Summit County is one of the most sought after camping destinations in Colorado. It is close to Denver, boasts beautiful views, and has endless opportunities for adventure. Perhaps the most iconic landmark in Summit County is the Dillon Reservoir – a large freshwater reservoir that provides drinking water to Denver. There are three campgrounds on the Dillon Reservoir – Heaton Bay, Peak One, and Prospector (there is technically a fourth campground – Pine Cove – but it is basically a parking lot…). Recently, we had the opportunity to stay at Prospector Campground; right on the reservoir and just west of Keystone Ski Resort. Overall, we’d highly recommend this campground to anyone looking for a great few days in Summit County!
The Bottom Line
Our favorite loop was Loop D for its proximity to (and views of) the reservoir. We’d recommend sites 53, 55, and 58. Loop A was our second choice, because the sites were larger and further apart. While most sites don’t have water views, every site had stunning mountain views. Come prepared for dry camping; none of the sites have hookups. Most of the campers here are weekend warriors. If you have some flexibility and are able to camp mid-week, you might have better luck finding the perfect site.
The Details
Prospector Campground is nestled between Dillon and Frisco in Summit County, Colorado. It is a 12 minute drive to Dillon and a 14 minute drive to Frisco. Although you could bike to Dillon and Frisco, it is probably too far to walk. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can bike the Dillon Reservoir Recpath Loop, an 18.7 mile loop around the reservoir that summits Swan Mountain! This campground is an excellent location if you want to check out one of festivals at nearby Keystone Ski Resort. We recently spent the weekend in Keystone at the Bluegrass and Beer Festival, and we had a blast!
The campground has 107 sites in five loops – A (sites 1-12), B (sites 13-26), C (sites 27-46), D (sites 47-80), and E (sites 81-107). Camp hosts are located in sites 25 (Loop B) and 67 (Loop D). The camp hosts stayed to themselves, we only saw ours once – when he gave us our parking pass. Which reminds me, you may need a parking pass! Our site came with one pass, but our guest had to pay $7/night for his car. Remember to bring exact cash with you; the camp host may not have change. The host also had tons of firewood for sale, although I do not know how much each bundle was. Each site has a fire ring, a picnic table, and a spot for a tent. Our site did not have a formal tent pad, but it had plenty of flat space for additional tents.
Loop D is the only loop with water views, while Loop A had the best spacing between sites. The mountain views are excellent from any site, and all of the loops had some nice, private sites. Each loop had clean vault toilets that were stocked with toilet paper, as well as fresh water spigots.
Many of the sites can accommodate large rigs, especially the pull through sites that you’ll find in each loop.
Camping near the water usually comes with one huge negative: BUGS! This campground, however, is elevated above the reservoir, so we didn’t notice any more bugs that we’d normally have in summit county (which isn’t a lot, due to its elevation). In other words, you shouldn’t expect to be camping on the water; you will be camping above the water. To access the water, you have to hike down a little trail near the bathroom in Loop D. The trail is steep with loose rocks – but we managed to carry our kayak down it! Once you get to the bottom the beach area is very small and will feel crowded with more than group down there.
While we weren’t particularly impressed with the sites in Loops B, C, and E (when compared to Loops A and D), that doesn’t mean those loops are bad! As we’ve mentioned before – you can’t go wrong in this campground. Every site has beautiful views! If you’re planning a trip to Summit County, we encourage you to check out Prospector Campground!
