Oak Creek is a tiny ranching town popular for hunting and fishing. There are a few restaurants and a motel. It’s located on US 131, about twenty miles south of Steamboat.
History
The town was incorporated in 1907 as a coal mining town. It grew to over 2,000 and 30 businesses by 1915. The coal mining peaked around 1930 when most trains switched from coal to diesel power. Today Oak Creek has nearly 900 residents.
Main Attractions
Stagecoach State Park – Centered around a massive lake near the headwaters of the Yampa River. Camping, boating and fishing are excellent. There is ice fishing in the winter.
Routt National Forest – Numerous access points are located on US 131 near Oak Creek. Recreation activities include hunting, fishing, ATV, camping, hiking and biking, to name a few.
Recreation
Camping:
- Stagecoach State Park has 92 campsites with views of the lake.
- Flat Tops Byway has an entry point a few miles south in Phippsburg on Co Rd 15. Take Co Rd 15 right to Co Rd 132, which becomes the scenic byway. Primitive campsites can be found on nearly any dirt road for the first half, as well as campgrounds with facilities.
Fishing:
- Yampa River begins to the south in the Flat Tops and north past Yampa into Stagecoach Reservoir. Fishing can be found along much of the river. It then continues north to Steamboat Springs and then west to Utah.
Hiking:
- Walk around several trails at the local state park or head into the Flat Top Mountains for a real journey. Steamboat Springs is also full of great hiking.
Things to do near Oak Creek
Hot Springs:
- Old Town (20mi)
- Strawberry Park (28mi)
Museums:
National Lands:
Scenic Drives:
Ski Areas:
- Howelsen Hill (21mi)
- Steamboat (19mi)
Snow Tubing:
- Howelsen Hill (21mi)
- Yee-Haw Hill (34mi)
State Parks:
- Stagecoach (4mi)
Towns:
- Hayden (28mi)
- Steamboat Springs (21mi)
- Yampa (9mi)
Featured Oak Creek blog
Winter Ice Fishing by Steamboat Springs – In the winter Stagecoach Reservoir freezes over and traditional fishing turns into ice fishing. The reservoir is large and there are usually ice fishers out there everyday during the season. The park is located…
