A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Hinman Campground

Forest Service campground in Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG, Routt County, Colorado. About 7,700 feet. 18.8 miles from Steamboat Springs.

Managed by
Forest Service Medicine Bow-Routt NFs & Thunder Basin NG
Elevation
About 7,700 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
12 12 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Routt County

Overview

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. At an elevation of 7,700 feet, Hinman lies in the mountains of the Park Range in the heart of the Routt National Forest near the Elk River which flows south to join the Yampa River. Hinman Campground offers the unique opportunity to observe forest succession in progress and will eventually return to a native lodgepole, spruce, and fir forest.

Recreation

Provides a great gateway for hiking, biking and hunting. Trout fishing is accessible on the river as well as several mountain streams.

Facilities

There are 12 campsites, 6 of which may be reserved. Remaining sites are first-come, first-served. Each site is spacious and equipped with a campfire ring and picnic table.

Natural Features

At an elevation of 7,700 feet, Hinman lies in the Rocky Mountains in the heart of the Routt National Forest near the South Fork of the Elk River. The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland encompass nearly three million acres from central and northeastern Wyoming to north-central Colorado. Black bear, bobcat, coyote, elk, mule deer and moose are just some of the many animals that inhabit these rich and diverse lands.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors might also enjoy stopping by Steamboat Lake State Park and Hahns Peak Lake Day Use, only a short drive away. Many more outdoor opportunities exist in the surrounding national forests and grasslands, including hiking, biking, camping, horseback and off-road vehicle riding, fishing, hunting, sightseeing and winter sports.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • birding
  • camping
  • hiking
  • hunting
  • mountain biking

The land around Hinman Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.