SP Campground Review – James M Robb State Park, Fruita, CO

Looking across the Colorado River and into the Colorado National Monument at Fruita Section of the James M Robb Park

A pristine campground with views of the Colorado River and National Monument in Fruita, CO in Western Colorado.

Link to campground here: James M Robb State Park, Fruita, CO
Link to map location here: James M Robb State Park, Fruita, CO

1. Site Quality = 5/5
   These are probably the most pristine sites I’ve seen in a state park. Perfectly flat, large, manicured sites with central concrete section (for support), beautiful “sitting areas” with fire-pit, picnic table and shelters, good separation and absolutely lovely, green grounds. There’s a selection of full hookup (50Amp/water/sewer) or electric (30Amp/water). Sites at the outer end 36-44 have the bonus of lake and stunning monument views
2.  Facilities = 4/5
   Excellent facilities here. There are flush toilets, large showers (only ding is that they are pay only, $1 for 4 mins), and modern laundry (book-swap there too). Park also has several on-site lakes, a swim beach (indefinitely closed due to e-coli problems while we were there), boat ramp, picnic areas, fishing and trails. On-site dump station.
3. Location = 5/5
   Lovely location here. You are right next to lakes and the Colorado River as well as within sight of the gorgeous Colorado National Monument. Nearby Grand Junction has restaurants and all major shopping needs.
4. Pet Friendliness = 4/5
   Good doggie spot. On-site hiking trails and space to “play” by the river. Only dings are that the lake was closed to swimming while we were there, plus some of the trails were closed from damage and needed re-work. A short drive to McInnis Canyons BLM (just across the river) provides masses of additional pooch-friendly hiking. Poo bags provided on-site.

Overall Rating = 4.4
BONUS ALERT = Camp with stunning views of the Colorado National Monument & McInnis Canyons!

Summary: Well, this turned out to be soooo much nicer than we ever imagined. James M Robb SP actually offers 2 campgrounds in the area, but the one we chose was the Fruita section. The campground is set beautifully by a lake and the Colorado River and has stunning views of the Colorado National Monument in the background. The grounds themselves are more like a fancy RV resort than a state park with manicured grounds, trails, lakes, fishing and simply pristine sites (beautifully flat, large, well-kept pads with selection of full hook-up too!). Lots of green, modern facilities and the draw of the surrounding nature makes this a hidden gem. The only possibly dings I could give it is that the sites closest to the main road (12-19) have some road noise, the swim-beach was closed indefinitely due to e-coli problems and some trails were closed due to flood damage, but overall the campground is simply lovely. This place was miles better than the KOA we stayed at last year and we enjoyed it so much we extended our stay. No doubt when we come back this is where we’ll camp again.

 Extra Info:  Full Verizon signal on both smartphone and aircard. Sites cost $20/night for electric (30Amp/water), $24/night for full hook-up (50Amp/water/sewer). There is an extra daily park fee of $7/day (can be covered with the Colorado Annual Parks Pass). Over 57 sites, all reservable. On site dump station and laundry.

Typical pull-through site (#41 shown)

Typical back-in site (#14 shown)

View down back-end of loop. Our RV in site #40 on right. Lake is off-pic on the right side.

Another view down loop (site #20 on right, #21 on left)

View down middle of campground to the main facilities (showers, laundry etc.)

View of lake and beach

View of playground

SP Campground Review – Ridgway State Park, Ridgway, CO

View of the boat pier from top of Twin Fawn trail in Ridgway State Park

A huge and lovely park by water and mountains in Ridgway CO.

Link to campground here: Ridgway State Park, Ridgway,CO
Link to map location here: Ridgway State Park, Ridgway,CO

1. Site Quality = 3.5/5
   This is a HUGE park with 3 separate campgrounds and over 250 sites. Overall there’s good access and decent separation with a selection from full hookups to electric. All sites are large, asphalt and have lovely “sitting areas” with picnic table, fire-pit and grill. Both back-ins and pull-thoughs available (pull-thoughs tend to be nicer in my opinion). The only real”ding” is that some sites are rather unlevel, and the 2 campgrounds close to the road do get some road noise.
   -> Elk Ridge = this campsite is set furthest away from the road (very quiet) up the mesa-top hill on the reservoir side of the park. There are some views of both the cimarron mountain ranges and the reservoir through the pinyon-juniper trees. Sites are slightly closer together than the other 2 campgrounds, but with bits of shade. Electric hookups only (30 Amp). A few very unlevel sites, but also some outstanding sites with panoramic views (best mountain views from#177, 179, 181, 184, 186 with some decent reservoir views from #82, 87, 89)
   -> Dakota Terraces = this campground is on level with the reservoir and closer to the main road (thus some road noise). Sites are nicely separated, but with less trees than Elk Ridge. Some sites have excellent open views of both the lake and the mountains. Direct access to swim beach and water. Electric hookup only (30 Amp)
   -> Pa-Co-Chu-Pak = this is a separate campground further north and below the reservoir dam (next to the river). Large and relatively flat sites. You do not have the open mountains views of the other two campgrounds here, but you do get full hookups (water/sewer/30Amp). Some road noise from sites closest to the highway.
2.  Facilities = 4.5/5
   Very nice set of facilities here. There are flush toilets, large showers (only ding is that they are pay only, $1 for 4 mins), and  modern laundry. Lots of additional facilities all around the park including picnic areas, swim beach, fishing pier, playground, and boating. On-site dump station at Dakota Terraces.
3. Location = 5/5
   This is a fabulous location. You are right next to a beautiful body of water with miles of hiking within the park, yet you are only a short jaunt from Ridgway (shopping, restaurants) and within easy drive of the entire Million Dollar Highway (Ouray, Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, etc.)
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Another great doggie spot. Lots of hiking trails, plus easy access to splash in the water especially from the Elk Ridge/Dakota Terrace campgrounds (from Elk Ridge take the Twin Fawn trail down to the water for a nice, secluded water play-area).

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Camp with views of water and mountains!

Summary: Ridgway is a huge State Park set in a lovely location right next to Ridgway reservoir at ~7000 feet and within view of the stunning Cimarron mountains. There are 3 campgrounds, 2 of which sit by the reservoir with electric only (Elk Ridge/Dakota Terraces) and one which sits below the dam by the river with full hookup (Pa-Co-Chu-Pak). In general sites are large and easily accessible with pull-throughs being the nicer of the lot. All have lovely “sitting areas” and a few on Elk Ridge/Dakota side have excellent views of the mountains and lake. We stayed at the highest campground (Elk Ridge) as it was furthest away from the road (and thus the quietest). Elk Ridge has a variety of sites from sparse to decent shade, a few nice views (see above), but also a selection of closer-spaced sites and some very uneven sites (we needed to jack up our back on blocks to get level). We thoroughly enjoyed the full range of facilities, miles of hiking and water access at the campground as well as the views. Also, the park was a great base to explore the Million Dollar Highway and surrounding mountains. You are half-way between the high mountains and the high desert of Western CO, so it does heat up here in summer. When we come back we’ll probably stay again at either Elk Ridge or Dakota Terrace, but try to choose one of the more scenic sites.

 Extra Info:  Full Verizon signal at Elk Ridge campground. Sites cost $20/night for electric (30Amp), $24/night for full hook-up (Pa-Co-Chu-Pak only). There is an extra daily park fee of $7/day (can be covered with the Colorado Annual Parks Pass). Over 250 sites, all reservable. On site dump station at Dakota Terraces. On-site laundry.

 Extra, Extra Info – BOONDOCKING: If you’re brave enough to make the drive on the Million Dollar Highway (Hwy 550) there are a few boondocking spots along that stretch. We saw several rigs parked near the entrance to Ironton Park (milemarker 85) just off the highway. Next to Silverton there are apparently 2 popular (= might be crowded) boondocking spots; one east up by the old Eureka townsite and one west along the road to South Mineral NFS CG  (we didn’t visit either of these, but were told about them).

NOTE/ All of my site pics are from Elk Ridge Campground. You can get LOTS more pics of all 3 campgrounds from HERE

Typical back-in site (site #104 shown)

View of our site (#105) in D Loop. We did have a "slice" of mountain view from our side window, but not much shade.

View down our campground loop (our RV on right) showing mountains in the background.

Another view down "D" loop (site #87 on left).

View down "E" loop (site #184 in front with 186 behind). Both these sites have outstanding mountain views to the side.

Another view down "E" loop (site #178 on right)

View of one of the lovely "sitting areas"

View of playground in Elk Ridge

View of main facilities in Elk Ridge

"Arial" view of Dakota Terraces as seen from the highway

Hiking with Polly on one of the many trails

NFS Campground Review – Cayton, San Juan Forest, Rico, CO

View near camphost site at Cayton. "Shaggy" the marmot (on the rock) has been co-camp-host for many years here.

A wonderful forest service campground high in the SW Colorado mountains on Hwy 145 near Rico, CO.

Link to campground here: Cayton Campground, Rico, CO
Link to map location here: Cayton Campground, Rico,CO

1. Site Quality = 4.5/5
   For forest service it rarely gets any better than this. The sites at Cayton were entirely renovated a few years back and it definitely shows. They are large, spacious, flat compacted dirt with good separation (bar a very few exceptions), nice selection of open or shaded and great sitting areas. Each site also has a picnic table, fire-pit and an area to pitch a tent. There are 2 loops
   -> A lower “big RV” loop (sites 2-20) all of which have 50 Amp hookups and several of which sit right next to the stream (particularly sites 10, 13-16), but do have the disadvantage of being right next to the road as well
   -> An upper “small RV” loop (sites 21-27) which is further up the hill (away from the road) and has just as big sites as the lower loop, but simply no hookups. Our 40-footer could fit into either loop without issue, frankly.
   We thought all the sites nice, but the most private were probably #10, #11 in the lower loop and #21, #22 in the upper. My only (veeery minor) ding is that the lower loop sites do get some noise from the Hwy which runs right next door. However the lovely river sound washes out most of it.
2.  Facilities = 3.5/5
   Very decent facilities here. There are several new (modern) and spacious pit toilets and several on-site drinking water spigots. Also a dump station but this is *only* for black tank (you are legally allowed to dump gray at your site, believe it or not).
3. Location = 5/5
   I really think this is a fabulous location. Set high in the CO mountains there are stunning views from several points in camp as well as jeeping (Bolam Pass goes right from the entrance) and direct access to the river from the campground entrance area (this is apparently a prime fly-fishing spot). There is a lovely ”hidden” trail next to Site #21 and endless hiking at Lizard Head Wilderness only a few miles north on Hwy 145. Also you’re only ~6 miles from Rico (with restaurants, cafe) and ~15 miles from Telluride (shopping, restaurants etc.)
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Fabulous spot for doggie. Lots of space to hang out in camp as well as access to romp and play in the river (from your site or just outside the main campground). On-site walking trail near site #21 as well as miles of hiking in nearby mountains.

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Camp next to river and mountains at 9,400 feet!

Summary: Well, we simply LOVED this campground and area. Set beautifully in the high Colorado mountains at 9,400 feet, this is the gateway to endless hiking in the stunning Lizard Head Wilderness and the cool towns of Rico & Telluride. The campground is set right next to a stream with spacious sites, good separation and great “sitting areas”. Selection of choices from river-side (#10-16), to upper loop, from electric (50Amp) to nonhookup and from more open to fully shaded. LOTS of outdoor activities here including hiking, fly-fishing, jeeping and sightseeing. Very decent access throughout (a few tightish turns in the back of the lower loop, but nothing that worried us).  The only minor ding I could give the place is that the lower loop is right below Hwy 145 and you can hear some of the traffic in camp (mind you this is true of almost all the campgrounds on this stretch of road), but from our site most of the noise was washed out by the running river. In summer this spot is perfectly cool and absolutely delightful. This was most definitely our kinda camp and we would certainly come back.

 Extra Info:  NO Verizon signal here (zippo, zip, nada) -> free WiFi at the Dew South Cafe in Rico ~6 miles south. Sites cost $20/night for electric (50Amp), $15/night for non-hookup. 27 sites on 2 loops, with 18 electric. 16 sites are reservable, with other half first-come, first-serve. On site dump station (for black tank only -> you are legally allowed to dump grey at the sites).

 Extra, Extra Info – BOONDOCKING: There are actually a slew of boondocking sites in the open forest service and BLM land alongside Hwy 145. Two particular areas near milemarker 43 and 44 looked easily accessible, open and firm enough to take big rigs. If you have a smaller/lighter rig there are some more private and simply stunning spots up at the top by Lizard Head Pass (take the dirt road to the right towards East Fork trailhead at the pass and you’ll see several previously used spots)

Typical pull-through site (#1 shown)

Typical back-in site (lower loop #12 shown)

Front view of our site (#15)

View of lovely "sitting area". This was our site (#15). The river runs right behind (Paul is standing there) and Hwy 145 up above to the left.

View down lower campground loop (site #6 on left, #5 behind in the back)

Another view down lower campground loop. Our site #15 on right, with #16 & 17 behind.

Another view into lower loop. Sites #20, 19, 18 shown left to right

View down upper loop. Sites #25, 26, 27 shown front to back.

View of facilities

Hanging out by the river near camp

NFS Campground Review – McPHEE Campground, Dolores, CO

The stunning view from the end of Can Do trail at McPHEE Campground

A relaxing forest service campground right on the Trail of the Ancients in Soutwest Colorado.

Link to campground here: McPHEE Campground, Dolores, CO
Link to map location here: McPHEE Campground, Dolores, CO

1. Site Quality = 3.5/5
   The sites are generally very decent with a few slight dings. On the positive side everything is paved with easy access, good separation and a complete selection from full hookups (30Amp/water/sewer = 5 total sites) to electric (30Amp) to nonhookup. Many are suitable for big rigs. Sites have a nice “sitting area” with picnic table and fire-pit. Only slight dings are that some of the sites are rather uneven and shade is sporadic (it can get hot in summer). Also, no real views from the campground except in the tenting sites
2.  Facilities = 3.5/5
   Quite nice facilities here. There are several (very) spacious flush toilets plus multiple water spigots and an on-site dump station. Supposedly the place normally has showers too, but these were not open for 2011 season. The campground has a ½ mile scenic hiking trail (Can Do Trail), plus nearby boat ramp.
3. Location = 4/5
   This is a great location to visit the Trail of the Ancients. You’re only a few miles from the Anasazi Heritage Center and ~8 miles from Dolores. The setting is also nice being on a ridge with views of McPHEE reservoir from the Can Do hiking trail. My main ding is that there’s no access to walk by the water. The slopes into the reservoir are very steep with no trails or real “shoreline” to speak of.
4. Pet Friendliness = 4/5
   This is totally pet friendly as all forest campgrounds are. My only dings are that there is only a small hiking trail at the campground itself (½ mile), with very little hiking around anywhere close. Also there’s no real way to access & splash in the water.

Overall Rating = 3.75
BONUS ALERT = Walk to a 360-degree view of water, mesa, plains and mountains!

Summary: McPHEE is a very relaxed campground set at 7,400 feet on a ridge at above McPHEE Reservoir just 8 miles or so west ofDolores,CO. It’s got paved sites and roads throughout and has the advantage of offering a full selection of sites from full-hookup to tenting. Overall the sites are nice with good separation and spacious “sitting areas”. The only dings are lack of significant shade (it really does get hot in summer), some sites are uneven, plus there’s no real view of either the reservoir or surrounding area from the campsites. On the positive side the ½ mile on-site Can Do trail offers a short walk to spectacular 360-degree views of the entire area including the reservoir, Mesa Verde, the northern mountains and even into theFour Cornersarea (it’s definitely the highlight of the campground). Also, the campground is in a prime spot to explore the Trail of the Ancients. My only disappointment was there is no real way to enjoy the water if you haven’t got a boat. The slopes into McPHEE reservoir are steep with no trails or shoreline to speak of. So, unfortunately it was look, but no splash for us. It’s a lightly visited campground and we enjoyed our stay, but will probably search for something with more hiking next time we come back.

 Extra Info:  Good Verizon signal here. Sites cost $25/night for full hookup (30Amp/water/sewer = 5 sites only), $20/night for electric and $15/night for non-hookup. 71 sites on 2 loops, with 24 electric. Group area available. Approx 70% of sites are reservable, with other half first-come, first-serve. On site dump station.

NOTE/ All my pictures are from Pinon Loop, but the sites on Juniper are very similar.

View from back of our pull-in campsite (Site #10E Pinon)

Typcal back in (site #15 Pinon shown)

View down Pinon campground loop (site #6 on right)

View down campground loop. Full hookup Site #29E Pinon shown

View of our lovely shaded "sitting area" at Site #10E. We thought this one of the nicer in the loop.

View of facilities

RV Park Review – Mesa Verde RV Resort, Mancos, CO

View from the green "walking area" at Mesa Verde RV Resort

A very nice private park located only 1/2 mile from the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park in SW Colorado.

Link to park here: Mesa Verde RV Resort
Link to map location here: Mesa Verde RV Resort

1. Site quality = 3.5/5
   This site quality is pretty decent here. All sites are dirt, decently flat (a few do have some lean) with picnic table and varying amounts of shade.  There is a selection of premium sites (100-foot long), regular full hook-up, partial hook-up (electric/water) and tenting sites. Overall the campground has nice amounts of trees and landscaping. Only ding is that in some sites your neighbours hookups do encroach on your “sitting area” and there is no fire-pit.
2. Facilities = 5/5
   Excellent facilities here. The toilets/showers are all brand new and kept beautifully clean. Large walk-in showers with plenty of space and good water pressure, hooks for your clothes and movable seats. Everything is modern and extremely nice. One of the best facilities we’ve seen on our travels so far.
3. Amenities = 5/5
   Excellent amenities. The main office is a very new with loads of information about the area plus excellent (perfectly new) laundry room with books and magazines.  Outside there is a pool area and hot-tub, plus quite a large green walking and dog area behind the sites. Free on site WiFi which works great except under very high load (i.e. park is full). On-site propane and dump station.
4. Location = 5/5
   You come here to visit Mesa Verde and for that the park couldn’t be in a better location. You are only 1/2 mile from the entrance to the National Park and have a pretty view of Mesa Verde from the campground. You are also only ~7 miles from Mancos which has both shopping and plenty of hiking trails in the forest.
5. Pet friendliness = 4/5
   Great doggie spot. There is a nicely sized on-site green walking area and the park provides a doggie biscuit and bag on arrival (very cute!). The only slight ding is they do have breed restrictions (particularly pit bulls).

 Overall rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Camp within view of Mesa Verde National Park!

Summary: We wanted a quiet, pet-friendly (and fireworks-free) spot to spend July 4th week-end, So we decided to splurge and do something different by staying for a few days in a private park. Mesa Verde RV Resort worked out perfectly. As far as private parks go, this was very nice. The amenities and facilities are new, spotlessly clean and absolutely top-notch with almost everything you could want including pool, hot-tub, WiFi, laundry room, propane and even a lovely green walking area for you and doggie. The sites are very decent with a full selection from full-hookup huge 100-foot sites to tenting. Only slight ding is that sites are dirt and some of the hookups do encroach from neighbour to neighbour. There are nice areas of trees and shade and you have a lovely view of Mesa Verde right from your site. Also location is excellent being only 1/2 mile from the entrance to the National Park. This is the top-rated RV park in the area and we can understand why. It met our requirements for the week-end, and for those looking for a very nice private park I would definitely recommend it. As for us, if we come back we’ll probably chose something cheaper and more natural (see below).

Extra Info: Verizon aircard and smartphone had full signal. Free WiFi on-site. Sites $ 38.95/night (regular full-hookup). They do offer a Good Sam’s and AAA discount. 

Extra, Extra Info – Cheaper? For those looking for a cheaper and more natural environment there are a few close-by choices.
-> Mesa Verde National Park has an on-site campground and thanks to Down The Road and Around The Bend we know they can take 40-footers. Mesa Verde allow dogs in the campground but *not* on any of the trails.
-> Mancos State Park is only ~10 miles from Mesa Verde and offers primitive (non hookup) forest sites and access to lots of pooch-friendly hiking.

Extra, Extra Info – Boondocking:  On driving around we discovered some sweeeeet bondocking spots in the San Juan Forest only ~15 miles from Mesa Verde NP. Take CR 42 from Mancos towards Mancos State Park. Continue ~3.5 miles past the last turn-off to Mancos along Forest Road 561. There are plenty of boondocking spots in large grassy areas along the FS road between Mancos State Park and Transfer Campground. It’s a dusty dirt road to get there, but road is wide/firm and access is very good, even for big-rigs. Also, tons of paw-friendly hiking in the surrounding forest.

View of our site #22 at Mesa Verde RV Park

View down one lane of the campground. You can see our RV at very back left of pic.

Another view across middle of campground.

View from back walking area towards the campground. We're on the left and Mesa Verde is in the background.

View of the premium (100-foot) sites

View of pool and hot-tub area

View of main office/laundry/facilities

NFS Campground Review – West Fork, San Juan Forest, Pagosa Springs, CO

Playing on a spur of the San Juan River in West Fork Campground

A simply lovely forest campground in the Forest valley just north of Pagosa Springs in South Central Colorado.

Link to campground here: West Fork Campground, San Juan Forest
Link to map location here: West Fork Campground, San Juan Forest

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Nice sites for a forest campground. All are primitive (no hookups) spacious, decently flat compact dirt with picnic table and fire-pit surrounded by deep pine forest. Great site separation and privacy with nice “sitting area” and good access. Most sites have good to medium shade. Several sites have river access only 20 feet or so away (sites #16,#18) and many are large enough for bigger rigs (esp. #2, 17, 21, 26)
2.  Facilities = 2/5
   Typical primitive forest facilities. There are several pit toilets, all kept very nicely clean. Water spigots on-site but no dump station.
3. Location = 5/5
   Just a lovely location. You are deep in a forest valley with lots of seclusion, yet only steps away from the San Juan River and stunning mountain views. Lots of nearby hiking plus all the shopping and eating you’d like ~14 miles away in Pagosa Springs.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Another great doggie spot. You’re right next to the San Juan River which has lots of opportunities for hiking and splashing around (there’s a “hidden” trail directly behind the pit toilet next to site #18 which continues down to a cute water area (to the right) or back, across the road and up the hill on the other side (to the left)).

Overall Rating = 4
BONUS ALERT = Camp deep in the forest next to river and mountain views!

Summary: This was simply a lovely find. If you’re looking for a primitive, secluded and quiet forest campground with access to river and just steps away from nature, hiking and stunning mountain views then this is your spot. There are several other forest service campgrounds in this area (e.g. East Fork, Lower Piedra, Ute etc.), but West Fork seems to have the best access and largest sites. Located beautifully in the rugged valley just ~14 miles north of Pagosa Springs, the campground has nice, spacious sites (several large enough for bigger rigs) with great separation and picnic table/fire-pit. A few sites have river access very close by (esp. #16, 18). The only ding I could think of is it does take a bit to get here. It’s ~1.5 miles on a firm (and decently wide), but very dusty road from Hwy 160. Within the campground the road has good access with a few turns, but nothing that concerned us. Overall an outstanding spot to hang around in nature and explore Pagosa Springs, Wolf Creek Pass and the surrounding attractions. We would most certainly come again.

 Extra Info:  Very spotty cellphone reception here, but we were able to get a good internet connection with our external amp/antenna on Verizon. Sites cost $16/night (no hookups). 28 sites of which 15 are reservable. NO dump station.

One of the larger pull-throughs (site #21 shown)

One of the non-reservation back-in sites (#2 shown)

View of typical "sitting area" with picnic table and fire-pit

View down campground loop (we're in site #18 with site #16 behind)

Another view down campground loop (RV shown in site #24)

Another view down campground loop (red car is in site #12 with #14 behind it)

View of one of pit toilets

View of our very spacious "siting area" in site #18. Shade in AM with sun in afternoon and the river accessible just steps away.

SP Campground Rating – Boyd Lake (Loveland, CO)

Before we go on with our gripping travel tales, just a quick review of the campsite we stayed at in Loveland, CO.

Link to campground here: Boyd Lake State Park

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Very nice sites here. All are long, curved pull-though concrete pads and have electric hook-ups (20/30/50 Amp). Nice separation between campers with grass, bench and grill. Only small ding is that pads are a tad tight (width-wise) and not all sites have shade.
2. Facilities = 4.5/5
   Top marks for facilities here. There’s flush toilets, kept nicely clean and coin-operated showers with excellent pressure. Central dump station and potable water on-site too.
3. Location = 5/5
   The park is beautifully located right next to Boyd Lake with direct access to swimming beach, water, biking and hiking trails. There’s even a small store at the swim-beach, plus playgrounds and grilling areas at various points around the lake. You’re also just ~1 mile away from central Loveland and a quick 20-min jaunt from Fort Collins with all the shopping you’d ever need.
4. Pet Friendliness = 4.5/5
   The park is pet friendly and there’s miles of hiking around the lake to walk doggie. Only slight ding…you can’t (officially) let fido swim in the lake.

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = An oasis of green and water right next to Loveland

Summary: We were pleasantly surprised by this gem of a park. It was just meant as a place to park for our 2-day stopover while we serviced the RV, but we ended up loving the place. Located ~1 mile from Loveland, it’s beautifully situated next to a large lake (only 5 mins walk from any campsite) and surrounded by miles of hiking and biking trails. All the sites are level, concrete and have the bonus of electric hook-up. We were able to sit at our campsite and watch the sun set over the lake while Polly played in the grass. If we come through here again, we’ll definitely stay longer.

Extra Info: AT&T cellphone and Verizon wireless card both worked here. Sites $20/night, but you also need to pay $7/night for Park Entrance fee. 148 sites, reservable online.

Typical campsite. Curved concrete pad with bench & grill

View of our site at the end of Loop D

View of the loop opposite our site

Hiking/biking trails next to the lake

Early colors of sunset over the lake (view from the RV)

RV Park Rating – Winding River Resort (Grand Lake, CO)

Here’s a review of the awesome park we stayed at in Grand Lake for 2 weeks. This is a HUGE park so we’ll dedicate a longer review and a few more pics. Suffice to say we loved it… 

Link to website here: Winding River Resort 

1. Site Quality = 2/5
   The site quality is not the strong point in this park. It’s a rustic country park and the sites reflect that. All sites are dirt, of various sizes and levels. Several do get muddy in the rain and hookups are not always in the most obvious location. However there’s generally alot of open space and nice separation between sites. A portion of sites are full hook-ups (30A only) and others are only water/electric, but the hookups work as they should. All sites have dug-out fire-pit and bench. Several sites cater to horse-campers and have separate pens for horses and 70-feet lengths.
2. Facilities = 4.5/5
   There’s two main sets of toilets/showers and both are modern and work as they should. They are kept clean although they do get alot of use (and the surrounding area can be muddy with unpredictable Mountain weather). Nice pressure in the showers and all have separate chair and hooks. My only ding is that I wish there were a few more facilities. Since the park is so huge, the showers are sometimes full.
3. Amenities = 4.5/5
   Very nice set of amenities here. This park is really a country wonderland. It’s huge (takes a good 25 minutes to walk from end to end) with open space, grass, playground, horse stables, animal farm (with donkey, pigs, sheep, chickens, rabbits and a bunch of other “petting” animals) and pasture-land. They also offer hayrides, chuckwagon meals (breakfast and a few dinners), and ice cream social. As a bonus a river runs through the park and you can access the water from the bank. As for WiFi it’s free and it does work…sometimes. When we were near the entrance it worked, but did not work in the back of the park, so they get a bit of a ding for that.
4. Location = 5/5
   I really can’t imagine a better location. This park borders the Rocky Mountain National Park on the one side and National Forest on the other. So, you can literally hike into either location right from the park. It’s beautifully surrounded by mountains and only ~3 miles to Grand Lake (for shopping, eating etc.)
5. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   This is a country park run by horse-folk so it’s extremely pet-friendly. There’s literally acres of space for doggie to play including grassland and river. The owners have a dog “Nugget” who runs free-range in the park helping the workers and acting as the local dog-greeter. So, they’re open to off-leash walking (as long as the dog is under control) and are happy to have the dog meet the local horses and animals in the farm.

Overall rating = 4.2
BONUS ALERT - Acres of land, river and views right smack next to Rocky Mountain National Park and the Arapaho Forest 

 Summary: Honestly this may be the biggest RV park we’ve ever seen and it’s as close to nature as you could have it. Located beautifully at 8,400 feet right smack in the middle of a mountain valley with access to Rocky Mountain National Park on one side and National Forest on the other. They have acres of land and cater to horse-camping as well as tents and RV’s. It’s basically a nature-lovers playground with plenty of space between campers and gorgeous mountain views. The only negative is that it’s a bit on the rustic side (no fancy sites here) and they’ve been devastated by the Pine Beetle so there’s only a spattering of trees left (the owners had to fell over 8,000 on the property). We talked to people who said the park used to be like a dense forest before the beetle took most of the trees. Despite that we loved the place. We were able to walk Polly for miles (around the park and the national forest), play in the stream, pet the animals, go for a horse ride, and personally we don’t mind that it’s a bit rustic. We’d definitely stay here again. 

Typical site view...dirt with dug-out fire-pit and bench

View into main park of park. You can see alot of tree stumps from the Pine Beetle devastation.

View down the road along middle of the park

"Aerial" view of the park from hike up next-door mountain. You can see RV sites in middle section and on the right.

Horse-stables and rides

Pasture-land and more horses on property

Polly plays by the river on the resort grounds

Polly meets the piglets on the animal farm

NF Campsite Review – Kelly Dahl (Nederland, CO)

A quick review of the Natonal Forest campground we stayed at near Nederland, CO. 

Link to Campground Here: Kelly Dahl Campground, CO

1. Site Quality = 3/5
   There’s definitely variation in site quality here. All sites are dirt and vary quite a bit in size and levelness (the one we reserved, although it was listed as a 40′ site was too small and uneven for us to fit, so we switched on arrival). Selection of sites with shade or more open. Most sites have a pretty forest view with a good deal of space between campers. Each site also has a table, fire-pit and grill.
2. Facilities = 2.5/5
   There’s pit toilets and a playground on-site, but no other major facilities. There’s also potable water at several locatons. No dump station.
3. Location = 5/5
   This is a gorgeous location with direct access to trails in the National Forest and a quick 3-mile drive to Nederland. Beautiful views of the forest and surrounding mountains.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   They’re pooch friendly here and you can have your dog hang out at your campsite and on the trails.

Overall Rating = 3.9
BONUS ALERT = gorgeous mountain location and zany Nederland at your doorstep

Summary: This was a gorgeous stop for us next to Nederland, CO. The campsite is located at 8,600 feet and is nestled right in the Arapaho forest. Half of the sites are reservable whereas other half are first-come-first-serve. There’s definitely sites for big-rigs, but I’d say the majority of the campground is better suited for tenters or smaller rigs (only a handful of sites are level or large enough for big-rigs). There’s direct access to trails from the campground and it’s a short ride to Nederland and miles of other trails around the area. Overall it’s a primitive campground in a pretty and serene natural setting. We’d definitely stay here again.

 Extra Info: Much to our surprise our AT&T cellphones worked, but our Verizon wireless card didn’t. Sites cost $17/night. Water, but no dump station. No hookups. Mix of reserve and first-come-first-serve sites.

Entrance to Kelly Dahl

Shade site in first-come-first-serve area

Site in reservable area with a sliver of a view

View along more open side of the campground

On-site playground

RV Park Rating – Dakota Ridge RV Park (Golden, CO)

A quick review of the RV Park we stayed at in Golden, CO before we get back to travel tales and frivolities.

The park doesn’t have a dedicated website, but you can see general info in this link: Dakota Ridge RV Park

1. Site Quality = 3.5/5
   Overall decent site quality here. Long, paved, flat surfaces with 30/50-amp hookups (although you pay extra for the 50-amp), decent water pressure and sewer. Sites near the entrance are shaded whereas the ones in the East-side are not. There’s a slice of green between each campground with the one negative that you share it with your neighbor which is why we gave them a ding. No cable.
2. Facilities = 4/5
   Good facilities here. Large showers (with separate bench) and clean toilets in a modern environment. The only negative is that water-pressure (in the shower) gets affected every time someone flushes the loo, but otherwise no issues.
3. Amenities = 3.5/5
   Good selection of amenities here. Pool, hot-tub, fitness room, playground, lounge-room (with billiards, book-swap and movies), and a good-sized laundry-room. Only two dings were no cable and the WiFi, albeit free, was very, very inconsistent (in fact it didn’t work half the time we were there). Thus the ding in ratings…
4. Location = 4/5
   This is a fairly convenient location in Golden. It’s close to hiking trails, but only a few miles from town, and there’s a mere ~10 miles into Denver. You’re on the outskirts of town, but still within town. I’d give ‘em a higher score if there were more hiking trails right off the site and it was a tad quieter, but otherwise this is a good base to explore the area.
5. Pet Friendliness = 4/5
   They’re open to pets (no breed restrictions) and offer poo-bags and a dog-run on-site.

Overall rating = 3.8

 Summary: Overall this is one of the better campgrounds in the area. They keep it pretty, offer good service and work on greenery and amenities. I would have liked to see a little more space between sites with a private area for each RV, but when I compared to the park across the street (where RV”s were literally packed like sardines) this is a much nicer set-up. Being one of the fancier parks also means it’s jam packed. In our 10 days there we never saw a site sit empty for more than ½ a day, so if you’re coming in the summer, book ahead. Being busy also means it a bit on the noisy side and you do hear traffic on Hwy 6 which runs right in front. Location is decent as far as exploring the area. You’re close to town, Denver and the parks. There’s only one hike on-site which requires bush-whacking across the field behind the storage facility (gets you to Hogsback), but otherwise you’re close to many hikes in nearby William F Hayden Park and other areas in Golden. Overall a very decent “city” RV park, but if we come back we’ll probably try to find something quieter and closer to nature.

Typical site view...paved area with slice of green shared w/ your neighbour

View of sites near entrance

View along the right side of the park where there are more shade-trees

Pet Walk area. You can bush-whack up the hill trail in the back.

Pool area

Playground and main lounge/lobby in background