Colorado rv parks

[mountaindian]

We are starting to plan our summer getaway. We are looking to explore Colorado hitting a variety of stops. Estes Park, Gunnison, Durango and etc what are your favorite stops.
Thanks

[azflycaster]

In Southern Colorado we like the KOA in Durango and the one in Cortez. Alpen Rose is a nice campground north of Durango. Dolores River Campground is a great campground on the river north of Cortez.

[Acheron2010]

Avoid the Colorado Springs KOA, or, just be forewarned, there is a 30 minute time limit after your transaction where you are no longer entitled to a refund. In those 30 minutes, you have to assess the freeway noise, train noise, airport noise, and the shooting range across the highway.
If you intend to visit the Denver Zoo, make nearby camp reservations Very early. I could not get close enough to make it worth the visit this past August.

[mikextr]

Vallecito Reservoir is a nice place to stay about 30 minutes from Durango. Try the Vallecito Resort http://www.vallecitoresort.com/

If you happen to be farther east near Colorado Springs, Mueller State Park is one of my favorite campgrounds in Colorado.

[Woosch]

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. Campground has 30 amp in one loop. Weather was crappy while we were there so didn't see the stars at night which are supposed to be spectacular. Don't miss the narrow gauge railroad in Durango. Also, Mesa Verde NP was very interesting.

[TexAirS]

Try Cheyenne Mountain SP near Colorado Springs.


John H

[Mollysdad]

I used to go to Colorado every year.
This post is already too long so PM me if you want more details.
I love the "western slope", and we'd home base in Montrose.
It's big enough to have a grocery store or two and a super Walmart, but small enough to be out of town in ten minutes.
I recommend Centennial, about 10 miles south for a private campground. Large pull throughs, nice people, reasonable priced. I stayed a month.
From there to the south is Rigway where you must eat at the True Grit Cafe. (The John Wayne movie was shot around Rigway.) Hwy 62 leads towards Telluride, but look left outside Rigway and notice the four rail split rail fence that runs seven miles along the Double RL Ranch! RL is Ralph Lauren, and it's a working cattle ranch. It's so big it's crossed by forest service roads, and I rode a dirt bike all through there, until I got so far back I worried if I broke my leg I'd never be found. (or eaten by a bear)

Then south to Ouray, called the Switzerland of the Rockies. Take a Jeep Tour to Imogene pass 1114' on the worst road you can imagine! Let them drive!
South of Ouray you're on the "Million Dollar Highway" OMG! it takes your breath away, especially for a flatlander. Silverton is next, a real cowboy town, where the big event is the train from Durango arriving. I recommend the saloon where Lacy Black used to play the piano, and maybe still does. I think the steam train from Durango is a must do. It's expensive and worth every penny. Spectacular scenery and memories! In the 1880's it delivered supplies to the mines, now it hauls passengers, but they still shovel coal and stop at mountain water tanks to top off.

North from Montrose is highway 141 which goes through Gateway Canyon, beautiful road through 100 mile canyon alongside the Delores river. It's almost deserted but worth the trip!

West of Montrose, highway 90 looks like it goes straight to Moab, but don't be fooled. Unless you're a die hard rider on an ATV it's too spooky.

East of Montrose is the Black Canyon National Park, and Blue mesa Reservoir. Near Gunnison is the turn to Crested Butte, a nice small ski town, but it's beautiful in summer too.

Take a side drive to Owl Creek Pass and Silver Jack reservoir. It used to be a challenge in a pickup, but they've improved it a lot.
Watch for a sign near Black Canyon, it's easy to miss. It's 42 miles through the "Cimarron Range" where True Grit was filmed. It comes back out in Rigway.
I did all these many times on a motorcycle, and I never tired of the beauty.

I haven't been in a number of years, so correct me if things have changed much. I swore when I won the lottery, I was buying a home in Pleasent Valley (right outside Rigway) I watched a real cattle drive back then, with cowboys on horses and dogs herding the cattle up the valley.
Note that you'll be between 8000' and 1100' elevation, so it takes a bit of acclimation. The first day I always felt like my eyeballs were too big for the sockets.

Once was enough for me in Aspen. Beautiful but snobby. YMMV.

[wulfraat]

For Estes Park our favorite spots are Moraine Park and Glacier Basin (in RMNP) and also Hermit Park in Laramie County about 5 miles out of town. No hookups but great sites off in the mountains.

If you want full hookups then you can stay at Elk Meadow but it’s a dusty parking lot.

[Moflash]

We enjoy the solitude of Taylor Park near Gunnison Co.Its absolutely beautiful and fishing in Taylor Lake is excellent.There are full hookup or wilderness sites.

[AirMiles]

For dry campers

Agree on Black Canyon of the Gunnison, stayed many days at South Rim Campground near Montrose and used the free dump station with water at the Montrose fairgrounds. The canyon is stunningly beautiful. Saw a bear on one of the trails. The local telescope club meets there almost nightly. We saw many great views of the planets from their five-figure-cost telescopes which they proudly encouraged visitors to look through. Saw many of the moons around the planets and the rings of Saturn in unbelievable clarity. Ouray is a short beautiful drive south of Montrose and a must see.

Also liked Gunnison and the free dump station with water on the north frontage road next to the Airport. Don't miss the Taylor Reservoir Northeast of Gunnison. Many fine campgrounds on the beautiful drive up to the Reservoir and Almont Resort on the way has a great restaurant. A must stop in Gunnison is Trader's Rendezvous which has an awesome taxidermy display of the local wildlife. The whole downtown Gunnison is nice.

I also liked Lake City. Great pizza place, free WIFI at the park on the next block. "The Gate" campground north of Lake City has an awesome trout stream and stream-front campsites with a beautiful ledge view . . . at $5 per night! Closest cell phone coverage is 15 miles away! The RV park in Lake City has a dump station for $5 and an inexpensive laundry.

Sand Gulch campground was really nice near Pueblo and Royal Gorge. Its a little hot there as its elevation is not high, but it has a beautiful cliff and is one of the best mountain climbing locations.

Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction is a must see. They have some awesome campgrounds with ledge views.

Stayed at Sunset Point Campground west of Rocky Mountain National Park. They had first-come-first-serve openings on a holiday weekend. Nice campground with a dump station.

The Meadows campground was really nice near Steamboat Springs. Hwy 14 from there to Fort Collins is a must see. There are many small national forest campgrounds on that stretch.

Grand Mesa Visitor's center was awesome. Great deck to sit on and souvenir shop. The campground next door was awesome, but took reservations and was full when we were there. The other campgrounds near there were pretty much impassable for a non-lifted Airstream.

The above were the best-of-the-best that I found while dry camp for a month throughout Colorado. None of these campgrounds have electric, most have vault toilets and no water, and one had a dump station. Just the way we like it! Had no problem driving up and getting a site in these beautiful campgrounds in the peak of the summer prime season.

[DaveP]

Our favorites includes: Priest Gulch in Delores, CO; Hecla Junction in Buena Vista, CO; May Queen in Leadville, CO; Happy Meadows in Lake George, CO; and Lakeview Campground on Twin Lakes in Leadville, CO; and Alvarado Campground in Westcliff CO. All great places!

[Julie-Bob]

We stay at the Highland RV Park in Lake City each September watching the aspen and cottonwood change colors. Yes great food in town rent an Jeep or utv and drive over to Sliverton for lunch. Drive to Creede and see the mine visit framer market.

[Julie-Bob]

In Durango we stayed at the United RV park. They have a pet setting available, the Durango SilverTon steam train runs though the RV park Take the train to SilverTon and ride the bus back. Ouray yes at the KOA, Black Canyon yes just out side of Montrose, also candy outlet store in Montrose.