Little Mattie Campground

Little Mattie
Little Mattie View
Little Mattie Site 1 View

Featured amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table

Sites & Rates

Average nightly rates

18 total sites

RV Sites

17 sites

Tent Sites

1 site

About Little Mattie Campground

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.

Number of accommodations: 18

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Boating

Boating

Spring Summer Fall
Fishing

Fishing

Year-round
Hiking

Hiking

Year-round
Swimming

Swimming

Summer

Seasonal information

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - May 13 to Sep 29

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • Campfire Ring
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

18 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 001 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 002 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 003 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 004 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 005 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 006 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 007 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 008 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 009 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 010 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 011 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 012 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 013 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 015 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 016 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
017 Tent
10 guests · Campfire · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 019 RV
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 020 RV
No Hookups
Price not available

Reviews (114)

What Guests Are Saying

Little Mattie Campground offers a peaceful retreat with well-maintained facilities and a friendly camp host, Jeff, who is attentive and helpful. The campground features clean bathrooms and spacious, private sites, making it a favorite among local campers. While there is no running water on-site, nearby campgrounds provide easy access to water, and guests appreciate the beautiful surroundings and wildlife.

Review Summary

4.4
114 reviews
5
61.4%
70
4
24.6%
28
3
11.4%
13
2
0.9%
1
1
1.8%
2

Chris G

Verified

May 25, 2025 Stayed at: 017

5

Beautiful and peaceful spot with very clean facilities. Jeff, the camp site host, was very friendly and helpful.

Chris G

Verified

May 25, 2025 Stayed at: 017

5

Beautiful and peaceful spot with very clean facilities. Jeff, the camp site host, was very friendly and helpful.

Jerry R

Verified

October 10, 2024 Stayed at: 004

1

The Little Mattie campground host was unavailable for hours when we saw that someone was in our reserved, paid space. She repeatedly radioed another host that she'd meet us in "15 minutes", but it was 2 hours of back and forth before she actually made it. Then, after stalling for hours longer, she refused to do anything about it, despite all campgrounds being full. (The following day, she informed us that she demanded additional payment from the person who had stayed in the space, even though we had also paid for it. Where did that extra payment go, I wonder?) She was unapologetic, and told us we'd have to park in a picnic spot to camp.

Just for additional information about the group of campsites here, we ended up in the boat campground, where the spots are right next to each other with no privacy whatsoever. The loose dogs and noise rules are completely ignored. We're dog lovers, but I highly recommend not bringing a reactive dog (or staying in this area at all, for that matter). The last night of our stay, we returned from fishing and found a Colorado truck with the license plate TOOLBOX in our spot. This person was absolutely vile, refused to leave, and stole our firewood, duffle bag, and food that we had stored in the bear box. Again, the host refused to get involved, despite knowing we had our parking permit for that site, and forced us to leave. There's no cell service here, so we couldn't call the sheriff. We asked the host to, and they said they would call their security. No one ever showed up.

What's the point of paying in advance and reserving a space a month before our trip when we are not able to use it anyway? We STILL have not been issued a refund for the campsites we were not able to use, over a month later. Terrible, terrible experience here.

Jerry R

Verified

October 10, 2024 Stayed at: 004

1

The Little Mattie campground host was unavailable for hours when we saw that someone was in our reserved, paid space. She repeatedly radioed another host that she'd meet us in "15 minutes", but it was 2 hours of back and forth before she actually made it. Then, after stalling for hours longer, she refused to do anything about it, despite all campgrounds being full. (The following day, she informed us that she demanded additional payment from the person who had stayed in the space, even though we had also paid for it. Where did that extra payment go, I wonder?) She was unapologetic, and told us we'd have to park in a picnic spot to camp.

Just for additional information about the group of campsites here, we ended up in the boat campground, where the spots are right next to each other with no privacy whatsoever. The loose dogs and noise rules are completely ignored. We're dog lovers, but I highly recommend not bringing a reactive dog (or staying in this area at all, for that matter). The last night of our stay, we returned from fishing and found a Colorado truck with the license plate TOOLBOX in our spot. This person was absolutely vile, refused to leave, and stole our firewood, duffle bag, and food that we had stored in the bear box. Again, the host refused to get involved, despite knowing we had our parking permit for that site, and forced us to leave. There's no cell service here, so we couldn't call the sheriff. We asked the host to, and they said they would call their security. No one ever showed up.

What's the point of paying in advance and reserving a space a month before our trip when we are not able to use it anyway? We STILL have not been issued a refund for the campsites we were not able to use, over a month later. Terrible, terrible experience here.

Kharis N

Verified

August 14, 2024 Stayed at: 001

5

I’ve been going to this campground since I was little. I’m 27 now and my husband and I love to take our kids here once or twice a year. The campgrounds are always clean when we arrive and the campground host are always really nice to us. Bathrooms are kept clean! Our favorite activities while camping here are fishing and swimming. The fishing is phenomenal! There is a fly fishing bate shop up the road in Basalt and we love to make a stop there before heading into our camp site. If you head over to the dam there is a road that leads down to a day use area with picnic tables and grills. Another great fishing area!

Kharis N

Verified

August 14, 2024 Stayed at: 001

5

I’ve been going to this campground since I was little. I’m 27 now and my husband and I love to take our kids here once or twice a year. The campgrounds are always clean when we arrive and the campground host are always really nice to us. Bathrooms are kept clean! Our favorite activities while camping here are fishing and swimming. The fishing is phenomenal! There is a fly fishing bate shop up the road in Basalt and we love to make a stop there before heading into our camp site. If you head over to the dam there is a road that leads down to a day use area with picnic tables and grills. Another great fishing area!

Robert P

Verified

July 29, 2024 Stayed at: 004

5

The scenery was outstanding. The campground is not directly off the main road, so there were zero traffic sounds and it was pretty secluded. It was serene and peaceful. We saw deer every morning and other wildlife. The bathrooms were outstanding. We camp often in Texas and the pit toilets are usually pretty disgusting and just something that has to be gotten over...not at this campsite! THE CLEANEST pit toilet bathrooms EVER!

Robert P

Verified

July 29, 2024 Stayed at: 004

5

The scenery was outstanding. The campground is not directly off the main road, so there were zero traffic sounds and it was pretty secluded. It was serene and peaceful. We saw deer every morning and other wildlife. The bathrooms were outstanding. We camp often in Texas and the pit toilets are usually pretty disgusting and just something that has to be gotten over...not at this campsite! THE CLEANEST pit toilet bathrooms EVER!

Lori W

Verified

July 26, 2024 Stayed at: 008

5

Beautiful area, restrooms clean, saw deer every day, helpful camp hosts.

Lori W

Verified

July 26, 2024 Stayed at: 008

5

Beautiful area, restrooms clean, saw deer every day, helpful camp hosts.

Location Little Mattie Campground

Address:
Aspen Sopris Ranger District Po Box 309
Carbondale, CO, 81623
United States

Highway access

Little Mattie Campground is accessible via I-70, with the nearest exit at Glenwood Springs (Exit 116). From there, Highway 82 leads to Basalt, and Frying Pan Road provides access to the campground.

Elevation: 2390 feet

Distance to downtown

27 mi drive to downtown Carbondale (about 47 min)

Policies & Rules

Arrival & departure

Check in time

2PM

Check out time

11AM

  • Reserved sites must be occupied by 11 AM the day after arrival or the reservation will be forfeited.
  • Campers must occupy their reserved site on the first night to ensure proper usage.
  • Campers may leave the site for 24 hours but must occupy it at all other times.
  • Check-out time is 11:00 AM; please vacate the site promptly to allow for preparation for incoming guests.
  • Customer service contact information is provided for assistance.

Site capacity

  • Limit of one RV with tow or one vehicle per tent site, with an option for one extra vehicle at an additional fee.

Fires & fuel

  • Fire restrictions may be imposed at any time due to weather conditions, prohibiting campfires and charcoal fires.

Wildlife & food storage

  • Obtain firewood locally and burn it on-site to prevent the spread of harmful organisms.

Fees & deposits

  • Senior passes must be applied during booking for discounts on single sites.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: September 9, 2026

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Managed by USDA Forest Service