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Horse Thief
FSU.S. Forest Service — White River National Forest
| Agency | FSU.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Area | White River National Forest |
| Location | White River National Forest |
| Sites | 7 public sites counted from the federal listing — 7 equestrian nonelectric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 0 of 7 sites Water hookups at 0 of 7 sites Sewer hookups at 0 of 7 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 0 of 7 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Longest reported site fits 55 ft Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 7 sites · 30 ft: 7 sites · 35 ft: 7 sites · 40 ft: 7 sites |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Not reported — the federal listing carries no fee description for this campground. |
| Check-in / out | In — · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Pets | Allowed at 7 sites, as reported |
| Phone | 970-878-4039 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-07-23.
From the official listing
Overview The Horse Thief Campground, located at Trappers Lake in the White River National Forest, offers a natural setting for stock users adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness. The campsites are set aside for stock users only, with corrals, long spurs for large trailers, and an RV Dump just up the road. The Flat Tops Wilderness area provides miles of riding within this historic wilderness area. Trappers Lake is in the wilderness, so motorized, mechanized, and any kind of wheeled cart is prohibited; this goes for bikes and game carts on the trails as well.
Recreation Trappers Lake is known as the Cradle of Wilderness. At approximately 302 surface acres, the lake contains a strain of native cutthroat trout and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife operates a spawn collection station at the Cabin Creek inlet during May and June. Trappers Lake lies completely within the Flat Tops Wilderness; motorized boats and wheeled carts for boat transport are prohibited.
Facilities Horse Thief Campground (Elevation 9,700ft) has 7 single first-come first-serve sites with corrals . There are long spurs to accommodate large trailers (max length 60ft). The campground is equipped with picnic tables, fire grates, vault toilets, trash disposal, bear boxes, and potable water. Limited shade is available so shade shelters are recommended. An RV dump station within the TL Campground complex. Electrical hook-ups are not available.
Natural Features The Horse Thief Campground at Trappers Lake is located adjacent to the Flat Tops Wilderness, offering a natural environment with many pothole lakes, surrounding glacier carved mountains, and access to trails and wilderness areas. Wildlife frequent the area and moose, elk, deer, marmots, pine marten, and an abundance of birds may be seen.
Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564. Nearby Attractions Fishing Access: Trappers Lake, Little Trappers Lake, Wall Lake, Fraser Creek, Lake of the Woods
Trail Access: Little Trappers Trail #1814, Carhart Trail #1815, Trappers Lake Trail #1816, Wall Lake
Trail #1818, Island Lakes Trail #1842, Chinese Wall Trail #1803, Deer Lake Trail #2021, South Derby
Trail #1857, Himes Peak Trail #1877
Charges & Cancellations Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
Directions, from the listing
From Meeker, take Colorado Highway 13 east for 1 mile, then turn right on Rio Blanco County Road 8 and follow this for 39 miles to Trappers Lake Road #205. Turn south on Trappers Lake Road #205, and continue for 10 miles turn right at the bridge near Trappers Lake Lodge. Horse Thief Campground is approximately 1 mile further on the right.
Trip Card — Horse Thief
White River National Forest
| Agency | FS · U.S. Forest Service |
|---|---|
| Location | White River National Forest |
| Fees | Not reported in the federal data |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | None reported |
| Max RV | Up to 55 ft |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 7 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10352163 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.