Heaton Bay Picnic Site
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Memorial Day
- season
- Jun–Jul
- best months
Is Heaton Bay Picnic Site open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Limited parking at Snowmass Creek Trailhead
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Grizzly Creek Trail Closure
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026-02 · USFS · White River National Forest
Ruedi Marina Day Use area Dump Station is CLOSED
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Asbestos safety closure - Camp Hale
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
- At 9,050 ftHigh camp: expect cold nights, even in summer
- Dillon Ranger DistrictWhite River National Forest
Heaton Bay Picnic Site is a Forest Service recreation site within Heaton Bay Campground, along the shore of Lake Dillon in the Dillon Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The site is about a tenth of a mile from Heaton Bay Campground itself, and it serves as a picnic spot for visitors who want to pair a meal with time on the water. Boating and fishing are the natural companions to a visit here. The picnic area has vault toilets, and a fee applies to use the site. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dillon show July highs around 75°F with lows near 38°F, and September still runs to about 66°F by day. Old Dillon Reservoir sits just 0.1 mile away, and the Old Dillon Reservoir #87 fishing area is at the same distance. Osprey Nest Overlook is about 0.2 mile off, and Pine Cove Campground is about 1.2 miles away for a second overnight option.
Local outfitters
- Lostfork Basecamp24 mi away
- Camp Always Choose Adventures30 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Old Dillon ReservoirHikingPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.1 mi- Old Dillon Reservoir #87Lake fishing0.1 mi
- Heaton Bay CampgroundCamping0.1 mi
- Osprey Nest OverlookMountain biking0.2 mi
- Dillon ReservoirLake fishing1.1 mi
- Pine Cove CampgroundCamping1.2 mi
- Swan Mountain RoadRock climbing2.1 mi
Mount Royal (near Frisco)Rock climbingPhoto: tkksummers, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)2.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Best time to visit Heaton Bay Picnic Site
Best months: June–July. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
31° / 1°
12 wet
Feb
33° / 4°
11 wet
Mar
41° / 10°
11 wet
Apr
47° / 18°
11 wet
May
58° / 26°
10 wet
Jun
69° / 33°
9 wet
Jul
75° / 38°
12 wet
Aug
73° / 37°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 30°
10 wet
Oct
54° / 21°
8 wet
Nov
41° / 11°
9 wet
Dec
32° / 3°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dillon 1 E, CO, 2.6 mi away at 9,065 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
