Redfeather Ranger Station
The Redfeather Ranger Station has two cabins, and an office with a visitor's center. The Ranger Cabin and the Assistant Ranger Cabin are available for lodging. Guests must provide linens, bedding, pillows, towels and toiletries. The Ranger Station is situated in a ponderosa pine forest at an elevation of 8,200 feet. Afternoon thunderstorms can be expected during spring and summer months. This site is located off the east side of Dowdy Lake Road in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. The Forest Service access road into the station is approximately 1/4 mile north of the intersection of Dowdy Lake Road and West County Road 74E/Red Feather Lakes Road.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins with electric | 2 |
Site guide
2 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Shade | Waterfront | People / vehicles | Fires | Pets | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Feather Ranger Cabin | Partial | Lakefront | 8 / 4 | Yes | No | Prime |
| Red Feather Assistant Ranger Cabin | Partial | Lakefront | 6 / 3 | Yes | No | 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 3:00 PM, checkout 10:00 AM.
Amenities & rules
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
The Redfeather Ranger Station has two cabins and an office with a visitor's center. The cabins include propane grills, picnic tables, a campfire ring, and horseshoe game outside the Ranger Cabin. The Ranger Cabin is a spacious (1,660 square foot), three-room log cabin, that can accommodate six to eight people. It has eight twin beds. The fully-equipped kitchen includes two stoves, two refrigerators, microwave, toaster, coffee pot, pots, pans, dishes and utensils. The dining room has seating for eight. An indoor bathroom is available. The Assistant Ranger Cabin is a two-bedroom log cabin that can accommodate four to six people. There is a small fully-equipped kitchen with a small table and an indoor bathroom. There is a log bed frame with a queen size bed in one bedroom and two twin beds in the second bedroom.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
The Redfeather Ranger Cabin is located off the west side of Dowdy Lake Road in the unincorporated town of Red Feather Lakes in Larimer County, Colorado and about 46 miles northwest of Fort Collins, CO.
| Nearest town | Red Feather Lakes, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 40.7931° N, 105.5709° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- A fireplace is located in the living room; firwood is not provided.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMagic Feather Broadcast Rx
4 mi from the campground
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Kirks Mountain Adventures ↗ | 28.9 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 30.8 mi |
| RV sales & service | Colorado Mountain RV ↗ | 37 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Worth a stop
The small village of Red Feather Lakes is nearby, offering limited dining options, gift shops, general stores, a library, post office and a golf course.
- 0.2 miWest Lake Day Use Area ↗Day use
- 0.2 mi
- 4.1 miCreedmore Lake Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 6.7 miIndian Meadows Fishing Site ↗Fishing site
- 9.4 miMt. Mcconnel Trailhead Day Pass ↗Trailhead
- 11.1 miJacks Gulch Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miTrail Between the Pines ↗0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 0.9 miFrog Pond2.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miEast Dowdy Lake1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.2 miMount Margaret Connector0.07 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.3 miMount Margret Stock Bypass0.07 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.6 miFrog Pond West Loop0.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- 2 miLady Moon Trailhead (#985) ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- 2 miMount Margaret Trailhead (#167) ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- 2.7 miMolly Lake Trailhead: Granite Ridge (#991) ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee 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
Cache La Poudre Wilderness begins about 9 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 9 miCache La Poudre Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 9,482 acres
- 9.4 miComanche Peak Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 68,025 acres
- 14.4 miRawah Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 74,408 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
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Arrowhead LodgeHistoric district · Bellvue · 7.1 mi
Natural features
The Ranger Station is located in a small meadow between West Lake and Dowdy Lake and ten miles north of the Poudre River. Bald Mountain is located to the southwest and Deadman Mountain is located to the west.
Recreation
Canoeing, paddle boarding and fishing are popular activities on the 115-acre, Dowdy Lake nearby and 25-acre, West Lake. Motorized boats are allowed on the lakes, but a 10 mph speed limit is enforced with no wake. Anglers cast for brown, brook, cutthroat and lake trout. Several additional lakes are in the vicinity. Many hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are nearby, including the Mount Margaret Trail, Lady Moon Trail, Elkhorn, Dowdy Lake Trail and others. Several off-road vehicle trails are located within five miles of the cabins. Other popular activities include viewing wildlife and visiting the Redfeather Visitor Center. The Poudre River is located 10 miles to the south (about a 30-minute drive) and offers whitewater rafting and kayaking, fishing, hiking trails, and other recreation opportunities.
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 Redfeather Ranger Station?
Sites at Redfeather Ranger Station are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Redfeather Ranger Station?
Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 10:00 AM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Redfeather Ranger Station have?
2 sites, including 2 cabins with power.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Redfeather Ranger Station?
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.
Source: Fire nearby
Is there cell service at Redfeather Ranger Station?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 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 Redfeather Ranger Station?
Canoeing, paddle boarding and fishing are popular activities on the 115-acre, Dowdy Lake nearby and 25-acre, West Lake. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Redfeather Ranger Station?
Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. The small village of Red Feather Lakes is nearby, offering limited dining options, gift shops, general stores, a library, post office and a golf course.
Source: Getting there
What if Redfeather Ranger Station is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are West Lake (0.3 mi), Dowdy Lake (0.4 mi), and Bellaire Lake Campground (2.9 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby