We are wanting to make a trip to the Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park area in Colorado and are searching for info on the campgrounds available. Have read TG1956 s and Trlrboy s comments in the Campground reviews (MidWest) but thought we might get more. We need full hookups for several reasons, but being financially challenged/fixed incomes/etc are looking for something fairly nice but at a cost more reasonable than what is showing on the internet if there is anything available other than certifiable dumps. Any suggestions? Any recommended " Mon & Pops" in that area? We camp mostly for the view in the area, a little R&R, and will visit the RMNP and other sights in area, but age (back, knees, etc) doesn t allow us to get into much in the way of hiking, etc.
What about other areas in Colorado?
Any comments, suggestions appreciated.
WayfarerThe price for full hookup sites varies, by how far out of town you want.
Now all these are water and elec. I didn t ask about sewer:
Estes KOA $33/night (970)586-2888
www.koa.com Click on Colorado
Estes Park Campground $28.75 (970)586-4188
www.estesparkcampground.com
Riverview Campground - 20 miles(?) (970)667-9910
$24/night
www.riverviewcamp.com
But RMNP doesn t have hookups.
Personally we don t stay at any of them, (private CG s). I think out of the 3, I would chose Riverview, and make the drive up to Estes. These will give you an idea of price anyway.
also there is:
Blue Arrow (970)586-5342
Mary s Lake (970)586-4411
National Park Resort (970)586-4563
Seven Pines (970)586-3809
Spruce Lake (970)586-2889
Hope that helps.
WayfarerHi Wayfarer,
You might check in a Trailer Life or similar Campground Directory and see what they list. My understanding is that the RMNP campgrounds are primitive, but then the price is right and you are VERY close to nature. I suspect Estes Park is going to be pretty pricey in general.
The Trailer Life Directory gave the Estes Park Campground good marks in the areas that are important to my family - clean bathroom/showers and a clean campground. They did get a low rating for the quality of their check-in area, but we aren t going to be hanging out there. A friend of mine, who, by the way, is pretty (very!) particular has camped there for a few years in a row and he suggested it. I respect TrlrBoy s opinion (I know he s a more experienced pop up camper than I am), but I decided to keep my reservation at Estes Park Campground. However, I did check the " Mary s lake campground" website and it looks really good, too. I ll definately drive through Mary s Lake when I m out there and check them out as we WILL be back.
BTW, when will you be in Estes Park? We re going up the week of August 11th.
Good Luck - TG
WayfarerWe will also be in the area in early August. After doing a lot of research, we found RMNP too primitive as we wanted elec. Try Colorado State Parks, they usually have flush toilets and showers. They have power but no individual water hookups. But the faucets are pretty centally located throughout the parks. We are staying at Golden Gate Canyon park and will drive to RMNP. We are paying $18.00 a night. Alot of the state parks put together programs and lectures. You many want to check out their state parks. Hope this helps.
Mary
WayfarerStone Mountain Lodge & Cabins
18055 N. St Vrain Drive
Lyons, Colorado 80540
303-823-6091 or 800-282-5612
E-Mail: info@stonemountainlodge.com
http://www.stonemountainlodge.com/
20 min to Estes Park, 20 min to Boulder, fishing across the street. We have reservations for a week in July. $20/night[:D][:D]
WayfarerThanks, guys. Appreciate all the info and will keep it on file. We had planned to make the trip sometimes after July 4th but as of now everything is on hold. Had to put the Rockwood in the shop for some warranty adjustments and have no idea when I will get it back as the RV Repair place had RV s standing in line to find a place to park and leave it, etc. Perhaps we ll wait until the " summer" season is over and head up in the early fall. Or, maybe sooner. Who knows?
Any further suggestions, comments, reports or whatever are welcome - just jump in anywhere and add your thoughts....
Mary, TG: Enjoy your trip. Please post us a report.
Chuck [:)]
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Wayfarer[font=" comic sans ms" ]Chuck ~
We stayed at Mary s Lake CG when we were out there last year. While I liked the location and the views were awesome ~ the CG itself was one big dirt parking lot. I wouldn t recommend that one. I think when we get that way again we ll follow Mary s advice and find a state park.
btw ~ you seem to be following us around the country ~ first the Grand Canyon and now Colorado ~ we ll be within 300 miles of you in August. Let me know if you want to join us [:D][/font]
WayfarerRifle Falls SP and Ridgway SP, both on the western side of Colorado, are wonderful state parks. You can find full reviews and pictures on my website (link below), in the June 2002 trips section.
WayfarerI like the idea of camping in the National Park. This will be just the second trip for us, so I m going to play it a little safe. We re going to stay with Estes Park Campground since we already have the reservation. I ll file a report when we get back home.
WayfarerLooks as though we might get our Rockwood back in time to make a trip in July...but that s not a sure thing...so we ll likely wait till fall. Appreciate all the research passed on in this thread.
Some observations, thoughts:
MtnCamper (Gary) - That link you posted for the " Riverview Camp" says it is a camp for girls 6-16. Don t think that will work for us, but do appreciate the thought. [&:]
mwh710 - Stone Mountain Lodge seems like the way to go with a somewhat decent price, but with only something like 10 RV spaces, might not have opening too often. Also didn t say anything about water hookups. Still sounds good, tho. Thanks.
The State Parks seem like good deals, but hard to get any really detailed information. Do they have a brochure or whatever that tells what parks have what kind of hookups? Might check and see if I can get printed information.
The RMNP campground is nice, but too primitive for me. Believe I ll stay with a few more conveniences.
Still hope we can get away to somewhere this month, even if not to Colorado. We need to get our Rockwood back and go somewhere or this 50+ year marriage might just collapse! We re both coming down with a real bad case of cabin fever and it s only been a little over a week.[8D]
Again, thanks for all the info...
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Wayfarer
QuoteThe State Parks seem like good deals, but hard to get any really detailed information. Do they have a brochure or whatever that tells what parks have what kind of hookups? Might check and see if I can get printed information.
Rifle Falls had power, and shared water...we filled out water tank and disconnected so the neighbors could use it. On our third day there, the neighbors moved out, and we had the water all to ourselves. No showers here, however, and the dump station is several miles down the road. However...the park is beautiful.
Ridgway has full hookups, including septic. Showers, laundrymat, playgrounds.
WayfarerOops, that s what they told me on the phone, but try this one.
[link=http://www.gocampingamerica.com/riverviewco/]RiverView Campground.[/link]
WayfarerI am rather partial to the campgrounds in RMNP. Glacier is where I camp most of the time on the east side and Timbercreek on the west. They don t have hookups, but the ones in Estes Park are typical of RV parks, too crowded for me.
I don t mind no hookups, it is still such a step up from the tenting days, luxury to me! My kids still pitch the tent, they like their own space (they re teenagers).
WayfarerMy DH s review site has at least one review for Estes Park campgrounds, there may even be more on there by now - www.campg.com .
One thing I noticed about all the campgrounds in Estes Park was that all the sites seem to be pretty small and basically bare of trees. The beauty is in the surrounding scenery, but not in the CGs themselves.
The CG we stayed at (I believe it was Spruce Lake) was crowded, but we really enjoyed our stay. The river ran right along it, and the employees were very pet friendly - stopping to give our dogs dog treats whenever they happened by.
Speaking of the dogs, they enjoyed the experience, as when we went out to watch the elk that wandered into the campground, they helped themselves to the steaks on the table. [&:]
It s beautiful country out there - RMNP is one of my favorite places. Have a great time!
WayfarerA little off topic, But I re-discovered a campground this week that is at the very northeast corner of RMNP.(No road to the are being discussed). It s a gravel road into it, 9 miles, then a small primitive campground, $5 / night now $10 when they turn the water on (this week). But it s at 10,030 feet altitude. We are going back there in 3 weeks! Should be pretty empty during the week.
WayfarerWe stayed at Estes Park Campground a couple years ago and liked it. Real convenient to the park and our site was fairly secluded. I always put up a hummingbird feeder and this place had the most action of any place we have camped.
WayfarerWe are booked for Spruce Lake on July 21-23, then Estes Park CG on July 24-27, then down to Colo Spgs from July 28-31. (sorry Trlrboy). The RMNP and others are just too primitive for 2 teenage boys, a DH addicted to sports and an old, old dog (that s the pekinese!).
I ll post our reviews when we get back, realizing they won t be anything like the parks.
Oddly enough, attending a family reunion here in Illinois last week -- found out that a distant cousin from Iowa will be at Spruce Lake with her family the same week we are! They are new to PUs and rented one last year but opted for the cabin this year. They said last year at Spruce Lake the elk come right up at breakfast time to the mini golf area. That s the place to have your coffee!
Come see us if you re in the neighborhood. We ll be sporting our PUT and IRV2 stickers!
WayfarerGee, thanks for all the suggestions, etc. Looks like we ll not be getting away anytime soon as the Rockwood repairs are still in limbo plus a couple of other considerations having to do with being chronologically advanced. We want to go camping so bad but are hesitant to make plans, reservations, whatever... You guys enjoy your trips. I m jealous! [:@]
I think I know what people in " detox" go through. We feel like we are in " decamp" and are beginning to crawl the walls! [8D]
Pray for us! [:(]
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WayfarerWe re also considering Colorado in early August. One big problem with DH s work schedule is he isn t always sure when he can get away (the headache of an owner!). Anyway, I ve been looking at Estes Park CG & National Park Resort. Some of the others look like they might be too much like a parking lot. Please be sure to post your thoughts on the CGs you visit so we can get a better feel for it, although by then we might have reservations somewhere already!
Sharon
WayfarerColorado is a popular place! We are headed there next year. We would like to go in the fall and catch some colors. About when does the color change kick in there?