Crosho Lake Recreation Area
NOTE: Crosho Lake stays open until the snow makes it unreachable by vehicle, but is open to snowmobiles during the winter months. Crosho Lake is a popular spot to canoe, kayak, wade, camp and fish for greylings and trout. Non-motorized boats only. This recreation area hosts undeveloped dispersed camping opportunities free of charge. There is one vault toilet, however, no picnic tables, fire grates, or water. Parking for day use is very limited. Access is seasonally generally from early June through September/Early October weather dependent and can only be reached via snowmobile during the winter months.
More like this: first-come in Colorado · free in Colorado · tent only in Colorado
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | Free, no permit required. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Early June (weather permitting) to Late October (weather permitting) |
| Forest | Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG |
| Booking | No reservations. |
| Fees | Free, no permit required. |
| Rules | The road in requires a high clearance vehicle |
Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG recreation page ↗
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 40.1702° N, 107.0543° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 12.9 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Gearhead Outfitters ↗ | 45.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Video of Crosho Lake Recreation Area, CO from Vanessa M.
Worth a stop
- 14.6 miKing Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miAllen Basin1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 4.4 miUte-Heart Lake ↗6.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
- 4.7 miBunker Basin3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.7 miSand Creek ↗9.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 4.7 miBlack Mtn Creek ↗5.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 5 miSawtooth2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.3 miAllen Basin Trailhead ↗Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG
- 2.3 miDunckley Pass Winter Trailhead ↗Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG
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
White River National Forest begins about 7.8 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 7.8 miWhite River National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,482,711 acres
- 8.1 miFlat Tops Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 230,829 acres
- 14.8 miSarvis Creek Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 44,345 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Bell and Canant Mercantile–Crossan's M and A MarketBuilding · Yampa · 7.8 mi
- Antlers Cafe and BarBuilding · Yampa · 7.9 mi
- Bell MercantileBuilding · Oak Creek · 8.9 mi
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 Crosho Lake Recreation Area?
No. Crosho Lake Recreation Area 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 Crosho Lake Recreation Area?
Nothing. Crosho Lake Recreation Area is listed as free. Free, no permit required.
Source: Forest Service
Is Crosho Lake Recreation Area open right now?
Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season Early June (weather permitting) to Late October (weather permitting).
Source: Forest Service status
Can I bring an RV to Crosho Lake Recreation Area?
Crosho Lake Recreation Area is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Crosho Lake Recreation Area is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Chapman Reservoir Campground (2 mi, first-come), Sheriff Reservoir Campground (4.8 mi, first-come), and Bear Lake Campground (8.6 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby