Hinman Campground (Co)

Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG — lakeside, hiking

Location: Steamboat Springs, CO, CO

Price: From $14 per night

Rating: 3.6 out of 5 (5 reviews)

Season: May through October

Hinman Campground is a gateway to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness along the Elk River Corridor with plenty of opportunities for hiking, hunting, biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, river rafting and more. There are 12 campsites, 6 of which may be reserved. Remaining sites are first-come, first-served.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/hinman-campground-co to be notified when sites open up.

Gateway to Mount Zirkel Wilderness with excellent opportunities for hiking, biking, hunting, and fishing along the Elk River Corridor. A secluded, less-crowded alternative to nearby Seedhouse Campground with well-spaced sites.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, weasels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, Canada jays, Steller's jays, red-naped sapsuckers, and wandering garter snakes present in the area.

Insider tips for Hinman Campground (Co): 6 of 12 sites are reservable; book early as it's a federal campground Remaining 6 sites are first-come, first-served Located at 7,700 feet elevation in the Park Range of Routt National Forest Access via Routt County Road 129 (Elk River Road), 17 miles north from downtown Steamboat Springs

Skip Hinman Campground (Co) if: You need hookups — no hookups available. You require shade — reviewers note limited tree cover. You need modern facilities — pit toilets and aging picnic tables reported.

Best time to visit Hinman Campground (Co): May-October — Official operating season for the campground.

Nearby campgrounds: Seedhouse Campground (STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO), Seedhouse Guard Station (STEAMBOAT SPRINGS , CO), Seedhouse Group Site - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co) (STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO), Hahns Peak Lake Campground - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co) (COLORADO, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Hinman Campground (Co)

Cell signal at Hinman Campground (Co) (Steamboat Springs, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CO›Hinman Campground (Co)
Hinman Campground (Co) — photo 1
Hinman Campground (Co) — photo 2
Hinman Campground (Co) — photo 3
Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Hinman Campground (Co)

Share:
Steamboat Springs, CO, CO★ 3.6 (5 reviews)From $14/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Hinman Campground is a gateway to the Mount Zirkel Wilderness along the Elk River Corridor with plenty of opportunities for hiking, hunting, biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, river rafting and more. There are 12 campsites, 6 of which may be reserved. Remaining sites are first-come, first-served.

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Hookups13 electric sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — no hookups available✕ You require shade — reviewers note limited tree cover✕ You need modern facilities — pit toilets and aging picnic tables reported

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

6 of 12 sites are reservable; book early as it's a federal campground

Remaining 6 sites are first-come, first-served

Located at 7,700 feet elevation in the Park Range of Routt National Forest

Access via Routt County Road 129 (Elk River Road), 17 miles north from downtown Steamboat Springs

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mule Deer, weasels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, Canada jays, Steller's jays, red-naped sapsuckers, and wandering garter snakes present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
{}· Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG
Getting there →

From downtown Steamboat Springs, Colorado, take U.S. Highway 40 west and turn right on Routt County Road 129, locally known as Elk River Road. Continue north 17 miles, cross the Elk River just beyond the Clark Store, and turn right along the river on RCR 64, which becomes Forest Road 400/Seedhouse Road. Continue for 6 miles. Turn right, south on Forest Road 440 over the bridge on the south fork of the Elk River about 1 mile to Hinman Campground on the right, .

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Hinman Campground (Co) cost per night?+
Hinman Campground (Co) costs $14 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Hinman Campground (Co) open?+
Hinman Campground (Co) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Hinman Campground (Co) have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Hinman Campground (Co)?+
Hinman Campground (Co) is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Hinman Campground (Co)?+
Hinman Campground (Co) is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Hinman Campground (Co)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Hinman Campground (Co) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Hinman Campground (Co) open, and what are check-in times?+
Hinman Campground (Co) is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$14 /night★ 3.6 (5)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Hinman Campground (Co) cost per night?+
What season is Hinman Campground (Co) open?+
Does Hinman Campground (Co) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Seedhouse Campground

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO

From $26/night

Seedhouse Guard Station

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS , CO

From $100/night

Seedhouse Group Site - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co)

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO

From $150/night

Hahns Peak Lake Campground - Medicine-Bow Routt Nf (Co)

COLORADO, CO

From $26/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$14 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability