Horse Thief

White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Meeker, CO, CO

Price: From $29 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

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.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes, Fishing

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

Horse Thief offers a natural setting at Trappers Lake in White River National Forest specifically designed for stock users with corrals and long trailer spurs. Campers praise the exceptional camp host Tim, spectacular views, and friendly atmosphere with a 4.8/5 rating.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Wapiti (elk), and Wandering Garter Snake present in area. Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels and Black-capped Chickadees commonly observed.

Insider tips for Horse Thief: Water spigot located at top by site 2 First-come, first-served basis — book early as noted for federal campgrounds Camp host Tim provides exceptional service and site support

Skip Horse Thief if: You need cell service — NO CELL SIGNAL reported by campers. You require RV hookups — campground has no hookups at most sites. You plan to visit November-April — seasonal operations only May-October.

Best time to visit Horse Thief: May-October — Official operating season per verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: South Fork (White River) (Meeker, CO), Marvine Campground (Meeker, CO), North Fork Campground (MEEKER, CO), Shepherds Rim Campground (MEEKER, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Horse Thief

Cell signal at Horse Thief (Meeker, 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›Horse Thief
See all photos
White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Horse Thief

Share:
Meeker, CO, CO★ 4.8 (4 reviews)From $29/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersBackpackersSites: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
Max RV55 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterBear Boxes
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump StationFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsElectric Hookups

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 cell service — NO CELL SIGNAL reported by campers✕ You require RV hookups — campground has no hookups at most sites✕ You plan to visit November-April — seasonal operations only May-October

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Water spigot located at top by site 2

First-come, first-served basis

book early as noted for federal campgrounds

Camp host Tim provides exceptional service and site support

Best: May-October

Official operating season per verified data

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: American Black Bear, Wapiti (elk), and Wandering Garter Snake present in area. Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels and Black-capped Chickadees commonly observed.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
970-878-4039· White River National Forest
Getting there →

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.

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 — White River National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at White River National Forest 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 Horse Thief cost per night?+
Horse Thief costs $29 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Horse Thief open?+
Horse Thief is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Horse Thief have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Horse Thief?+
Horse Thief can accommodate RVs up to 55 feet.
How do I make reservations at Horse Thief?+
Horse Thief 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 Horse Thief?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Horse Thief is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Horse Thief open, and what are check-in times?+
Horse Thief is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

American Land and Leisure White River National ForestHorse Thief CG
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.

$29 /night★ 4.8 (4)
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 Horse Thief cost per night?+
What season is Horse Thief open?+
Does Horse Thief have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Forest campground camping

South Fork (White River)

Meeker, CO

From $25/night

Marvine Campground

Meeker, CO

From $23/night

North Fork Campground

MEEKER, CO

From $28/night

Shepherds Rim Campground

MEEKER, CO

From $22/night

Own a campground nearby?

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

List your campground →
$29 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability