South Bay Campground
Horsetooth Reservoir
Write a Review 4200 W County Road 38 E Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-619-4570 Reservations: 800-397-7795 Official WebsiteGPS: 40.5063, -105.1528
Overview of South Bay Campground
Last Price Paid: $60
Reported by rls1936 on 7/5/2023
Longest RV Reported: 42 feet (Class A)
Reported by JC on 6/26/2021
Number of Sites 124
Pad Type gravel
Reservations yes
Open Seasonally April - Oct.
Elevation 5,413 ft / 1,649 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 970-619-4570
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Reviews of South Bay Campground 15 people have reviewed this location.
“Nice campground, close-ish to town ”
Reviewed 11/8/2017
Nightly rate: | $22 |
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Days stayed: | 5 |
Site Number: | 35 |
RV Length: | 28' |
Nice level pull-through site with big picnic table and fire ring. Site are decently spaced apart from each other, though we were there in non-peak time and there weren't many others there at all. The showers and bathrooms were clean - note that showers do require tokens to operate. When looking for a site online, we chose what we thoug... more
Nice level pull-through site with big picnic table and fire ring. Site are decently spaced apart from each other, though we were there in non-peak time and there weren't many others there at all. The showers and bathrooms were clean - note that showers do require tokens to operate. When looking for a site online, we chose what we thought would be Lake front, but because this is a reservoir that is emptied and filled by the season, we were just dry Lake-bed front. We liked that it seemed like we were out in a scenic spot but only had to take a short drive over the hill to get into town. We had electric hook up only during our stay. We used the dump and water-fill station as we left - it was easily accessible.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Easy access to boating, hiking, and biking”
Reviewed 8/21/2017
Nightly rate: | $33 |
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Days stayed: | 5 |
Site Number: | S17 |
RV Length: | 27' (Travel Trailer) |
We went to Horsetooth Reservoir for the boat access. While our expectations were low, the campground was in a beautiful location sitting on the shore of the reservoir. To this point we had been spoiled by the Colorado State Park system, so it was notably not as clean or well maintained as previous campgrounds. However, the location was... more
We went to Horsetooth Reservoir for the boat access. While our expectations were low, the campground was in a beautiful location sitting on the shore of the reservoir. To this point we had been spoiled by the Colorado State Park system, so it was notably not as clean or well maintained as previous campgrounds. However, the location was excellent, with easy access to the marina, great local hikes, and both mountain bike and road bike friendly routes. Some spots were very close to the main road, so I would recommend sticking to sites on the water. Overall the campground was a pleasant stay, but we would not return. Note: cell reception was spotty even with our booster. Reception varied greatly throughout the day/night.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Idyllic Nature Rich Setting Convienent to Fort Collins”
Reviewed 5/25/2017
Nightly rate: | $25 |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | 33 |
RV Length: | 21' (Class B) |
This is our second visit to the beautiful Horsetooth Reservoir. Last year we spent the day here and checked out the campsites for future trips and this year we are thrilled to actually stay here! We were greeted by about 15 deer on our way to this campground. There were also lots of geese, and a variety of birds! Our campsite was ... more
This is our second visit to the beautiful Horsetooth Reservoir. Last year we spent the day here and checked out the campsites for future trips and this year we are thrilled to actually stay here!
We were greeted by about 15 deer on our way to this campground. There were also lots of geese, and a variety of birds!
Our campsite was right on the water! It was a large pull-through level gravel site with electricity. We had vault toilets nearby and the campground also has showers. There is a dump station near the entrance and frost-free water spigots are available throughout the campground. The sites are nicely placed, nothing seems too close together. The camp hosts are very friendly and helpful, even way after normal hours (we arrived rather late).
You do need a county day pass ($7) in addition to the campground fees. This brings the total to $32, but if you check out RV parks in the Fort Collins area this seems like a good value! We peeked at several of the RV parks and they are pricey, sites close together, and certainly do not have the views like South Bay and Horsetooth Reservoir.
The location is nice for exploring the Reservoir area, Lory State Park, Fort Collins, Loveland, and even Rocky Mountain National Park.
Cell reception:
T-Mobile - 4 bars Extended (2G) with .15 Mb download and upload test failed
AT&T - 2-3 bars of the HPSA +, but all speed tests failed
Verizon - 2 bars LTE with 27 Mb download, 1.4 Mb upload
Changing Itinerary would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Water, Camping and Close To Town - Nice But Not Necessarily Peaceful”
Reviewed 5/25/2016
Nightly rate: | $32 |
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Days stayed: | 6 |
Site Number: | S44, S20, S37 |
RV Length: | 31' (Class A) |
Overview Our first trip and we enjoyed our visit and would stay here again mid-week. The surrounding area and access made it a great stay. Also, the good cell coverage allowed us to get a little work done. Sites are a bit pricey as you must also add a $7 daily park fee to $25 nightly fee. Full hook-ups are $30. Review of the ... more
Overview
Our first trip and we enjoyed our visit and would stay here again mid-week. The surrounding area and access made it a great stay. Also, the good cell coverage allowed us to get a little work done.
Sites are a bit pricey as you must also add a $7 daily park fee to $25 nightly fee. Full hook-ups are $30.
Review of the Park
Horsetooth has two campgrounds. South Bay is a popular campground and weekends are full. As last minute, arrivals we were able to move around and experience 3 different sites. Each site has some positive features.
All sites have power, picnic tables, and a fire ring. Many are on the water. Bathrooms nearby and 1 common shower house. Showers are $1 for 3 minutes. Bathrooms are clean, but I did not use the shower facilities.
S44 is a small loop and size constraints apply with all spots back in. The site is too close to the road and the car noise was constant over the busy weekend. The bonus; you can tie your boat up to the spot or easily launch a kayak. The view down the reservoir is very nice.
S20 was a great site with wonderful views and away from the road noise. Pull through sites are very big and can easily accommodate a rig and tow/toad vehicle. This quite spur was our favorite location.
S37 is a nice pull through (a little smaller that S20) but easily large enough for a bigger RV. We are again lakeside and enjoying the views. The road noise is a little louder than at S20, but tolerable.
The park has a few spaces for full hookup, cabin rental, and even overnight Airstream accommodation rental. Reservations are advised as the weekends are busy. There are two boat launches at Southbay and based on the available parking, I think summer must be crazy busy.
Negatives
Our sites were dirty. LOTS of goose poop, bottle tops and rusty nails. Not a rake in site. Onsite camp hosts are very nice, but I don't think their job description includes raking or picking up the sites. With no water at the sites and the extra fees, we were disappointed in the cost. Also, you have to pay the park fees separate from the overnight fees. It would be nice to just combine them in a single lower fee that reflects the level of available service.
Note a current building project is underway to build a visitor center. This does create some construction noise. It should be completed in the next few months.
Cellular Service
Verizon access was good at 1-2 bars. We experienced no slowdown in overloaded service and were able to stream. T-Mobile was totally unavailable.
Review of Surrounding Area
There are some great walking and hiking trails which require a few miles drive on the road to access. Horsetooth Falls and the Soderbergh Open Space Trail are great. There is also a great paved trail system throughout Fort Collins.
Shopping Access
Two small stores are located in the area. Fort Collins is just down the road with access to all the favorites including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Safeway.
Craft beer can be found all over town and we especially enjoyed Zwei Brewing.
2WanderAway - Shannon would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“This place was just a little weird for us. ”
Reviewed 11/28/2015
Nightly rate: | $37 |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
Site Number: | S09 |
It is obviously very popular and very heavily used by locals for access to the lake. Tight interior roads for large RV's. We saw several RVs just back up rather than try to make some of the tight turns. Lots of boulders to try and avoid when backing into the site. It was also really noisy. The sites themselves were level and the utilit... more
It is obviously very popular and very heavily used by locals for access to the lake. Tight interior roads for large RV's. We saw several RVs just back up rather than try to make some of the tight turns. Lots of boulders to try and avoid when backing into the site. It was also really noisy. The sites themselves were level and the utilities worked great. Distance between sites was reasonable. The lake was low but there were several jet skis running around constantly. Unfortunately, we were also backed up to the maintenance area which generated it's own noise. And, wow, it's expensive for a reservoir especially with the additional fees per vehicle per day.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Amenities
Hookups
- 50 Amp
- 30 Amp
- 20 Amp
- water
- sewer
- Full Hookups
Recreation
- boat ramp
- fishing
- picnic area
- water access
Site Amenities
- big rig
- fire ring
- picnic table
- pull thru
Facilities
- cabins
- dump station
- restrooms: flush
- rv rental
- showers
- trash
- water available
Pets
- pets
Nearby
Loaf 'N Jug RV Dump Station
Enter from shields. Don't go around back from Horsetooth. HUGE potholes
- camper-804096
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