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Facilities

Established Camping

White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground

Warning 5 Alerts are In Effect

There are 5 alerts for this campground. Camp safely!

ATTENTION BE BEAR AWARE Bears are active in all campgrounds, It is important that you store all food (dry, fresh, frozen, packaged, etc.), all beverages (canned, bottled, fresh, frozen etc.), all pet food and any product that has an odor in a locked food storage locker at the site, locked vehicle (windows and door must be locked), or in your locked camper with all windows, doors and hatches locked when you are not with it. Help us keep you and bears safe.

RV Fillup and Dump Station Alert: There is no RV fillup available at this campsite. Fill up and dump station are available at the Upper Blue Sanitation Department on Swan Mountain Road located at 59 Colorado Road 1, Breckenridge, CO 80424.

Dogs are required to be on leash at all times in campgrounds. Not complying can result in loss of campsite and possible fines.

Quiet Hours: 10pm - 6am. This means no use of generators during this time.

Please bring all the water you and guest will need for cooking, drinking, cleaning and etc

White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground, near Frisco, Colorado, is a solid choice for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors with a touch of convenience. This campground is right by Dillon Reservoir, making it a prime spot for fishing, paddle boarding, and soaking up the sun on the water.

The sites here come equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, perfect for evening gatherings. Visitors have noted that the campground is well-maintained, with clean bathrooms and accessible water spigots, although you’ll need to bring your own drinking water. As one camper mentioned, “The site was very spacious and the campground nice and quiet, clean and well kept.”

If you’re up for some adventure, you’ll find plenty of trails nearby for hiking and biking. Plus, the towns of Frisco and Silverthorne are just a short drive away, offering grocery stores and restaurants for any supplies you might need. While some sites can feel a bit close together, the overall atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, making it a great spot for families and groups alike.

Description

USDA Forest Service

White River National Forest

Overview

Heaton Bay Campground is situated at an elevation of 9,000 feet and centrally located for recreation and relaxation in the White River National Forest. There is little or no shade in the campground due to pine beetle infestation and the removal of hazard trees, but the sites offer open views to Dillon Reservoir and several mountain ranges.

Recreation

Dillon Reservoir is 3,233 acres with 26.8 miles of shoreline, offering an ideal spot for fishing, boating, and sailing. The reservoir supports a healthy population of rainbow and brown trout, in addition to a few cutthroat finding their way into the lake from feeder streams. Opportunities for hiking and biking in this area include more than 7 paved miles of the 50-mile Summit County trail system. The Old Dillon Reservoir Trail is a favorite. This short, easy trail has spectacular views of the Tenmile Range and the Continental Divide. For those wanting a bit more solitude, hiking in the Ptarmigan Wilderness area is a wonderful escape from the crowds.

Facilities

Dillon Reservoir is 3,233 acres with 26.8 miles of shoreline, offering an ideal spot for fishing, boating, and sailing. The reservoir supports a healthy population of rainbow and brown trout, in addition to a few cutthroat finding their way into the lake from feeder streams. Opportunities for hiking and biking in this area include more than 7 paved miles of the 50-mile Summit County trail system. The Old Dillon Reservoir Trail is a favorite. This short, easy trail has spectacular views of the Tenmile Range and the Continental Divide. For those wanting a bit more solitude, hiking in the Ptarmigan Wilderness area is a wonderful escape from the crowds.

Natural Features

In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting 8 wilderness areas, 4 defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk. Scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. Alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan. These species, along with many others, depend on surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams, and diverse forests to live.

contact_info

For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564.

Nearby Attractions

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain ski resorts are all located within 10 miles from Dillon Reservoir. These resorts stay open year round.

Charges & Cancellations

Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

Fee Info

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Location

White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground is located in Colorado

Detail location of campground

Directions

From I-70, take Frisco exit to 203. Turn left onto the Dillon Dam Road. Travel northeast for 1 mile. The campground will be on the right hand side of the road.

Coordinates

39.605 N
106.0777778 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Good

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • Reservable
  • Electric Hookups
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Water Hookups
  • Pull-Through Sites
  • 50 Amp Hookups
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

29 Reviews

Reviewed May. 29, 2024

Nice place

You are right between two towns Frisco and Silverthorne. There is some traffic noise from I-70 and a trail next to camp so lots of people passing through. The sirltes are nice but there is no personal hook ups for water. The sites are small and sometimes close together.

SiteC39
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Tarrah C., May 29, 2024
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Tarrah C., May 29, 2024
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Tarrah C., May 29, 2024
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Jul. 24, 2023

Heaton Bay

Well maintained campsite with moderate privacy. It is a walk on site but parking is right by the site so not far to haul stuff at all. There are trees all around the site but there is an opening/walkway to the neighboring campsite so not 100% private No one on the other side of site so there is an opening in trees that makes for a perfect hammock/ hang out spot which also provides more shade & privacy.

Bear locker, fire pit and picnic table. Bathrooms nice & well maintained. Close to stores and restaurants in case you need anything. Right on lake Dillon so paddle boarding and trials close by too.

SiteD56
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jinho T., July 24, 2023
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jinho T., July 24, 2023
  • Play button icon
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2023

Centrally located to enjoy Frisco, Dillon, and Silverthorne

This was our first time camping at Heaton Bay. The campground's location on the Dillon Reservoir is ideal for enjoying the multitude of trails and outdoor activities near Frisco, Dillon, and Silverthorne. We stayed on Loop B where sites have a bear box, picnic table, and fire ring. Our 29' Class C was able to fit in Site 13 with no issue, and we also squeezed in our tow dolly and towed vehicle (with some creative parking!)

If you're setup for boondocking, this is a great place to camp. We got plenty of sun on our solar panels to keep our batteries at 100% for most of the day and it was nice being so close to the water spigot and walking distance to pit toilets and dumpsters. 3 bars of AT&T 5G and 3 bars of T-Mobile LTE during our stay was more than enough to work and enjoy streaming video at night.

Site13
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jason F., July 11, 2023
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jason F., July 11, 2023
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jason F., July 11, 2023
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Aug. 26, 2022

Camp host was great!

There wasn’t any campsites available. The FCFS spots are reservable. I didn’t know this. But the camp host helped us find another campground! We got the last spot! T-Mobile I had 4 bars.

Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jul. 30, 2022

Great location!

Easy access, easy to find. Campground rangers were extremely friendly and helpful. A little close to other sites, but that’s to be expected in the area. Would definitely stay again!

SiteD55
Month of VisitJuly
Reviewed Apr. 16, 2022

Perfect Summer Spot

It was lovely! Reservations were made just a few days in advance and there were plenty of spots. We got one right near the water and ended up having a secret path straight to a teeny beach. Wear shoes in the water as this is a popular fishing spot. We were able to catch and release fish, float on a giant pineapple and keep our food in the bear box provided. The campsite was clean, and it was generally quiet and respectful after sunset. Picnic table and a tall hook (we hung our water jug from it) are available next to the tent spots and the are small walking paths along through the trees. Bathrooms and pump water available, but it's not for cleaning things. Make sure you have your watercraft checked before putting it in the water if you're bringing it from another state, they will check. Edit we were there in late July

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Wren H., April 16, 2022
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Wren H., April 16, 2022
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Wren H., April 16, 2022
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Sep. 24, 2021

Great Campground

This is a well maintained campground. There is water available on every loop. There is electricity and water available at each site on loop A. The driveways and streets are paved. There are walking and bike riding trails everywhere. The town of Frisco is under a 10 minute drive with great grocery stores. Most sites have a fire ring and picnic tables along with bear proff storage containers. Heaton Bay is quiet and lovely. Firewood is for sale at the local grocery stores. There is really something for everyone. We will definitely return when back in this part of the country. Have fun and safe travels.

SiteLoop B site 23
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Stan , September 24, 2021
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Stan , September 24, 2021
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Stan , September 24, 2021
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Sep. 2, 2021

Quiet location surrounded by nature

We stayed at site 11. It was large enough to fit our 40 ft 5th wheel. The site is open and spacious behind the paved parking for the rig. Bear proof containers are at each site. Our site wasn’t 100 level. It was a little lower on the left side. We drove onto some blocks to level it out. We have automatic jacks and the site wasn’t level enough initially for them to come down. You are right next to the bathroom, water and dumpster. It’s enough space in between.

Beware that there is no dump station here. We stopped at the The Blue River Wastewater Treatment Plant . They take cash or personal check $3 for RV.It was easy and self service!

Site11
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Juliana R., September 2, 2021
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Juliana R., September 2, 2021
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Juliana R., September 2, 2021
Reviewed Aug. 28, 2021

Great place to chill

Heaton Bay is extremely scenic and relaxing. It is an easy bike to Frisco for provisions. Walmart, whole foods, great coffee places.... Then back to a nice natural environment.

Sitec34
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jun. 4, 2021

Weekday camping trip

Stayed at E80, limited shade, though cool views of the white caps! All sites seem dusty, that is true of this one. Walk about 5 minutes through the sites and you reach the water through the D loop. Could only really notice I70 at night but it was not bothersome at all. Bathrooms clean. Firewood sold at site.

SiteE80
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Sydney M., June 4, 2021
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Sydney M., June 4, 2021
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Sydney M., June 4, 2021
Reviewed May. 22, 2021

Great RV Camping

We had a great time with our small RV: really nice campground with friendly host, wonderful landscape directly at the lake, very central but quite, clean toilets and affordable firewood available. We woke up at 6 AM and watched the beautiful sunrise at the lake.

Siteb-loop
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Hendrik S., May 22, 2021
Reviewed Oct. 7, 2020

Beautiful campground

Very beautiful and scenic campground not to far from town. Reservations and checking in was a little confusing, and no showers here but those are the only downsides I could think of. Enough space between campsites to make it feel private. Lots of trails and hiking surrounding the campground as well as a large lake.

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jacob B., October 7, 2020
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Jacob B., October 7, 2020
Reviewed Sep. 8, 2020

Last minute camp spot

Last minute decision to car camp here but worth it. Easy access to lake from camp spot, walked our paddle boards to beach 20 yards from camp site and had great Mountain View’s.

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Meleia O., September 8, 2020
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Meleia O., September 8, 2020
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Meleia O., September 8, 2020
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Sep. 7, 2020

Excellent!

Great place! By the lake... there are some electric and water hookups. Best location on loop E is E78 On loop C, C43 is also great You are secluded but you take your bike and you are 10 minutes to a market place with coffee and food and everything. Picture is from site C 43

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Juan G., September 7, 2020
Reviewed Jul. 25, 2020

Beautiful views

Get the right campsite and you’ll have great access to Heaton Bay. A nice place for being just off I-70. Only negative is you can hear I-70 through the night.

Reviewed Jul. 25, 2020

Perfect!

Campground is on the water, making it perfect to launch and paddle around the lake.

Reviewed Jun. 24, 2020

Beautiful camping spot

We camped at E70 and there was a trail right to the lake. It was beautiful! It was a little noisy from the highway but we were far enough away that it was really white noise.

There were a lot of wasps, so I recommend bringing a wasp catcher for your site.

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Sarah G., June 24, 2020
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Sarah G., June 24, 2020
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Sarah G., June 24, 2020
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 9, 2020

Great, sites are a little small

Great campsite, easy 1hr to get here from Denver. Great for beginner campers, since the town of dillon is a short 10 minute drive incase you forget any essential gear. The campsite we had was pretty small for the two tents we had. But still a beautiful little hike down to the water. Great sunsets. Was awesome renting a pontoon boat for the day!

Month of VisitJuly
  • Play button icon
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Nicolas G., June 9, 2020
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Nicolas G., June 9, 2020
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2019

Highway noise

The reservoir is beautiful but the campsites are right next to I 70 and you can hear the traffic all day and all night. That said, if you’re going, bring your paddleboard or kayak or rent a sailboat. And you can bike along the trail that runs all the way around the reservoir.

Reviewed Jun. 2, 2019

Beautiful views

Breathtaking views. Nice campsites with easy access. Clean. Close to the interstate so there is a slight background noise. Only drawback is signage at the entrance. Its easy to miss because the sign is back parallel to the road not perpendicular so you can see it easily. No dump station but one is nearby. Otherwise a great place. I’ll come back again.

Reviewed May. 17, 2019

Great Local Campground

Very close to home. Lake Dillon Res is cold water. Always, even in July and August. Were at about 9000 feet, weather can change rapidly, and forecasters can be wrong. Be prepared for all 4 seasons. It can snow in July. No lie.

Update on getting in water, it is open seasonally. When allowed, you can try to swim and get into the lake. Very short season that this is available.

The ski resorts listed are NOT open year round. There is "shoulder" or "mud" season as we call it, where the resorts close, the restaurants close, shops, everything on the mountain stops. Towns still are fully open. But not the base of the ski resorts.

Only Reservoir in lower 48 with Arctic Char. Also have Kokanee Salmon. In addition to many species of trout. Lake, Rainbow, and Brown.

Lots of space in campground. Our usual spot has trees still and cover. Helps when it gets windy. Access to lake is great. Clean and up kept. It can be beautiful but chilly for most folks. Can even shore up boats in certain camp sites.

Lake is extremely low this season (2019) and camp will be further away from any water access.

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Thomas B., May 17, 2019
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Thomas B., May 17, 2019
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Thomas B., May 17, 2019
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Oct. 13, 2018

Chilly, Beautiful, Empty in Early October

The campground was more or less deserted when I was there. It was also very cold and windy but incredibly beautiful. With easy access to area attractions, I chose to stay here because there is was just off my route between Grand Junction and Denver. There are several areas that are specifically for tents although it didn't look as if all of the tent sites had great spots to actually pitch a tent. It's also a deceptively large campground and I drove around for quite a while before finding a good site.

Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Kelsey M., October 13, 2018
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Kelsey M., October 13, 2018
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Kelsey M., October 13, 2018
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jul. 29, 2018

Good and Bad

Pros: This campground has direct access to Dillon Reservoir which is great! Several of the campsites back to inlets of the reservoir and people were dropping in their kayaks, paddle boards, etc. The reservoir is no body contact, so there is no swimming allowed. We were able to follow deer trails throughout the grounds to access the water and do some fishing. It is easily accessible from the highway and right outside Frisco, so if you forget anything or need Starbucks it is just minutes away.

Cons: It is just minutes from Frisco, and I70 which makes it a noisy campground all day and night from vehicle noise. The sites are over used so they are extremely dusty. Plan on leaving covered in dirt head to toe especially if you have a tent. There are no tent pads so there is flexibilty on the size of tents. Our 10'x16' tent fit no problem. The sites on the inside of the loop are backed up very closely to each other. Our neighbors tent ended up about 15 ft from ours.

Site E64: Too close to neighbors to the back. Descent space between side to side neighbors. No shade over fire ring/picnic table area. There is shade around to set up chairs or tent in a shady spot. The bathrooms are pretty far away if you take the road, there was a deer trail between the sites behind leading straight to the bathroom if you feel inclined. You park up higher and have to descend 4 steps to enter the site.

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Abby O., July 29, 2018
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Abby O., July 29, 2018
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Abby O., July 29, 2018
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2018

Peaceful and Private

Heaton Bay is our favorite spot in Summit County! There are lots of walk up sites that open up in the mornings for last minute camping, and every site we’ve stayed in is close to the water and secluded from other campers. Lots of trees for shade and lots of space in each site. We go several times each summer.

Reviewed Jun. 16, 2018

Beautiful spot!

Easy to access and they have a TON of spots. Close to the lake and town.

Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Halee E., June 16, 2018
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Halee E., June 16, 2018
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Halee E., June 16, 2018
Reviewed Jun. 11, 2018

360 view right on the lake!

  • 14 day/night stay max.
  • $24 a night for tent or RV camping (there are way more hook-up sites over tent sites. Loop D is one of the two options for tent camping and I highly recommend any of the sites in that loop.)

Bring your fishing pole, SUP, kayak, or hammock to hang out by the lake. This is my favorite campground in Colorado for the accessibility to the lake and town nearby.

SiteD50
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Mackenzie B., June 11, 2018
Reviewed Aug. 29, 2016

Stunning lake views

Campground right on Lake Dillon with stunning views. Nice paths that allow you to walk right down to the river. The campground hosts were also super friendly and helpful

  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Beth W., August 29, 2016
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Beth W., August 29, 2016
  • Review photo of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground by Beth W., August 29, 2016
  • (4) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground have RV hookups?

    According to TheDyrt.com, White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground has 50 amp electric hookups and water hookups.

  • What is the elevation of White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground?

    White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground is located at 9103 feet.

  • What is the max vehicle length at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground?

    White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground allows vehicles up to 99 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Is there cell phone reception at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is good, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is good.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground?

    There are 87 campsites at White River National Forest Heaton Bay Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts