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Located approximately 14 miles east of Basalt, Colorado in White River National Forest, Mollie B White River Campground sits adjacent to the Ruedi Reservoir at an elevation just under 7,800 feet.
Sites at this campground open up to views of the reservoir and starry nighttime skies. A mixed conifer forest hems in the shoreline, and nearby peaks offer an ideal setting for guests seeking recreation and relaxation.
Renowned for its fly fishing, Fryingpan River flows below Ruedi Dam. Here, large rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout are plentiful in an area nicknamed the "toilet bowl." The fish feed on mysis shrimp, a small freshwater shrimp stocked in the lake.
The stretch of river from the dam down to the confluence of Fryingpan and the Roaring Fork River has been designated as Gold Medal Waters by the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Special regulations in this area include fishing only with artificial flies and lures, and releasing all trout except brown trout, with a limit of 2 fish over 14 inches.
For hikers and bikers, the Ruedi Trail, located north of the reservoir, climbs to the top of Red Table Mountain. The trailhead is located 200 feet north of the Jeep trail near the boat ramp and parking lot. This 8-mile trail gains over 3,000 feet in elevation, leading hikers to a spectacular panoramic view of the area.
Boating, swimming, and water skiing are all possible. Interpretive programs are popular activities.
Mollie B Campground has 27 standard sites suitable for tents, trailers, and RVs. There is a maximum length of 40 feet for RVs. A dump station is available.
The sites are equipped with picnic tables and campfire rings. Guests also have access to flush toilets and drinking water, but electrical hook-ups are not available.
A boat ramp is available for use at this campground.
In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is a place of serenity and adventure, boasting 8 wilderness areas, 4 defined seasons, and 10 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation.
Wildlife in the area abounds. Bighorn sheep navigate rocky ridges and bull elk bugle at dusk. Scenic rivers sustain populations of cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. Alpine regions provide habitat for pika and ptarmigan. These species, along with many others, depend on surrounding undeveloped wilderness, clean streams, and diverse forests to live.
The nearby town of Aspen is a popular destination for visitors to the area. From downhill skiing and world-class fly fishing, to dining and resorts, there are a multitude of outdoor and indoor opportunites in this resort mountain town.
Take I-70 west of Denver to Glenwood Springs Exit 116, Highway 82 to Basalt. At Basalt, take Frying Pan Road 15 miles to the Ruedi Complex Entrance. Take a right, then a left, and proceed to second campground.
Best place to Camp outside of Aspen CO, that has flush toilets. Campground is next door to a Reservoir which is very pretty
Beautiful Reservoir. Camping spots were just ok. But the people are rude and money hungry. You can’t park a boat trailer or another vehicle in the Camp so you to use the marina parking lot, which on a weekend is over run by the locals, so hardly any spots. Plus it is a $7.00 a day charge. We also had my son’s Jeep that he towed up on a trailer and he also had to pay the $7.00 a day, I can understand that fee, but they also wanted to charge him for the Jeep on the trailer. And to top it off when we were ready to leave I had to pay an additional $10.00 to use the dump station.
My wife and I have been coming since 1977 every other year until 2009 and then this year. We won’t be back there are much nicer and accommodating places in Colorado.
Ruedi Reservoir’s Mollie B campground was a total disappointment; the facilities are very poorly maintained, the hosts are not committed to serving in their role, and the climate / geography of the area are not conducive to enjoying your experience. I recently stayed there for a 6 night stay with family, and we all decided to leave on day 5, which was due to several key factors. The facilities are a joke; the website claims that the bathrooms have hot running water, yet no hot water is available, and the hand dryer in the men’s restroom is broken. The drinking water has a nasty aftertaste to it, and the trash cans stink up the vast majority of the campsites. Additionally, the toilet paper is so thin that you can literally read the newspaper through it. The stairs leading up to the bathrooms are a clear OSHA violation, with one stair broken with rebar sticking out. It is only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. While the campground host was very nice, he did not deal with the multiple dogs (and their irresponsible owners) that were allowed to run around adjacent to the marina without being on a leash, even after several of them almost killed a fawn. When asked to call the sheriff, no action was taken by the host. The host also advised us to purchase ice at a general store next to Deerhammer Campground, but it was closed, and appears to have been for some time, resulting in a wasted hour drive. Additionally, be prepared to pay $6 a day if you have more than one car on your site, a total ripoff. Lastly, the weather is quite volatile: very hot during the day with wind gusts that destroyed at least six tents and dining canopies in one afternoon alone, and at night the temperatures dip down to close to freezing, with frost forming on top of your tent. With all of the wonderful campgrounds in the state, do yourself a favor and avoid Mollie B at all costs.
The Campsite is good, hosts are great but management of sights and parking is bad. Since Covid its about impossible to get any spot same day. They need to make some of the spots Walk in Only again. Cant have boat trailers in campground (Fine but don't charge me extra to park it over by boat ramp and complain boat ramp is getting to full.) Its disappointing seeing this lake becoming a zoo, and I feel they could do more to make sure locals are still included in the lake.
I had a great time here! The host was really kind and very helpful. We forgot a spatula and asked if we can borrow one which they let us. Also cleaned the restrooms every morning
