Be cautious of Cherry Creek State Park in Denver

[TexasTom]

If they think the park is full of day use people, they shut down entry.

It does not matter if your MH is already parked in the campground. They will still deny you access to your MH.

Campground "host" later said a 4 hour wait was not uncommon.

I really feel sorry for the ladies working the gate. They were obviously quite worn out from having to deal with angry people all day.

[twogypsies]

Never heard of something like that.

If you're already in the campground you'd have a campsite pass on your windshield and I don't see how they can deny entry.

I can see limiting day use entrants.

That's one place we wouldn't like to volunteer and get all the hassle.

[vsheetz]

Wow. Are you sure this was not a misunderstanding of the persons manning the entry gate? As previously commented, if you have a campsite and a vehicle pass, makes no sense to block your entry.

[twogypsies]

Here's the park's brochure and the first paragraph states a 'carrying capacity'. It doesn't say anything about those already having a campsite.

At the least they should let campers know that if they leave the park in their car or truck they might not be able to return.

I still find this hard to believe.

https://mytowncryer.files.wordpress....state-park.pdf

[Squantobon]

Sorry for your problems but this post brought back some memories. My family moved not far from the dam when I was in 5th grade until I graduated HS. As a kid my friends and I would hike to and over the dam to the reservoir. No entry passes required.

[Gdawgs]

We've stayed at Cherry Creek many times over the years. We generally enter off Parker close to 225. As you enter the park there is a pass lane to the left of the guard shack. If your tow vehicle has the pass in the lower right side of the window the guard will just wave you in knowing your an rv guest. In the evening the park personnel go to their RV's or home in the area and the gates are always left open all night. We've never had a problem and always stay the maximum number of days (14) under state park rules. There's more to this story. Cherry Creek is a beautiful state park in the heart of Denver.

[TexasTom]

There is not " more to the story", nor any misunderstanding by the gate people, as we originally thought as well. I called the park main office and their reply was "yes, you just have to wait until people leave the park". And if you read my post you will find an additional confirmation by the nice folks working the campground who also thought the rule was dumb.

[G.G.]

We had a not-so-pleasant stay at St. Vrain State Park, which is near Denver. We couldn't get a site at Cherry Creek. We will never go back to St. Vrain, and this makes me think their state park system - at least in the Denver area - has a problem. That's absolutely nuts to make you wait to go to your RV. Typical stupid government decision.

[Spaceball]

Wow. That's one case where I would not follow their "rules". They cannot deny access to your own property.

I'd blow through the gate, pack up and leave.

[Gdawgs]

Originally Posted by TexasTom

There is not " more to the story", nor any misunderstanding by the gate people, as we originally thought as well. I called the park main office and their reply was "yes, you just have to wait until people leave the park". And if you read my post you will find an additional confirmation by the nice folks working the campground who also thought the rule was dumb.

Again, We've stayed at Cherry Creek many times over the years and always at 14 days per visit. We've never had a problem. We make sure we have the tow vehicle sticker in the windshield. The gates are not maned after about 5-6 PM and are always open. I've even seen some campers make a point of arriving after 6PM, finding an empty site and departing at 7AM the next morning and avoiding the park fees. I really don't understand how legally they can keep you from your coach. If you have identified your tow vehicle and place the ID in the windshield your already part of the capacity calculation. On our next trip I'll check with Kevin Becker. He does the host recruiting for Cherry Creek and Chatfield State Parks.

[davendeb]

Stayed one night a few years ago. Really nice park. Deer all around in the morning. At check-in, they gave us a mirror hanger that allowed us to reenter the park. However, I don't know if it ever filled up. Seems if you have the hanger, they have to let you in. This is really weird. Wonder if day users were daying they have a camper in the park as a way to gain entrance.

[okcnewbie]

Originally Posted by Gdawgs

Again, We've stayed at Cherry Creek many times over the years and always at 14 days per visit. We've never had a problem. We make sure we have the tow vehicle sticker in the windshield. The gates are not maned after about 5-6 PM and are always open. I've even seen some campers make a point of arriving after 6PM, finding an empty site and departing at 7AM the next morning and avoiding the park fees. I really don't understand how legally they can keep you from your coach. If you have identified your tow vehicle and place the ID in the windshield your already part of the capacity calculation. On our next trip I'll check with Kevin Becker. He does the host recruiting for Cherry Creek and Chatfield State Parks.

You can continue to say, " We've never had a problem......" It doesn't mean that there's never a problem. It doesn't sound like having the sticker placed in the windshield would help with this situation.
It appears that at least for the particular weekend that the OP is talking about the gate was closed and campers were delayed in getting back to their site.

[DrDaveMA]

Call state police, bring charges of grand theft, that will bring the problem to a head!

[Gdawgs]

Originally Posted by okcnewbie

You can continue to say, " We've never had a problem......" It doesn't mean that there's never a problem. It doesn't sound like having the sticker placed in the windshield would help with this situation.
It appears that at least for the particular weekend that the OP is talking about the gate was closed and campers were delayed in getting back to their site.

On the Parker Road entrance the gate is never closed on the right side of the guard shack. Many campers use this park to visit friends and family in the Greater Denver area. Park employees leave for the evening around 5-6 PM and close the pass through gate to the left of the guard post but not the right side entrance. If they closed all gates visitor could not get back in the park after having dinner in Denver. I've entered the park at every hour from 4pm through midnight without a problem probably 100 times over a 5 years span. They can't close the gates for emergency access. Call 911 and the police and EMS service have to be able to enter the park. This happened to one camper who had heart problems.