Sweetwater Lake
Its sites are first-come, first-served (no reservations), and camping costs Single Site: $8 per night. Sweetwater Lake is a National Forest campground near Dotsero, Colorado.
First-come, first-served
- National Forest
- Managed by
Sweetwater Lake sits inside White River National Forest. Its dispersed-camping rule, ranger offices, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com. It sits right at the edge of Sweetwater Lake State Park; its hours, entrance fee, and boundary are on publiclandsdb.com.
Getting a site
- Managed by
- National Forest
- Reservations
- None, first-come
- Fee
- Single Site: $8 per night
Source: apps.fs.usda.gov, accessed 2026-09-30
What's there
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Fire rings
On site: Toilets and fire rings.
Access and cell service
- Elevation
- 7,830 ft
39.7974, -107.1608 in Garfield. Open in OpenStreetMap. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Common questions
Do you need a reservation at Sweetwater Lake?
No. Sweetwater Lake is first-come, first-served: there is no reservation system, so arrive early to claim an open site.
How much does it cost to camp at Sweetwater Lake?
Camping at Sweetwater Lake costs Single Site: $8 per night.
Who manages Sweetwater Lake?
Sweetwater Lake is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Around Sweetwater Lake
Hot springs and waterfalls nearby
Nearest to Sweetwater Lake, in straight-line miles: Hanging Lake (waterfall, 14 miles), Glenwood Hot Springs (hot spring, 19 miles), and Rifle Falls (waterfall, 30 miles). Each has its own page on swimholesmap.com.
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Free
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $6 per night
- Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Not on record
Trappers Lake/cutthroat - Sites
- Not on record
- Season
- Not on record
- Fee
- Single Site: $22 per night
More campgrounds: camping near Dotsero and campgrounds in Garfield.
Sources
- apps.fs.usda.gov (all fields), accessed 2026-09-30