Pumphouse Recreation Site, near Kremmling, Colorado, is a solid choice for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors along the Colorado River. This campground offers a straightforward setup with basic amenities, making it easy to kick back and soak in the stunning views.

The area is known for its clean facilities, including well-stocked restrooms, and visitors have noted the ample parking available for RVs and boat trailers. Many campers appreciate the river access, which is perfect for fishing and relaxing by the water. One reviewer mentioned, “The view is just amazing to wake up to,” highlighting the picturesque surroundings.

For those who enjoy hiking, there are trails nearby that let you explore the beautiful landscape. While the sites are fairly close together, the overall vibe is relaxed, and the location serves as a great base for river adventures. If you're looking for a budget-friendly spot to unwind and enjoy nature, Pumphouse Recreation Site is worth considering.

## Overview

 Managed by [Kremmling Field Office ][1] The Pumphouse Recreation Area is part of the Upper Colorado River Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), providing opportunities for developed camping, river access and access to hiking trails. With over 100,000 annual visitors the sites facilities include 3 developed boat ramp sites, 12 vault toilets, day use and overnight parking, 18 Single Campsites and 2 Group Campsites. The campground has a potable water system (not available for trailer hookups or filling of Recreational Vehicle and Travel Trailer filling). 
## Recreation

 Pumphouse Recreation Area is the most heavily used access point for the Upper Colorado River between Kremmling and State Bridge. Those floating downriver access calm flat water to Class III whitewater rapids. The Gore Canyon Whitewater Playpark is located just above Boat Ramp #2 and provides a manmade wave that is popular for kayakers, stand up paddle boarders and other small watercraft. It is also an exciting splash feature for watercraft coming downriver from Boat Ramp #1. Hiking opportunities accessed from the Pumphouse Recreation Area provide ample access for wade fishing and exploring along the Colorado River. The Gore Canyon Trail is open to foot travel only providing access upriver for 1.5 miles. Keep an eye out for the historic retaining walls holding the trail in place that early surveyors of Gore Canyon and homesteaders developed to access this area of the river for finding a railroad route and efforts to divert water for irrigation. The Gore Canyon Ranch Trail is open to foot travel only and provides access downriver for 1.25 miles connecting to the Gore Canyon Ranch Trailhead and Parking Area. This undeveloped area was the site of a homestead ranch and was acquired by the BLM to improve public access, restore habitat for wildlife and provide educational opportunities on the areas history, wildlife and responsible recreation opportunities. The historic Argentine Trail is open to foot travel only and is accessed from the Gore Canyon Ranch Trail. This trail is not for the lighthearted as it has steep drop offs from a trail that was blasted into the cliffs of Hartman Canyon. Those floating down stream can see this trail high up the canyon wall on river left. 
## Natural Features

 The Pumphouse Recreation Area is adjacent to the Colorado River between Gore Canyon and Hartman Canyon. The scenery within the area is a major component to the adjacent Colorado Headwaters National Scenic and Historic Byway and are important features that make this stretch of river Wild and Scenic Eligible. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The town of Kremmling, CO is approximately 15 miles east from Pumphouse Recreation Area where visitors can get supplies. Rancho Del Rio a private resort along the Colorado river, has a small store with supplies and is a river access point for those recreating on the river. Rancho Del Rio is located approximately 10 miles west along Trough Road. Trough Road, which accesses the BLM Recreation Areas and Rancho Del Rio (private river access fee site) is the Colorado Headwaters National Scenic and Historic Byway. Originating just east of Grand Lake on Highway 34, the byway ends at State Bridge. 

[1]: https://www.blm.gov/office/kremmling-field-office

Pumphouse Recreation Site

Looking for the best campgrounds near Kremmling, CO? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Kremmling

The Best Camping Near Kremmling, Colorado

**Campground Review**

I have been to the Pumphouse Recreation Site multiple times for day use purposes, as this is a common boat launch location on the Upper Colorado River. This past weekend was my first time actually using their campground and I was quite pleased. Although we arrived fairly late on a Saturday evening in the summer, there were still quite a few campsites available. We had no trouble finding a site with a level parking spot for our campervan on the night that we arrived. Camping here offers a great base camp for those looking to get out on the river for rafting and fishing or exploring hikes in the surrounding BLM land. Overall these are my thoughts on this campground-

Pros:

*   Clean
*   Easily accessible
*   Great location for nearby adventures and activities
*   All basic amenities in clean and working order (picnic table, fire pit, toilet, etc.)
*   Affordable fees ($10/night)

Cons:

*   Sites are quite close together so not much privacy 
*   Minimal tree cover provides little shade 
*   Things can get loud here quite early due to all of the commercial rafting tours that use this area as a boat launch site 

**Product Review**

[Nature’s Coffee Kettle](https://www.naturescoffeekettle.com/) has taken a unique approach to a camping essential: a great cup of coffee. As someone who loves coffee, I was particularly excited for the opportunity to review this product as a Ranger for the Dyrt. Luckily, I was able to try out the [International 16 cup Pack](https://nckstore.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/international-16-cup-pack) which includes the trademark kettle itself and 4 flavors of their coffee refill packs; Colombian Arabica, Sumatra, French Roast and Guatemalan. Each refill pack allows you to make a brew a “pot” of approximately 4 cups of coffee. Each flavor was distinct and definitely made from top quality beans. My personal favorite was the Sumatra, although my usual choice of French Roast was a close runner up. The price of the product was quite fair and cheaper than what you would pay at a coffee shop if comparing cup for cup. The portable kettle system was quite light as well (1.2 oz) which I greatly appreciate as a backpacker who is always looking for ways to lighten my load without cutting out any essentials. There is however the issue of trash created from this product, as a good bit of packaging is involved, which should be taken into account for those looking to go ultra-light while using this product. 

Making the coffee itself was pretty straightforward: boil water, pour it over the coffee pack at the top of the bag and then allow it to run through the filter compartment and fill the lower “kettle” portion of the bag. Following the [manufacturer’s directions](https://www.naturescoffeekettle.com/index.cfm?pagepath=How_It_Works&amp;id=76036), this process must be repeated multiple times to properly brew a good tasting cup of coffee. This is due to the fact that the top filter compartment is quite small and holds a little less than a cup of boiling water. Due to the design of the bag itself, one must hold up the flimsy top of the bag while the boiling water is poured into the kettle and drains through or the bag will be too top heavy and tip over. As a result, one must hold the top of the bag with both hands while another person carefully pours boiling water into the top compartment. After making 4 separate full kettles of coffee, we were unable to come up with a system of brewing that did not result in burnt finger tips and require the need of two people throughout the process. After the initial excitement/burn of the boiling and brewing process, one must quickly enjoy their cup of joe because the kettle lacks any sort of insulation to retain heat. Even on a fairly warm summer morning, within 10 minutes the entire batch was less than lukewarm.  Once the pouring began, our experience improved vastly. The design of the spout and handle holes on the bag makes the coffee very easy to pour. As previously mentioned, the coffee itself was very tasty and enjoyable. As with all things in the outdoors, things just seem to taste better when they take a bit more effort to make. With that being said, this product is certainly a unique system but still requires the use of a camp stove, fuel, pot or kettle, water, and a mug or cup to drink out of. In the end, we concluded that just using high quality instant coffee would have cut down significantly on the processing time, cost and packaging required to get our campsite java fix.

Ranger Review: Nature’s Coffee Kettle at Pumphouse Campground

Nothing too special about the campsite itself. Water is available. Nestled next to the Colorado River with some nice hiking trails and river access. We had a corner site, which made the weekend super nice. Beautiful views!

Great spot next to the Colorado River 

Stayed here back in May. We paid $10, not too bad although a lot of BLM camping is free. Apparently the $10 is charged May 1st - October 31st, according to the website.

It is nestled against the Colorado River in this cool little valley not too far from the town of Kremmling. The campground itself wasn't that great, but the area was pretty relaxing. You can see in the photos that the weather changed rather quickly, which I think can be cool although your mileage may vary. There's something about being in a dry tent during a rainstorm that makes me very happy.  

For a last-minute find after a long day of driving, this place fit the bill.

Nice riverside spot, nothing spectacular but cool nonetheless.

There's fresh Sage plants for miles, the Colorado River runs right by it and is great for fishing, the campgrounds have plenty of parking for boat trailers, RVs, and cars. The restrooms are clean and stocked well with paper, and the view is just amazing to wake up to. Very cheap to camp, too. 

Photos of Pumphouse Recreation Site

Real photos from real campers