4.1136 reviewsPrice
$20 - $40/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
43 campsites
Season
Mid-June - Early-Mid...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$20 - $40/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
43 campsites
Season
Mid-June - Early-Mid...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →Bear Lake Campground
Forest Service Road 900, 11 miles outside Yampa, CO
Fall campers chasing the elk rut or aspen color have the best case here. Temps in the 40s-50s, thinner crowds, and trails into the Flat Tops Wilderness from trailheads like Mandall Creek make early October the sweet spot. Brook and rainbow trout in Bear Lake sweeten the deal.
Summer visits without serious bug gear are miserable. Reviewers describe mosquitoes in clouds thick enough to ruin an evening outside. Trailers over 30 feet will also struggle on the washboarded Forest Road 900 approach.
Reference information about Bear Lake Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>The Bear Lake Campground is located 11 miles outside of Yampa, Colorado on Forest Service Road 900. The campground opens annually June 15th (varies with weather). You can find the typical range of outdoor recreation, from fishing and boating, to great hiking and also popular for big game hunting during the fall.</p><p>There are 43 campsites (3 double-site and 1 triple-site), vault toilets, potable water, and trash services. The sites are surrounded with a mixed conifer and aspen stand. Though Bear Lake is located outside the campground, the campsites do not offer lake views and only a few have views of the Flat Tops. </p><p>(This campground can accomodate trailers up to 30 feet in length. (For those with longer trailers, we recommend the designated camp sites outside the campground which can accomodate trailers up to 40 feet.)</p><p>Dogs must remain on a leash at all times in the campground. </p><p><strong><i>Campers should come prepared with a variety of different insect repellants as the mosquitos are exceptionall thick this year.</i></strong></p><p><em>If the campground is full, there are many other camping opportunities outside of the campground along Forest Service Road 900 which leads to the campground. These are designated dispersed sites that cost $10 per night and all offer a picnic table and firegrate.</em> <br /><br /><strong>Free Day Use Area: </strong><br />The <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=23058">Bear Lake Fishing Pier</a> and <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=23060">Bear Lake Picnic Area</a> are located within a short walk outside of the campground's entrance and are both free of charge for day use only. The lake is popular for trout fishing and can accomodate kayaks, belly boats, canoes and stand up paddle boarding. No camping is allowed at the day use area, however there are plenty of camping opportunities in the immediate area. </p><p>This is a free day use area that accesses some great trout fishing and has a large fishing pier with perfect views of the Flat Tops Wilderness. There are 2 picnic tables and fire grates for picnicking. Bear Lake is popular to wade, shore, fly or spin fish.</p><p><em>Boaters should take pre-caution for their own safety by steering clear of the bridge at the dam on the lake for their own safety as there is a spillway that could make it dangerous for those on the water.</em></p><p>No camping is allowed at the day use area.</p><p>Additionally, those interested in hiking can access <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=34089">Mandall Lakes</a>, <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=34100">Smith Lake</a>, and <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=23070">Stillwater Trailhead</a> nearby within a short drive along Forest Service Road 900. The trailheads are all clearly marked with a sign and can be seen from the road. </p><p><em>For those requiring a boat launch ramp, we recommend Yamcolo Reservoir which is located just below Bear Lake Reservoir and also offers great trout fishing and also allows motorized boats.</em> </p><div class="usa-alert usa-alert--info usa-alert--slim"><div class="usa-alert__body"><p class="usa-alert__text">This site was approved for a fee change - <a class="usa-link" href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbr/fire/?cid=FSEPRD1092198">Click here for more information</a></p></div></div>
The elevation is 9,500 ft. This scenic campground is located adjacent to Bear Lake and between Stillwater and Yamcolo Reservoirs near the Flat Tops Wilderness. It is composed of three overlapping loops in dense trees of Engelmann spruce, Subalpine fir and a few Aspen and Lodgepole, providing excellent privacy between sites. Although Bear Lake is adjacent to the campground, none of the campsites are on the lake. Some of the sites have excellent views of the towering black cliffs that identify the wilderness boundary. Thirty designated dispersed campsites are located along Forest Rd. 900. This is bear country; practice safe food storage technique. Use provided bear-proof food storage box.
Open Memorial Day through October 1 - weather dependent
Bear Lake is 30 acres. The boat ramp at the 175-acre Yamcolo Reservoir is about a mile east of the campground entrance; small power boats are permitted - no wake. Hiking: Mandall Creek Trail #1121 (foot & horse) - 5 miles Accesses the Flat Tops Wilderness Fishing: Brook and Rainbow trout
Bear Lake is 30 acres. The boat ramp at the 175-acre Yamcolo Reservoir is about a mile east of the campground entrance; small power boats are permitted - no wake.
The parking aprons are dirt. An RV waste station is available for a fee at KOA campground in Steamboat Springs, CO - west of downtown on US Rt. 40.
In Yampa, CO, take County Rd. 7 west 6.6 miles to Forest Rd. 900 (gravel). Continue straight on Rd. 900 for 7.3 miles to campground sign. Turn left at sign into campground.
Compare with similar sites, watch availability, and build a packing list — Camp Sage handles all of it.
Early fall delivers brilliant aspen color and quieter trails. Daytime highs sit in the 45-60°F range, with nights dropping into the 20s and 30s. The elk rut peaks during this window. Crowds thin after summer, though early freezes are possible after sunset. Summer brings cooler temperatures at this elevation but also heavy mosquito populations that make quality insect repellent mandatory.
Early fall delivers brilliant aspen color, quieter trails and the elk rut—peak seasonal appeal.
Bear Lake Campground offers a range of amenities including 43 campsites surrounded by mixed conifer and aspen trees. All sites include a picnic table, tent pad(s), and a fire grate. There are vault toilets, potable water, and trash services. The campground does not offer flush toilets or shower facilities. It can accommodate trailers up to 30 feet in length. Campers are reminded that dogs must be kept on a leash at all times, and to use insect repellents as mosquitoes are particularly thick in the area.
Researching this campground? Ask anything — other campers and our team will weigh in. No visit required.
Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.
Rate Bear Lake Campground
Been here? Tap a star to start. Takes about a minute.
Sign-in required only if you want your name on it.
Be the first to review this campground
Every adventure creates another. Share what you learned so the next camper feels a little more prepared heading out.
