The best camping near Rifle Gap State Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Rifle Gap State Park adventure.

100% (5 reviews)
100% (5 reviews)

Take advantage of 360 surface acres of crystalline reservoir water at this state park.  

Popular ways to camp

Community favorites near Rifle Gap State Park

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Public campgrounds in the park

Stay at a public campground in Rifle Gap State Park

Top-rated campgrounds near Rifle Gap State Park

95%
(28)

Stoneyard Distillery Awesome Possum RV Camping

1 site · RV1 acre · Gypsum, CO
Stoneyard Distillery, producing Beet Sugar Spirits since 2013. Taking its name from the old stoneyard surrounding it. Upstream from the confluence of the Eagle and Colorado Rivers, this site was chosen for it's private water source. Rocky Mountain water pulled directly from the river. The Distillery sits on a 4000 year old lava flow from the Dotsero Volcano. This lava rock provides the vapor refining distillation packing in the still hand built by the owners. With it's scratch built process, Stoneyard distills the true Spirit of Colorado into every last drop. Get Hammered... Responsibly!Learn more about this land:With beautiful Rocky Mountain views, the Distillery sits on a 4000 year old lava flow from the Dotsero Volcano. River access just a short walk away! 10 minutes to Hiking, Mountain Biking, and Eagle River Water Park. 25 minutes to Hot Springs, 35 minutes to World-Class Skiing! 40 Flavorful & Smooth Spirits distilled from Colorado beet sugar and rocky mountain water from the pristine Eagle River Craft Cocktails Production Tours
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$25
 / night
97%
(145)

Ute Lodge - At the End of the Road

11 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents300 acres · Meeker, CO
The Ute Lodge was homesteaded in the 1930’s by Joe Fox who after leaving the military came west to settle in the White River valley. Joe was known for his friendliness, hospitality and wild stories. Today you might find much of the same. From Joe’s day to today it is a place where families come together to get away. The Ute Lodge is now owned by Karl and Mona Maser who celebrated 20 years of ownership summer of 2019! All summer our cabins are filled with guests from all over the US as well as international travelers. One of our favorite things about the summer is our weekly potlucks where we all share an outdoor meal. All of our visitors have a standing invitation to join us around the community campfire at night. From our beautiful private lake (where you can paddle-board, kayak and fish), to immediate access to the Papoose and Crooks Park Trails on National Forest land, as well as the vast variety of wildlife that roams around, you can find what you need here to unplug and get away from it all.
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$25
 / night
90%
(172)

Vail Valley BackCounty Access

6 sites · RVs, Tents6 acres · Eagle, CO
This Gorgeous 6 acre property has DIRECT PRIVATE ACCESS to Hardscrabble Mountain, The Holy Cross Wilderness and The White River National Forest. There are 24,000 acres of BLM public land and also The White River National Forest with over 3,500 square miles, both with thousands of miles of recreation trails for mountain biking, hiking, ATVing, MOTO X Dirtbiking, SidebySide UTVing, backcountry skiing and snowboarding, 4x4 Jeeping/Mudding and snowmobiling. Walk out of your tent, your RV or my cabin and you are in of BLM and The White River National Forest. Plenty of flat, shaded ground with water and electiric available. The biggest shade trees in Eagle County, firepits, and a creek with pond and waterfall with sand beach await. Incredible views of Castle Peak, The Flat tops Wilderness, Red Canyon and Hardscrabble Mountain right from the Property. Vail and Beaver Creek Ski Resorts with the best skiing and powder in the world and Glenwood Springs with the world famous Hot Springs Pool and Glenwood Caverns Amusement Park ( amusement park on top of a mountain) and the Iron Mountain Hot Springs Each 25 minutes away. Aspen is a little over an hour away. Pets are welcome and can be off leash if they can respond to voice controls and owners are responsible for their pets at all times. Dogs love it here! All poop must be picked up, $25 per pet per night. GoPro Mountain Games June 6-9, 2024, Eagle County Rodeo July 24-27, 2024, Eagle is the county seat of Eagle County and is know for the Eagle and Colorado River and the amazing system of biking and hiking trails.
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$63.36
 / night
100%
(2)

Dragonsong Sanctuary Forest Retreat

2 sites · Lodging40 acres · Cedaredge, CO
Dragonsong is home to our family and we are available to provide nourishment and nurturing if that is what you need. Tai Ji, Qi Gong, herbal consultations, Rune Readings, healthy organic homecooked meals (with advanced notice, vegan and gluten free too ), guided journeys to the Mesa or to your inner spaces, and hugs are always available. We also realize that sometimes what you need most is space and silence and that is something Dragonsong has in abundance. This is your journey and we want to support you in whatever way feels best! We're also here to host your joyful gatherings of friends who want to share stories, tasty beverages, and a beautiful fire. (weather and wind permitting) We are 25 minutes from the Grand Mesa and it's breathtaking 500 square miles of wilderness and 300 mountain lakes. Dragonsong Sanctuary sits amidst 40 acres of Juniper and Pinion forest with incredible views of the San Juan and West Elk Mountains. There are trails running through the property for you to explore and all well behaved dogs are welcome. We have a unique and colorful tiny home, several camp sites with a compost potty nearby, paddleboards available for adventures on the Mesa, a 23 ft Star Belle tent, and big open skies perfect for catching meteor showers and basking in the wonder of the Milky Way. We are 10 minutes from the town of Cedaredge, where you will find restaurants, galleries, a beautiful town park with playgrounds and a creek for the kiddos, free live music Friday nights through the summer at the Grand Mesa Arts and Event Center, antique shops, Snow Capped Cider tasting room, SIPS wine bar, and Applefest, our annual fall festival. Stop by the Appleshed, our local indoor art mall and enjoy a wine tasting from Williams Cellars, with Sugar Mama's bakeshop inside providing cafe faire and mouth watering fresh breads. Just add a well stocked local grocery store, golf course, thrift shops and wonderful boutiques, Cedaredge has something for everyone! We are an hour from The Black Canyon, Paonia and Palisade and their incredible wineries and organic farms, an hour and 20 min from Orvis Hot springs in gorgeous Rdigeway,and only 15 more min to Ouray, called the Switzerland of Colorado. National monuments, forests, canyons, hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, ancient culture, petroglyphs, rivers, mountains, incredible fall foliage and kind folks at every turn, there is something for everyone close by! Our mission at Dragonsong Sanctuary is to provide a space of safety, love and belonging while helping people connect deeply to the heart of Nature. We foster kindness, compassion, inclusivity, and believe in celebrating life with mirth and reverence. We welcome groups and retreats in alignment with that vision. We hold all life as sacred and ask that you honor the land and all the creatures who call this forest home. We look forward to sharing this beautiful landscape with you. Bright Blessings and lovelovelove, Kaewyn, Jory, Tirion, Nana Karen and Russ
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$95
 / night
Booked 1 time

River Camp RV Park

25 sites · RVs, Tents13 acres · Meeker, CO
River Camp RV Park is located directly on a beautiful bend of the famed White River near the base of the iconic Flat Tops Wilderness near Meeker, Colorado. The park is nestled in a scenic valley, surrounded by beautiful ranches and mountains. The 13 acre property is well laid out and provides spacious sites that afford great privacy and quiet. Mature trees on the property offer great shade and the grounds are covered with a beautiful lawn. The RV park is well maintained and always clean. There is an abundance of wildlife in the area. Turkeys and deer wander through the park and the bird watching is stellar. Keep your speed at 10 mph upon entry and 5.5 mph once you enter the RV sites. We MUST keep our wildlife and guests safe! The Speed Limit begins at the Park entry gate and all through the park. River Camp RV Park offers 20 well-situated RV sites, each with a level gravel pad. Each site has full hook ups, including water (with great water pressure), sewer, and 30 and 50 amp outlets. Most sites will accommodate a 38' RV and Class A, B, and C Motorhomes. A majority of the sites will also accommodate a 44' RV. In addition to the RV Sites with full hook-ups, we also offer dry camping and can accommodate large groups. We can provide water for our campers that are in the dry camp areas and we have a dump station area for you before you leave. Water is also provided for those that are in their tents or small camper trailers. Please note: we do not have a bathhouse. Porta-potties are near the dry camp area marked 20A-20E. Each site, including dry camp, has a picnic table and fire pit. Firewood is available for purchase. WiFi is also provided. Please keep in mind we are in a rural location and can NOT promise perfection when it comes to the WiFi. There is NO public boat launch for the river. Guests do have access to the river for leisure fishing with fly's and lures only. ATV's and Side-by-Sides; we do not have a trail from the park, however, we do have trailers for rent and we will guide you to get you to the trails with the available trailers. Please see our "Things to Do" page for more information. Camp Managers, James and Amy are onsite at site 13. They are always available to help.
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$35
 / night

The best camping near Rifle Gap State Park guide

Overview

About

Situated at the base of the Grand Hogback ridge in western Colorado, Rifle Gap is popular among water-sports enthusiasts, due to its prime location on the banks of the Rifle Gap Reservoir. Popular activities here include fishing, and waterskiing, and there are multiple picnic areas plus a swim beach right in the park. For those wishing to spend the night, Rifle Gap offers 89 campsites spread across over five campgrounds, some with electric hookups. Other park facilities include a seasonal boat ramp, a visitor center with a gift shop, coin-operated showers, and a dump station.

Notable campgrounds

  • Best for families: Cottonwood Campground offers coin-operated showers and easy-access to the dump station.
  • Best for boaters: Pinyon Campground is conveniently situated right by the park’s boat ramp.
  • Best for off-highway vehicles (OHV): Sage Campground is right by a stretch of BLM land that many use for OHV driving.

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. You can reserve one of the 89 campsites at Rifle Gap by calling Colorado Parks and Wildlife or using their online reservation system.
  2. If you plan to come in the summer, reserve well in advance. Reservations are available up to six months in advance online or over the phone.
  3. Same-day reservations are also available online, over the phone, and in person.
  4. If you can’t find a site in the park, you may have better luck at Rifle Falls State Park nearby or at one of the private campgrounds or  Hipcamps in the area.

When to go

The most popular time of year to visit  Rifle Gap State Park is between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend, when the weather in the area is generally hot. However, this is also the busiest time of year—for good weather with fewer crowds, consider coming in May or September. If you’re a fan of birdwatching, you’ll likely see the largest number of migratory species in spring or autumn. Note that all of the campgrounds, except Lakeview, are open in winter.

Know before you go

  • The closest place to pick up groceries and supplies is the city of Rifle, about a 15-minute drive from the park.
  • All boaters must have their boats inspected for aquatic nuisance species before they will be allowed to launch.
  • Dogs are welcome at the park, but must remain on six-foot leashes and may not be left unattended.
  • ADA sites are available in Cottonwood, Lakeview, and cedar Campgrounds.
  • All visitors will need to purchase and display a single-day or annual parking pass, irrespective of whether they are camping or just coming for the day.
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