RV Rental Near Horsetooth Reservoir (Larimer County) Campgrounds in Fort Collins, CO

RV rental Fort Collins Colorado

Every spring, right around the time the Larimer County reservation window opens, I start getting the same call: “Tomas, can you just have the RV waiting for us at Horsetooth?” The answer is yes — a Horsetooth Reservoir (Larimer County) campgrounds RV rental is one of the most-requested deliveries I do all summer, and after years of towing rigs up Centennial Drive and around to the west-shore loops, I know exactly which sites a trailer fits and which ones will have you backing in three times while the people at the next firepit watch. That’s the part you can’t get off a website. Let me walk you through how it actually works out here.

Yes, You Can Camp Right at Horsetooth — Here’s the Lay of the Land

Horsetooth Reservoir is a Larimer County park, and unlike a lot of the day-use spots people ask me about, this one genuinely has overnight camping. The county runs sites along both the east and west sides of the water — places like the South Bay, Inlet Bay, and the more rustic spots tucked into the foothills off Larimer County Road 38E. It’s about a 15-minute drive west from Old Town Fort Collins (zip 80521), so you’re never far from a grocery run or a brewery, but you feel like you’re up in the hills the second you crest the dam.

One honest heads-up: hookups at Horsetooth are limited and vary by area. Inlet Bay tends to have the more developed sites, while a lot of the foothills sites are dry/primitive with stunning water views and not much else. That changes which rig I recommend, which is the whole reason it helps to have a local doing this instead of a fly-by-night rental.

How I Match the Right RV to a Horsetooth Site

The reservoir sits in a steep foothills bowl, and the access roads off CR-38E are narrow and curvy with real drop-offs in spots. When a customer tells me they booked a tight foothills site versus a roomier Inlet Bay pull-through, I steer them toward completely different trailers. If you’re heading to a dry site with no hookups, you want something self-contained with a solid fresh-water tank and battery setup so you’re not panicking by Saturday night. If you’re at one of the developed spots, you’ve got more flexibility. Tell me your exact site number when you call and I’ll tell you honestly whether what you picked will fit and turn — I’d rather have that conversation now than at 4pm on a Friday in July.

We Deliver and Set It Up — You Just Show Up

Here’s the version of this I love best: you book your site with Larimer County, you book the RV with me, and I tow it up, level it, and get it set before you arrive. No backing a trailer down a foothills loop, no figuring out the leveling blocks, no learning how the systems work in the dark. By the time you pull in from I-25 or US-287, the awning’s out and you’re handing me the keys to your tow vehicle instead of the other way around.

I deliver all over Northern Colorado, so Horsetooth is an easy run for me. Whether you’re flying into Northern Colorado Regional (FNL) in Loveland, coming up from Denver International, or you’re a local in Windsor or Timnath who just doesn’t want to mess with a hitch, delivery takes the hardest part of RVing off your plate entirely. Exact delivery range, setup, and what’s included can vary, so just reach out and I’ll give you straight answers for your dates.

What to Know Before You Book Horsetooth

  • Reserve early. The county sites — especially anything with a water view or hookups — go fast for summer weekends and holidays. I tell people to grab the site first, then call me to lock the rig.
  • Check whether your site has hookups. Many Horsetooth sites are dry. If yours is, I’ll set you up with a rig built to handle it; if you’re unsure, send me the site number.
  • Plan for foothills weather. Even in July, afternoon thunderstorms roll over the Dakota Hogback fast, and nights up here drop cooler than down in Fort Collins. Spring and fall can swing 40 degrees in a day. Pack layers.
  • Bring water shoes and a way onto the water. Horsetooth is a boating, paddling, and swimming reservoir — that’s the whole draw. The west shore is quieter; the east side near the dam gets busy.
  • Mind the road. CR-38E and Centennial Drive are not the place to learn to tow. Let me handle the delivery and you’ll skip that stress completely.

Day Trips From Your Horsetooth Basecamp

One reason I love sending people to Horsetooth is the location. You’re a short hop from Lory State Park right next door for hiking, a quick drive into Old Town Fort Collins for New Belgium or Odell, and well-positioned for a day run up US-34 to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance. If you want a Poudre Canyon day, CO-14 gets you up the Cache la Poudre River fast. Plenty of my customers set up at Horsetooth and never move the RV the whole trip — they just day-trip out and come back to the water every evening. If you’re weighing options, Carter Lake and Boyd Lake State Park are nearby alternatives I also deliver to, and I’m happy to compare them honestly for what you’re after.

Ready to Book Your Horsetooth Trip?

If you’ve got dates in mind, call or text me at 267-225-0951 or email [email protected] and tell me your site number — I’ll tell you exactly which rig fits and get it delivered and set up before you arrive. You can browse the fleet to see what we run across the Northern Colorado (NoCo) / Front Range area, and if you’re still deciding where to stay, my full guide to local campgrounds and RV parks walks through Horsetooth and the other spots I deliver to every week. Let’s get you on the water.

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