U.S. Forest Service · Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG · Colorado

Bear Lake Campground

The Bear Lake Campground is located 11 miles outside of Yampa, Colorado on Forest Service Road 900. The campground opens annually June 15th (varies with weather). You can find the typical range of outdoor recreation, from fishing and boating, to great hiking and also popular for big game hunting during the fall. There are 43 campsites (3 double-site and 1 triple-site), vault toilets, potable water, and trash services. The sites are surrounded with a mixed conifer and aspen stand.

Closed for the seasonFirst-come, first-served43 sitesFrom $20 per nightTents only

More like this: first-come in Colorado · tent only in Colorado

Bear Lake Campground
Photo from the area. RoseStang (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
Fees$20/single site, $30/double site, $40/triple site per day Must pay with exact cash or check as credit cards are not accepted.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMid-June to Early-Mid October (Weather dependent)
ForestMedicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG
BookingNo reservations.
Fees$20/single site, $30/double site, $40/triple site per day Must pay with exact cash or check as credit cards are not accepted.
RulesThis campground can accomodate trailers up to 30 feet in length. (Designated sites outside the campground can accomodate trailers up to 40 feet. No camping is allowed at the day use area. Boaters should take pre-caution by steering clear of the bridge located on the lake for their own safety as there is a spillway that can make it dangerous to those on the water. Max Trailer length 25 feet.

Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Bear Lake Campground10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.37 inches of precipitation, 26.1 inches of snowFebruary: 1.29 inches of precipitation, 21.3 inches of snowMarch: 1.32 inches of precipitation, 16.8 inches of snowApril: 1.82 inches of precipitation, 15.5 inches of snowMay: 1.62 inches of precipitation, 4.7 inches of snowJune: 1.11 inches of precipitation, 0.5 inches of snowJuly: 1.62 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.59 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 1.48 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowOctober: 1.26 inches of precipitation, 6.9 inches of snowNovember: 1.19 inches of precipitation, 17.4 inches of snowDecember: 1.27 inches of precipitation, 21.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 19.4°F averageFebruary: 21.5°F averageMarch: 30.0°F averageApril: 38.1°F averageMay: 47.4°F averageJune: 56.7°F averageJuly: 63.0°F averageAugust: 61.3°F averageSeptember: 53.8°F averageOctober: 41.9°F averageNovember: 29.6°F averageDecember: 20.0°F average0 in10 in20 in30 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Yampa, 12 miles from the campground at 7,857 feet, station USC00059265 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 17 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 131 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates40.0465° N, 107.0743° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗19.9 mi
Outdoor gearGearhead Outfitters ↗36.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Bear Lake Campground - Site Guide & Review - Blackwater State Forest

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside White River National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Guidebooks for Colorado

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Bear Lake Campground?

No. Bear Lake Campground is first-come, first-served. No reservations. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Bear Lake Campground?

$20/single site, $30/double site, $40/triple site per day Must pay with exact cash or check as credit cards are not accepted.

Source: Forest Service

Is Bear Lake Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 26, 2026. Season Mid-June to Early-Mid October (Weather dependent).

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Bear Lake Campground have?

43 sites.

Source: Forest Service

Can I bring an RV to Bear Lake Campground?

Bear Lake Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Bear Lake Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Horseshoe Campground (2.2 mi, first-come), Cold Springs Campground (2.6 mi, first-come), and Sheriff Reservoir Campground (7.5 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby