U.S. Forest Service · White River National Forest · Silverthorne, CO

Cow Creek North

Cow Creek North Campground is on the northeast shores of Green Mountain Reservoir in White River National Forest, offering an ideal setting for visitors seeking a multitude of recreational activities both on water and land. All motorized watercraft must be inspected for Aquatic Nuisance Species and must launch from a monitored launch ramp. The Heeney Marina below the Town of Heeney on the west shore is open during daylight hours throughout the season.

Reservable · Recreation.gov12 sitesPets okFires ok

More like this: reservable in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado · group sites in Colorado

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Cow Creek NorthA photo of Site 006 of Loop Cow Creek North at Cow Creek North (CO) with Picnic Table, Fire Pit, Food Storage, Tent Pad, WaterfrontCow Creek NorthCow Creek North
Photos courtesy of CLM Staff, Victoria Patterson · Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Willow · 46 mi away · 7,359 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Group sites5
Host/management7
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Amenities & rules

PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Cow Creek North Campground has 5 group sites suitable for tents, trailers and RVs. Vault toilets are provided. The landscape around the lake is open with very few trees and miles of mountain views. Each group site has 2 picnic tables and a fire ring.

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

Season & status

ForestWhite River National Forest
RulesBoat inspections are required to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS).

White River National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cow Creek North10°20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.13 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.06 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.21 inches of precipitationApril: 1.95 inches of precipitationMay: 1.66 inches of precipitationJune: 1.06 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.57 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.63 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.46 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.40 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.05 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.28 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 15.7°F averageFebruary: 19.6°F averageMarch: 28.5°F averageApril: 37.3°F averageMay: 46.4°F averageJune: 56.5°F averageJuly: 61.6°F averageAugust: 59.4°F averageSeptember: 52.1°F averageOctober: 40.7°F averageNovember: 27.9°F averageDecember: 17.5°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Green Mt Dam, 2 miles from the campground at 7,740 feet, station USC00053592 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 16 inches a year.

Getting there

Directions from Silverthorne Colorado. Take Blue River Pkwy ( CO-9 N ) for 23 miles, the Campground will be on your left. Directions from Kremmling Colorado. Take CO-9 S for 14.9 miles, the Campground will be on your left

Nearest townSilverthorne, Colorado
Coordinates39.8835° N, 106.2877° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    46 mi from the campground · 7,359 acres · 92% contained

  • Prescribed
    Harris Park Broadcast Rx

    49 mi from the campground · 390 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearMarmot ↗17.4 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗23 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗59.1 mi

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

Explore

Video

Cow Creek North Campground - Green Mountain Reservoir

Worth a stop

Take some time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park to learn about the diverse landscape and history of the area through interpretive programs and exhibits. In the summer visitors may want to traverse Trail Ridge Road from one side of the park to the other, reaching alpine vistas boasting elevations of more than 12,000 feet.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 3.3 mi
    Eaglesmere Trail
    2.9 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 3.4 mi
    Surprise Trail
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 3.5 mi
    Cataract Lake Loop
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 4.1 mi
    Guthrie Gulch
    1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
  • 4.2 mi
    Shane Gulch
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

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 →

White River National Forest begins about 4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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 →

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 eight wilderness areas, four defined seasons and ten peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. The White River National Forest was established in 1891 as the White River Plateau Timber Reserve; the second such reserve to be named in the United States. In 1905, the newly formed Forest Service was given authority of the reserve. Long before this designation, the area was home to the Ute Indians who followed herds of elk and bison on their seasonal migrations. 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.

Recreation

Encompassing a landscape of rivers, mountains, trails and forest roads, the White River National Forest is one of the top recreation forests in the nation. Located on the shores of Green Mountain reservoir, Cow Creek Campground is a popular spot for boating, canoeing, fishing, water skiing and windsurfing. Anglers will find populations of rainbow and brown trout, as well as kokanee salmon when casting their lines out into the water. Spring Creek is a popular off-roading area located at the northern end of the Gore Mountain Range. A network of roads open to off-road vehicle use meanders through lodgepole pine and spruce/fir forests. Viewpoints of surrounding mountains open up along these roads.

Guidebooks for Colorado

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

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

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Cow Creek North?

Sites at Cow Creek North are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Cow Creek North?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 11:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Cow Creek North have?

12 sites, including 5 group sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Cow Creek North?

Yes, pets are allowed at Cow Creek North. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Cow Creek North?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 2 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Boat inspections are required to prevent the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS).

Source: Fire nearby

Is there cell service at Cow Creek North?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Cow Creek North?

Encompassing a landscape of rivers, mountains, trails and forest roads, the White River National Forest is one of the top recreation forests in the nation. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Cow Creek North?

Silverthorne, Colorado. Take some time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park to learn about the diverse landscape and history of the area through interpretive programs and exhibits.

Source: Getting there

What if Cow Creek North is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Cow Creek South (0.6 mi), Willows Campground (1.2 mi), and Elliott Creek Campground (2.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby