Cold Springs Campground
ABOUT: Cold Springs Campground is located approximately 16.5 miles outside of Yampa, Colorado with views of the Flat Tops Wilderness. This is a small, very popular campground with 5 campsites. The area accesses some great fishing and hiking, with a nearby boat launch at the Yamcolo Reservoir as well as 2 other reservoirs nearby. AMENITIES: 1 vault toilet, potable water, and each campsite has a picnic table and fire grate. No electric or showers. HIKING: This is a prime area as the campground is close to the Stillwater and Smith Lake Trailheads on Forest Service Rd 900. Paper trail guides for hiking as well as other information are available at the Yampa Ranger Station in downtown Yampa.
More like this: first-come in Colorado
Season & status
| Status | Open |
| Season | Mid June (Dependent on snowfall) to Late October (Dependent on snowfall) |
| Forest | Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG |
| Booking | First come, first serve, no reservations accepted. (If the campground fills up, there are several designated sites along Forest Service Road 900 as well as 2 other campgrounds (Bear Lake Campground… |
| Fees | $20 per site. Exact cash or check only as there is no option for change back if paying cash. NO CREDIT CARDS accepted. Payment instructions are found on the kiosk. |
| Rules | Max Trailer length 30 feet Dogs must remain on a leash at all times in the campground. |
Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG recreation page ↗
Weather by month
Getting there
Directions from Yampa: Travel S/SW on County Road 7 for approximately 7 miles to Forest Service Road 900. Proceed on Forest Service Road 900 for approximately 10 miles to Cold Springs Campground on the right side of the road.
| Coordinates | 40.0309° N, 107.1194° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 22.2 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Gearhead Outfitters ↗ | 35 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Best Campsites at Cold Springs Campground, CO
Worth a stop
- 7 mi
- 14.4 miKing Creek Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.3 miSmith Lake0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.3 miEast Fork ↗15.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.4 miNorth Derby2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miBear River3.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.7 miDevils Causeway1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 1.8 miEdge Lake2 mi trail · hiking, horse
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.3 miSmith Lake Trailhead ↗Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG
- 0.3 miStillwater Trailhead ↗Medicine Bow-Routt NFs and Thunder Basin NG
- 2.5 miMandall 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
This campground sits inside Flat Tops Wilderness, which overlaps White River National Forest.
- inFlat Tops Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 230,829 acres
- inWhite River National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 2,482,711 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
- Pyramid Guard StationHistoric district · Yampa · 10.1 mi
- Antlers Cafe and BarBuilding · Yampa · 13.8 mi
- Bell and Canant Mercantile–Crossan's M and A MarketBuilding · Yampa · 13.9 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 Cold Springs Campground?
No. Cold Springs Campground is first-come, first-served. First come, first serve, no reservations accepted. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Cold Springs Campground?
$20 per site. Exact cash or check only as there is no option for change back if paying cash. NO CREDIT CARDS accepted.
Source: Forest Service
Is Cold Springs Campground open right now?
Open as of Oct 16, 2026. Season Mid June (Dependent on snowfall) to Late October (Dependent on snowfall).
Source: Forest Service status
What if Cold Springs Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Horseshoe Campground (0.4 mi, first-come), Bear Lake Campground (2.6 mi, first-come), and Trappers Lake / Horse Thief Campground (6.8 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby