USDA Forest Service · Colorado

Little Mattie Campground

USDA Forest Service · Colorado, United States

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Sites
19
Hookups
18 no hookups
Season
May 13 to October 30
Max RV length
30 ft
Drinking water
Yes
Restrooms
Yes
Pets
Yes
Elevation
7,933 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 1
Cell coverage
T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Access road
LITTLE MATTIE CAMPGROUND (NFSR 511.1D) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
Lake
White River National Forest
Nearest town
Carbondale
Address
Aspen Sopris Ranger District PO Box 309, Carbondale, CO, 81623
Phone
(970) 927-0107
Activities
Boating, Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Paddle Boating, Paddling, Sailboarding

19 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

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.

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January32°12°-11°44°11 of 11
February33°14°-5°48°11 of 11
March41°19°4°55°11 of 11
April49°26°10°59°11 of 11
May56°31°21°68°11 of 11
June74°42°31°84°1 of 11
July80°50°40°88°0 of 11
August77°49°43°85°0 of 11
September71°43°31°81°1 of 11
October57°33°-9°67°8 of 10
November45°15°-13°58°10 of 10
December33°8°-14°50°10 of 10

Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in Colorado · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-03-11. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.