RV Park Rating – Glenwood Canyon RV Resort (No Name, CO)

This was the RV site we stayed at close to Glenwood Springs. Unfortunately I think we were duped by a pretty website. You’ll see below… 

Link to Park here: Glenwood Canyon RV Resort 

1. Site quality = 1/5
   We were very disappointed with the site quality here, especially considering this is a pricier RV park. The sites were small, unkept,without shade and rocky. 50 Amp hook-up and water, but sewer was oddly located at the very front of the site forcing several RV’ers to stick out or move forward to dump unless they had extensions. Each site was separated by a rocky slice with a bench which was uncomfortable and not really usable as sitting space. Most sites did not have space for a car either, so people parked in front of their RV’s. There are small, shaded sites down by the Colorado river, but these are not accessible by big-rigs and are mostly for tent-campers only.
2. Facilities = 2/5
   Once again a disappointment here. The main RV showers/bathrooms were basic concrete and not well-kept (bugs in the lights and mould on several of the shower curtains). Water pressure was also poor. There is a newer bathroom up the hill (for the cabins), but not really useful for the RV sites.
3. Amenities = 2/5
   Once again, a poor selection of amenities especially considering the park price. No pool and no cable. Laundry, albeit an expensive one. The main positive was free WiFi. There is a zip-line, but it costs $32 to ride it across the Colorado. There is also a river-rafting group (Rock Gardens) on-site.
4. Location = 4/5
   Location is really the one and only attraction of this park. It’s located right in the middle of Glenwood Canyon and alongside the Colorado river, so an absolutely gorgeous spot. There’s access to hiking trails directly from the park including the 16-mile Glenwood Canyon Recreation trail. It’s also only a few miles away from Glenwood Springs.
5. Pet friendliness = 4/5
   They do accept pets and do not have breed restrictions, plus they do offer poo-bags on-site. Easy access to hiking trails for doggie.

 Overall rating = 2.6 

Summary: Well, this was a case of duped by the website for us, I think and we booked it before we discovered National Forests and other such gems. This is a pricy RV park ($50/night) and we expected quite the fancy get-up, but were sorely disappointed by the site quality, amenities and facilities. It’s not a bad park, but just way overpriced for what they offer.  The main thing this place has going for it is location, and I guess the Colorado River-side spot allows them to charge the big bucks and still get visitors. We weren’t the only ones duped, however, and talked to several other RV’ers who were disappointed on arrival. In the end we ended up loving the surrounding area despite the park, so the experience worked out, but I wouldn’t stay here again. 

Basic RV site with rocky slice on the side

Open view of area where the big-rigs are parked

View of RV sites across from ours. Most people parked their cars in front.

Cabins in upper location of park

Lower sites by the Colorado river. These are mostly tent-sites and would be too small for big-rigs.

Whisky and Gunfights – the story of Doc Holiday

‘Although he sometimes drank three quarts of whiskey a day, he was the most skillful gambler, and the nerviest, fastest, deadliest man with a six-gun I ever saw.’ Wyatt Earp describing Doc Holiday in a 1896 article

There’s something about old Western Tales that draw you in. It’s the allure of the Wild West, the stories of frontiersmen, gunslingers, gamblers and pioneers. Like the fish that got away, the stories get bigger in the re-telling and that only makes them all the more interesting.

Doc Holiday is one of those great tales. He was either one of the deadliest gunmen that ever lived, or a drunken gambler with a fiery temper that got involved in all the wrong fights. Either way he lived a fascinating life that was both short, wild and infamous. A dentist by trade, he was best known for the historic gunfight at OK Corral in 1881 where, according to legend, 30 shots were fired in 30 seconds. Doc survived and he continued to gamble and drink his way across the West while roping up a romantic involvement with the tough and hot-headed “Big Nose Kate“.

At the end of his life he sought the healing waters of Glenwood Springs in a final attempt to save his body from the ravages of consumption (tuberculosis). Alas, it was too late and he died and a few months later, after a final shot of whisky, at the ripe age of 36. They buried him somewhere on the hill in Linwood Cemetery above town. In keeping with the mystery of it all, no-one knows exactly where his body is buried but you can take the 1/2 mile hike up to the graveyard, see his marker and immerse yourself in the wild, crazy history of it all.

Doc Holiday's Marker in Linwood Cemetary...he's not buried here, but could be somewhere closeby

Potters Field...the poor section of Linwood

View of Glenwood Springs from the trail up Jasper Mountain to the cemetary

Mountain Air, Gunslingers and…weed? (Glenwood Springs, CO)

We had a lot of expectations coming into Glenwood Springs. It’s the final resting home of notorious gunslinger Doc Holiday, is located just south of upper-class Aspen and is set in a winding canyon right alongside the Colorado river. All this we knew and were prepared for. When we arrived the glorious cliffs did not disappoint, the Colorado was roaring in all it’s glory and the glossy local magazines reflected there’s money in the place.

What we did not expect was the weed.

Slipped in amongst the historic 1893 Colorado Hotel (a favourite of President Roosevelt in his time) and centuries-old vapour caves used by the Ute Indians (now a posh spa) are over 100 dispensaries of local ganja, freely advertizing up to 50+ different strains of medicinal weed. It’s an odd mix and we can’t quite get a grip for how it happened, but I guess these parts have always attracted the eccentric.

Glenwood Springs also surprises in other ways. Despite a mere ~8,000 population it’s got the feel of a big city in a small town. There’s an active theatre scene, plenty of downtown restaurants and a local brewery. Add to that endless options of outdoor activities including hiking, river rafting, rock-climbing, biking and riding…and that’s just the summer roster. It’s a fine melange and the first place we’ve come across outside of CA where we could envision settling down. But then again, we’re a bit odd too….

Biking along the 16-mile Glenwood Canyon Recreational Trail

Late afternoon light on the mountains in Glenwood Canyon

Dandelion in morning light

Polly and Paul on the trail

"green" medicine in downtown Glenwood Springs