Shepherds Rim Campground

White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: MEEKER, CO, CO

Price: From $22 per night

Price range: $22–$23 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (112 reviews)

Season: May through October

Surrounded by mountains and nestled near the wilderness, the Shepherds Rim Campground at Trappers Lake has 15 scenic campsites. Located at 9,720 feet in elevation, visitors can locate this campground on the right side of the road as you travel south from the Trappers Lake Outlet area.In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting eight wilderness areas, four defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet

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, Fishing

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

Shepherds Rim offers 15 scenic campsites at 9,720 feet elevation near Trappers Lake, known as the Cradle of Wilderness. Campers praise the friendly camp hosts, excellent restroom maintenance, and proximity to hiking trails and the lake with amazing mountain views.

Wildlife alert: Moose, American Pika, Snowshoe Hare, Boreal Owl, and Red-naped Sapsucker are documented in the area within 8km.

Insider tips for Shepherds Rim Campground: Book early — this is a popular federal campground. Bring cash for firewood. Water is available in the campground but not at individual sites. Sites 7, 8, and 6 are highly rated by campers; 29-foot trailers fit comfortably. The camp hosts are exceptional and maintain excellent facilities.

Skip Shepherds Rim Campground if: You need RV hookups — most sites have no hookups; only suitable for self-contained RVs.. You need year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only..

Best time to visit Shepherds Rim Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only..

Nearby campgrounds: Marvine Campground (Meeker, CO), North Fork Campground (MEEKER, CO), Horse Thief (Meeker, CO), Radium Recreation Area (Kremmling, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Shepherds Rim Campground

Cell signal at Shepherds Rim Campground (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›Shepherds Rim Campground
Shepherds Rim Campground — photo 1
Shepherds Rim Campground — photo 2
Shepherds Rim Campground — photo 3
White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Shepherds Rim Campground

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MEEKER, CO, CO★ 4.7 (112 reviews)From $22/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Surrounded by mountains and nestled near the wilderness, the Shepherds Rim Campground at Trappers Lake has 15 scenic campsites. Located at 9,720 feet in elevation, visitors can locate this campground on the right side of the road as you travel south from the Trappers Lake Outlet area.In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting eight wilderness areas, four defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. Bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesBackpackersSites:TentRV
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 RV54 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump Station
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 RV hookups — most sites have no hookups; only suitable for self-contained RVs.✕ You need year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground.

Bring cash for firewood.

Water is available in the campground but not at individual sites.

Sites 7, 8, and 6 are highly rated by campers; 29-foot trailers fit comfortably.

The camp hosts are exceptional and maintain excellent facilities.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

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: Moose, American Pika, Snowshoe Hare, Boreal Owl, and Red-naped Sapsucker are documented in the area within 8km.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
970-927-0107· 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 just past the Outlet Trailhead. The Shepherds Rim Campground is 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.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Shepherds Rim Campground cost per night?+
Shepherds Rim Campground costs $22–$23 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Shepherds Rim Campground open?+
Shepherds Rim Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Shepherds Rim Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Shepherds Rim Campground?+
Shepherds Rim Campground can accommodate RVs up to 54 feet.
How do I make reservations at Shepherds Rim Campground?+
Shepherds Rim Campground 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 Shepherds Rim Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Shepherds Rim Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Shepherds Rim Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Shepherds Rim Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapVista Recreation
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.

$22 /night★ 4.7 (112)
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 Shepherds Rim Campground cost per night?+
What season is Shepherds Rim Campground open?+
Does Shepherds Rim Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Marvine Campground

Meeker, CO

From $23/night

North Fork Campground

MEEKER, CO

From $28/night

Horse Thief

Meeker, CO

From $29/night

Radium Recreation Area

Kremmling, CO

From $25/night

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