Recommendations & info re. Colo state parks in summer, pls

[trailernovice]

I'd appreciate any recommendations re. Colorado state parks in the Denver/four hours or less west of Denver area...this would be a summer trip, so 'it's a great skiing area' is unimportant...

Would be pulling rig in signature...are there any state parks that are difficult/impossible to access with a truck/trailer combination like ours?

Do the colorado state parks get booked up for summer visits, such at it's critical to make a reservation months in advance?

We'd want to stay somewhere in the Denver area, camping in the mountains

Thanks for input

[Thom02099]

fanrgs wrote:
Go to the Colorado State Parks Website interactive map HERE and use the drop-down menu to look for camping. You will see the locations for all the SPs with camping shown on the map, so you can find all the parks within 4 hours of Denver.

And, since it is only 4 hours via I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction and less than that to Steamboat Springs and Alamosa, you will have a lot of choices. Do you want recommendations for some of the most scenic within that distance that we have stayed in using our annual Colorado SP pass? If so, I would second the suggestions listed above, especially Golden Gate Canyon SP and Mueller SP near Cripple Creek, and add Rifle Falls SP north of I-70 near Rifle, Colorado State Forest on CO 14 west of Ft. Collins, and Steamboat Lake SP north of US 40 and Steamboat Springs.

You might even see a moose in the Colorado State Forest since that was the first place they were reintroduced!

If you choose to go to Colorado State Forest State Park, select Ranger Lakes CG. It's right off CO14, and you will certainly see moose, early morning and in the evening. Every time we've gone there, we've seen moose. Have reservations there in a few weeks. If possible, book a site at the extreme S/SE (far left on the map) end of the CG; there's a meadow that they like and can watch them from your campsite.

[JAC1982]

Agree with the entire list above. Also to add in, Carter Lake or Flatiron Reservoir outside of Loveland. They are ran by Larimer County, and I prefer them over Boyd Lake or St Vrain since they're quieter. Obviously you can't use a State Park pass there though.

And also yes, book as soon as the 6 month window opens. Weekdays aren't as hard but weekends are impossible to do with short notice.

[Busskipper]

fanrgs wrote:
Go to the Colorado State Parks Website interactive map HERE and use the drop-down menu to look for camping. You will see the locations for all the SPs with camping shown on the map, so you can find all the parks within 4 hours of Denver.

And, since it is only 4 hours via I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction and less than that to Steamboat Springs and Alamosa, you will have a lot of choices. Do you want recommendations for some of the most scenic within that distance that we have stayed in using our annual Colorado SP pass? If so, I would second the suggestions listed above, especially Golden Gate Canyon SP and Mueller SP near Cripple Creek, and add Rifle Falls SP north of I-70 near Rifle, Colorado State Forest on CO 14 west of Ft. Collins, and Steamboat Lake SP north of US 40 and Steamboat Springs.

You might even see a moose in the Colorado State Forest since that was the first place they were reintroduced!

^^^^^ Good Advice ^^^^^

[fanrgs]

Go to the Colorado State Parks Website interactive map HERE and use the drop-down menu to look for camping. You will see the locations for all the SPs with camping shown on the map, so you can find all the parks within 4 hours of Denver.

And, since it is only 4 hours via I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction and less than that to Steamboat Springs and Alamosa, you will have a lot of choices. Do you want recommendations for some of the most scenic within that distance that we have stayed in using our annual Colorado SP pass? If so, I would second the suggestions listed above, especially Golden Gate Canyon SP and Mueller SP near Cripple Creek, and add Rifle Falls SP north of I-70 near Rifle, Colorado State Forest on CO 14 west of Ft. Collins, and Steamboat Lake SP north of US 40 and Steamboat Springs.

You might even see a moose in the Colorado State Forest since that was the first place they were reintroduced!

[mockturtle]

I recently visited Cheyenne Mountain SP near Colorado Springs. High elevation, great views, excellent park with full hookups.

[trailernovice]

FYI it would be for summer 2019, when our youngster is out of school...we try to take one big trip each year

[Thom02099]

trailernovice wrote:
I'd appreciate any recommendations re. Colorado state parks in the Denver/four hours or less west of Denver area...this would be a summer trip, so 'it's a great skiing area' is unimportant...

Would be pulling rig in signature...are there any state parks that are difficult/impossible to access with a truck/trailer combination like ours?

Do the colorado state parks get booked up for summer visits, such at it's critical to make a reservation months in advance?

We'd want to stay somewhere in the Denver area, camping in the mountains

Thanks for input

If you're talking about THIS year, you're likely out of luck. The state parks here have a 180 day window for reservations and they fill fast, from Memorial Day through Labour Day. I went to try to fill some holes in my camping schedule and checked a few state parks. There were no sites available for the weekends I was looking for.

In the Denver area, there's Cherry Creek and Chatfield SPs. North of Denver are St. Vrain in Longmont and Boyd Lake in Loveland. Northwest of Denver is Golden Gate Canyon SP between Golden and Black Hawk.

In Colorado Springs there's Cheyenne Mountain and to the west, Mueller SP. Further west of the Springs would be Eleven Mile.

There's also state parks over between Vail and Grand Junction. All of the ones noted would probably be within your 4 hour drive limit.

[Busskipper]

trailernovice wrote:
I'd appreciate any recommendations re. Colorado state parks in the Denver/four hours or less west of Denver area...this would be a summer trip, so 'it's a great skiing area' is unimportant...

Would be pulling rig in signature...are there any state parks that are difficult/impossible to access with a truck/trailer combination like ours?

Do the colorado state parks get booked up for summer visits, such at it's critical to make a reservation months in advance?

We'd want to stay somewhere in the Denver area, camping in the mountains

Thanks for input

Look here - Golden Gate SP they do fill up but we have never been when there was not at least one empty space - So Call.

Golden Clear Creek is another option but is seldom with an opening - so again call - we usually call at 7 and on occasion they have something open up so we dive in, https://www.visitgolden.com/listing/clear-creek-rv-park/2751/ Right on the creek near the town and the community center and fields just Great,

Best of Luck,