Freeman Reservoir Campground welcomes pets in a peaceful, wooded setting north of Craig, Colorado. This well-maintained campground features spacious, tree-screened sites providing good privacy between campers. Both tent and RV camping are available with a mixture of pull-through and back-in sites. Pets must remain leashed throughout the campground and surrounding trails. The campground provides vault toilets and trash service but lacks hookups or showers. Campers appreciate the quiet atmosphere with minimal barking dogs even when the campground is near capacity. Several reviewers note the campground is exceptionally clean and well-maintained, making it ideal for families camping with dogs.
Hiking trails around Freeman Reservoir offer excellent opportunities for exercising pets, including a short trail that circles the entire reservoir where dogs can occasionally wade along the shoreline. Nearby Steamboat Lake State Park and Pearl Lake State Park also permit leashed pets throughout their campgrounds and most trail systems. Both parks provide more developed facilities including showers and in some loops, full hookups for RVs. The proximity to water at these parks creates additional recreation options for pets and owners. Visitors should be aware that summer temperatures can fluctuate significantly at these higher elevations, requiring extra attention to pet hydration and protection from afternoon sun. Wildlife encounters are common in this region, making proper pet control essential for safety.
"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!"
"Despite a mostly full campground after dark it was very quiet, no generators, no barking dogs, and no big parties."
$18 - $28 / night
"Colorado does a great job with their parks and this is no exception. Stayed here spur of the moment booking two nights prior to the stay."
"This is one of our favorite campgrounds in Colorado. We make a habit of visiting the week after Labor Day. The crowds are gone and the campground is peaceful."
$18 - $28 / night
"Nice, quiet site with mountains all around. Walking distance to the trail around the lake. Beautiful view of Hahn's Peak!"
"Lots of access to restrooms & potable water. Lake & shower access is about a mile away drive or 1/2 mile walk on a trail."
$28 - $36 / night
"Additional $10 entrance fee for non Colorado residents."
"We were close to the boat ramp so it was an easy walk down to the river. We drove out to Steamboat Springs one of the days and had a lot of fun on the river trail."
"You have to drive just a short distance further to find a spot. It is super quiet and very pretty. 4 bars Verizon."
"Just a couple of spots but no one else around the 1st of October. A traveler's overnight spot"
$26 - $52 / night
"Hahn's Peak Lake is honestly a gem of a spot about an hour north of Steamboat. The lake is no more than a 5 min walk from any campground which is convenient."
"Nice 3.5 hike around the like but you end up on the road. The excercise was good for us. Small lake great for canoes, kayak and paddle boarding. Some fishermen. No host. No water."
"Showers are located in center of KOA so be ready to walk or drive over. Very dog friendly and well maintained tent sites!"
"Right outside of Steamboat Springs is Steamboat KOA. This campground has so many perks. Not only is there a beautiful Mountain View but it also has the Yampa river running through it."
$28 - $90 / night
"Camping along Pearl Lake is a dream come true. It's a quiet lake, surrounded by mountains and forest, perfect for paddle boarders."
"Right on the lake, good amount of space between spots, close to Steamboat. Bathrooms were clean, camp hosts were nice."
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!
TravelerI’m not quite sure what the story is with this park. There are about six primitive sites plus one wheelchair accessible site down at the boat launch area of this expansive county park. There is no signage at all to indicate if the sites are day use or overnight stays allowed? We figured it doesn’t explicitly state ‘no camping’ so we spent a peaceful Wednesday night here and had no company until locals showed up in the morning to use the dog park located right in the area (which is also a wonderful trail along the Yampa). The sunrise over the Yampa was spectacular and we saw many species of birds and several deer crossing the River. All and all this site exceeded our expectations. Do note that there are sparkling clean bathrooms in the playground area of the park, but that area is a good 500 yards away. No restrooms at all at the actual campsite.
TravelerThis is a pet friendly campground around a square park right on 40. They have electric and non electric sites, but the majority were electric (and cost more). This was advertised $15 - $20 but the prices online were $38.50 for an electric site for one night (granted, it was a Saturday in August). There were not pet fees. There were lots of spaces available when we visited.
There is no office here, you pay for your rental online or on an iPad in the kiosk (if working). There is WiFi at the kiosk, but it does not reach many of the campsites well.
Sites are close together but level. Felt safe and it was quiet at night save for occasional passing cars. No fire pits or individual picnic tables, but there is a shared covered picnic area.
Clean bathrooms. Showers were more of a 2.5/5. Not super clean and water smelled rusty. Water from sink was fine though.
Morning became very busy with travelers stopping to use the public restrooms, which may help you decide where to park.
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.
Legend$10; $5 with senior/interagency pass. Camped in site 8 on Oct 12, 2024; in my opinion, this is the best site. Short walk to his/hers vault toilets in day use area. Trash cans nearby. Site was level & accommodated my van. Area for setting up tent. Hammock camping possible. We'll water pump located near entrance to campground next to site #2. Picnic table and metal firering on site. Overall, the campsite was clean. Good separation between sites. Some trees and foliage between sites. Site was mostly shaded. Encampment River was behind the site. Hiking trail nearby. Liked this campground. I would stay here again. Campground was well maintained, and the vault toilet was clean and stocked. Very weak T-Mobile and AT&T service.
TravelerAwesome camp site, great staff, beautiful right on the river, fresh water. Showers are located in center of KOA so be ready to walk or drive over. Very dog friendly and well maintained tent sites!
GuideHeading here for the 4th of July weekend was busy as one would expect but from the minute we drove in were extremely impressed by the upkeep, layout, space between sites, and of course incredible views. Hahn's Peak Lake is honestly a gem of a spot about an hour north of Steamboat. The lake is no more than a 5 min walk from any campground which is convenient. I will say that the lake was a bit busy, at least near or around the boat ramp (basically paddle boards/kayaks), but this was to be expected due to how gorgeous the location was and also that it was the 4th of July weekend. However, the lake has plenty of drop in spots and it's fairly large so easy to break away. There is also a really nice hike that goes around the lake which is about 2-3 miles depending on where you take it.
With regards to the actual campsite, we were in #27 (Double Lot) and it was absolutely perfect. It's got just the basics which is a fire pit, picnic tables, as well as two small plots with crushed gravel for tents but the view was spectacular. The lot next to us was about 100 feet away and would say that's about the average. The host came and greeted us and was very nice. There is a vault toilet as well as dumpster within a hundred or so feet and both are well maintained and well positioned in the campground.
Outside of the campsite - there are plenty of options. We headed to Pearl Lake State Park which offers amazing SUP opportunities including the ability to rent (also sell beer at this little stand). It's a bit busy and the parking is limited so if you don't want to walk too far would suggest going around 10-11am. The lake though is stunning and offers a much more diverse and lengthy hike around. Overall the lake is much larger as well.
GuideNice Town park with 53 sites according to the website. We came through on our way to Brown’s park and Flaming gorge . We used the dump station, $5 and took our dogs on a walk. The park was quite and only had 5 campers in it at the time. We are planning to come back and stay to explore this area of the state. There is gas and a convenient store on the next block. Below is a quote from the website.
During summer months, visitors come here to play on the Yampa and Green Rivers. They also enjoy Maybell as a gateway to Sandwash Basin, Irish Canyon, Browns Park, and Dinosaur National Monument. During the hunting season, our normal population of 75 nearly triples, when Maybell becomes home away from home to hunters. Spots are now reservable on camplife.com.
Freeman Reservoir Campground sits at approximately 9,000 feet elevation in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest north of Craig, Colorado. The campground remains open from June through October, with seasonal road closures during winter months. Temperatures can fluctuate significantly throughout the day, often dropping below 40°F even during summer nights.
Hiking around the reservoir: A trail circles Freeman Reservoir, offering opportunities for easy pet exercise with minimal elevation gain. "There is a short trail around the reservoir and we even got pictures of a couple beavers," notes Charlie B., who visited Freeman Reservoir Campground to photograph fall colors.
Fishing for rainbow trout: The reservoir contains rainbow trout and allows non-motorized watercraft. At Yampa River Headquarters Campground, Rich D. reports: "My brother caught a 16" rainbow which provided supper one night."
Mountain biking on nearby trails: The region offers several mountain biking trails within driving distance. A visitor at Steamboat Springs KOA shares: "I love the ability to ride into town to the mountain bike trails on Emerald Mountain."
Cooler summer temperatures: The higher elevation provides relief from summer heat. David M. at Freeman Reservoir Campground notes: "Beautiful spot. Almost at 9,000 ft. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Most of them are slightly treed."
Fall foliage viewing: September and October bring spectacular color changes. "We went up in Mid-sept with our dogs to photograph fall color change and were not disappointed," reports Charlie B. about visiting Freeman Reservoir Campground in autumn.
Non-motorized lakes: Several area lakes prohibit motorized watercraft, creating peaceful conditions. According to Tyler W., who camped at Hahns Peak Lake Campground: "The lake has plenty of drop in spots and it's fairly large so easy to break away."
Road conditions: Some forest service roads become impassable after snow. Charlie B. notes about Freeman Reservoir: "Road is impassable in winter."
Campground amenities: Basic facilities with vault toilets but limited hookups. At Sunrise Vista Campground, Robyn M. reports: "Beautiful views. Not much privacy but the views are magnificent. New camp service being built. Right now, just a pit toilet. Short drive to marina for showers."
Mosquito activity: Wetland areas have significant mosquito populations, particularly near riverbanks. Greg S. at Yampa River Headquarters Campground warns: "There are lots of mosquitos as it's in Yampa river bottom land."
Horse facilities: Some sites accommodate equestrians with dedicated facilities. David M. notes about Freeman Reservoir: "Horses are allowed. There are pens for horses. They're not allowed to walk through the campsite though."
Pet-friendly water access: Many sites provide shallow shoreline areas where dogs can wade. At Pearl Lake State Park Campground, Jamie mentions: "Site 30 was the best. Right on the water with shade throughout the day."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Early mornings increase chances of wildlife sightings. "We had a great view and deer came through the meadow in the evenings," reports Karen at Sunrise Vista Campground.
Site spacing considerations: Some campgrounds provide better separation between sites than others. At Freeman Reservoir Campground, Talia J. states: "The campsites are well separated, and screened by trees for good privacy."
Dump station locations: Many campgrounds lack onsite dump stations. Angela M. mentions about Yampa River Headquarters: "Dump station and potable water fill available. Sites only have electric but 30 and 50 Amp."
Power availability: Electric sites are limited at some locations. "We stayed in the non-electric loop and there were very few people. The sites were spread out with trees and some privacy. The electric loop was full and the sites very close together," reports Beverly W. about Steamboat Lake State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Slater, CO is Freeman Reservoir Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 6 reviews.
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