Little Mattie Campground

Show on map(970) 927-0107help.whiteriver.sopris@americanll.com
Aspen Sopris Ranger District PO Box 309
Carbondale, CO 81623

Overview

Located approximately 14 miles eat of Basalt, CO, in the White River National Forest, Little Mattie Campground is situated on the Ruedi Reservoir at an elevation of 7800 feet. Sites are open to the starry nighttime skies and access to the lake and trails. It sits amid a mixed conifer forest and offers an ideal setting for guest seeking recreation and relaxation.

Little Mattie has 19 standard sites suitable for tents, trailers and RVs. There is a maximum length of 30 feet for RVs & trailers. The sites are equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings and bear boxes (food storage lockers). Guests also have access to vault toilets and drinking water, but electrical hook-ups are not available.

Recreation

Renown for its fly fishing, Frying pan River flows below Ruedi Dam. Here, large rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout are plentiful in an area nicknamed the “toilet bowl.” The fish feed on Mysis shrimp, a small freshwater shrimp stocked in the lake. The stretch of rive from below the dam down to the confluence of Frying Pan and the Roaring Fork River has been designated as Gold Medal Waters by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Special regulations in this area include fishing only with artificial flies and lures, and releasing all trout except brown trout, with a limit of two fish over 14 inches. For hikers and bikers, the Ruedi Trail, located north of the reservoir, climbs to the top of Red Mountain. The trailhead is located 200 feet north of the Jeep trail near the boat ramp and parking lot. This eight mile trail gains over 3,000 feet in elevation, leading hikers to a spectacular panoramic view of the area. Boating, swimming, and water skiing are all possible. Interpretive programs are popular activities.

Facilities

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564.

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.

Camp site features

Across 18 camp sites:

  • Fire pit: all 18 sites
  • Pets allowed: all 18 sites
  • Longest RV: 30 ft
  • Largest party: 10 people

Directions

Take I-70 west of Denver to Glenwood Springs Exit 116, Highway 82 to Basalt. At Basalt, take Frying Pan Road 15 miles to the Ruedi Complex Entrance.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 11 AM.

Reviews

73 reviews
5 stars
46
4 stars
16
3 stars
8
2 stars
2
1 stars
1
Surya L
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Very cozy campsite and clean bathrooms
Brenda C
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Would camp here again! Very clean sites and bathrooms. Bear boxes and dumpsters were provided. Camp staff were friendly. No t-mobile phone service.
Lauren B
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
well ran dry years ago, so there is no running water available no flat spot to pitch our tent, so ended up sleeping at an incline
Trent S
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Amazing private campground that backs up to the woods. deer and fox wildlife encounters were had extremely up close that made for a unforgettable experience.
Amy H
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
The campground host was welcoming and kept a clean, quiet and comfortable place. The sites were beautiful and the roads good. We had a large group across many sites and it worked out well
Matthew W
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Bathrooms were very nice. One night some partiers were whooping it up close by, not part of the campground, but part of the recreation area, which went in for a while. It would have been nice if someone from the management had them leave.
Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve

Season dates

Peak season

May 13, 2027 – Oct 29, 2027

Reservable online

Peak season

May 13, 2028 – Oct 29, 2028

Reservable online

Camp Sites

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