Little Mattie Campground
Located approximately 14 miles eat of Basalt, CO, in the White River National Forest, Little Mattie Campground is situated on the Ruedi Reservoir at an elevation of 7800 feet. Sites are open to the starry nighttime skies and access to the lake and trails. It sits amid a mixed conifer forest and offers an ideal setting for guest seeking recreation and relaxation. Little Mattie has 19 standard sites suitable for tents, trailers and RVs. There is a maximum length of 30 feet for RVs & trailers. The sites are equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings and bear boxes (food storage lockers). Guests also have access to vault toilets and drinking water, but electrical hook-ups are not available.
More like this: reservable in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 18 |
| Host/management | 1 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
18 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | People / vehicles | Fires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 002 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 003 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 004 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 005 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 006 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 007 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 008 | Pull-through | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 009 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
| 010 | Back-in | 30 | Gravel | 10 / 1 | Yes | Standard |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 30 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Forest | White River National Forest |
| Rules | Access is limited to fourteen days. Maximum length of 30 feet for RVs & trailers |
Weather by month
Getting there
Take I-70 west of Denver to Glenwood Springs Exit 116, Highway 82 to Basalt. At Basalt, take Frying Pan Road 15 miles to the Ruedi Complex Entrance.
| Nearest town | Carbondale, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 39.3767° N, 106.8075° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- WildfireWillow
22 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Ute Mountaineer ↗ | 13 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 21.9 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Little Mattie Campground - Ruedi Reservoir
Worth a stop
- 0.4 miRuedi Marina Boat Ramp ↗Boat launch
- 6.1 mi
- 11.1 miYeoman Park Discovery Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.5 miRuedi Overlook ↗6.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 1.4 miRocky Fork ↗10.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 3.2 miRed Canyon2.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.6 miRed Creek ↗7.5 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 3.9 miMiller ↗6.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
- 4.4 miArbaney-Kittle ↗14 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 1 more
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.5 miRuedi Overlook #1912 ↗White River National Forest
- 1.5 miRocky Fork TH #1931 ↗White River National Forest
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
This campground sits inside White River National Forest.
- inWhite River National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,482,711 acres
- 8.4 miHunter-Fryingpan Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 82,496 acres
- 8.7 miHoly Cross Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 122,453 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
- Upper Brush Creek SchoolBuilding · Eagle · 11.6 mi
- Maroon Creek BridgeStructure · Aspen · 12.6 mi
- Newberry HouseBuilding · Aspen · 12.6 mi
Recreation
Renown for its fly fishing, Frying pan River flows below Ruedi Dam. Here, large rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout are plentiful in an area nicknamed the “toilet bowl.” The fish feed on Mysis shrimp, a small freshwater shrimp stocked in the lake. The stretch of rive from below the dam down to the confluence of Frying Pan and the Roaring Fork River has been designated as Gold Medal Waters by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Special regulations in this area include fishing only with artificial flies and lures, and releasing all trout except brown trout, with a limit of two fish over 14 inches. For hikers and bikers, the Ruedi Trail, located north of the reservoir, climbs to the top of Red Mountain. The trailhead is located 200 feet north of the Jeep trail near the boat ramp and parking lot. This eight mile trail gains over 3,000 feet in elevation, leading hikers to a spectacular panoramic view of the area. Boating, swimming, and water skiing are all possible. Interpretive programs are popular activities.
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 Little Mattie Campground?
Sites at Little Mattie Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Little Mattie Campground?
Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Little Mattie Campground have?
19 sites, including 18 standard sites without power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Little Mattie Campground?
The longest site here provides 30 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are pets allowed at Little Mattie Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Little Mattie Campground. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Little Mattie Campground?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Access is limited to fourteen days.
Source: Fire nearby
What is there to do at Little Mattie Campground?
Renown for its fly fishing, Frying pan River flows below Ruedi Dam. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Little Mattie Campground?
Carbondale, Colorado.
Source: Getting there
What if Little Mattie Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Mollie B_White River (0.3 mi), Little Maud Campground (0.3 mi), and Ruedi Marina Campground (0.4 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby