "This place is beautiful, found multiple spots on Monday June 30th that were beautiful and had fire pits. HOWEVER, When you see other reviews that say there are lots of bugs… they were not exaggerating, there are massive swarms of mosquitoes everywhere."
Timing considerations: Many sites fill quickly during peak season. At Deep Creek Trailhead Camp, Spencer B. reports: "Arrived on Thursday before Memorial Day weekend. There are a few campsites next to the river and additional camp sites up the canyon. All river camp spots were taken when we arrived at 5pm, so we continued up the canyon and found a spot with an established fire ring."
Reservoir activities: Teal Lake Group Campsite offers family-friendly fishing and lakeside recreation. "This is by far my favorite place to go fishing when I'm in the mood to fish off the shore! I have spent many years coming to Teal lake, its always been a family favorite!" shares Haileigh W.
Campground selection: Choose shaded sites during summer months to avoid excessive heat. Ruth L. suggests North Fork Campground: "We are experiencing a very hot summer, hot even at higher altitudes. Shade in a campsite becomes important. This campground sits in an Aspen forest, and many of the sites have some trees if enough to provide some shade some of the day."
Wildlife opportunities: Freeman Reservoir Campground provides wildlife viewing chances for kids. Kelsey U. raves: "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!"
Site access limitations: Check campground restrictions before bringing larger rigs. Doug W. advises about equestrian camping near Trappers Lake: "We have a short 5th wheel (26') and we found only a couple of sites we could fit in. I would say that 32' is about it. On the other hand, the campgrounds get very little use and you should have no problems finding a spot."
Pull-through availability: Some campgrounds offer pull-through sites for easier access. At North Fork Campground, Meghan A. notes: "The ground was very rocky and undeveloped, not great for tents. We kept sliding while we slept. Plus, there weren't spots for the tents, we had to place them in the RV pull through areas."
Updated facilities: Chad H. found Dry Lake Campground has improved its accommodations: "Many of the sites and one bathroom seem to be recently updated. The pull through sites have very long driveways with nice level spots. The tent areas look great. Tables, fire pits, bear lockers all seem new."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Oak Creek, CO?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Oak Creek, CO is Buffalo Pass Dispersed with a 4.2-star rating from 18 reviews.
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