Community Forums

S-n-L · 02-26-2019, 03:52 PM

Hello everyone,

We are looking to visit the Denver, CO around the end of May, after the Memorial Day holiday. We would like to stay near Denver, within about 30 miles. We are having difficulty finding a place that is not already booked.

I would love to hear any recommendations for an rv park for a 45 foot motorhome. We would like full hook ups but are willing to deal with anything, even dry camping.

Have you found making reservations has become so difficult?

Thank you in advance for any input,
Stuart & Leslie

twogypsies · 02-26-2019, 03:59 PM

Have you tried Cherry Creek or Chatfield State Parks? Here are some others. Are you military or Elks?

Denver, CO Campground Reviews - Best of Denver Camping - Campground Reviews

Busskipper · 02-27-2019, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S-n-L

Hello everyone,

We are looking to visit the Denver, CO around the end of May, after the Memorial Day holiday. We would like to stay near Denver, within about 30 miles. We are having difficulty finding a place that is not already booked.

I would love to hear any recommendations for an rv park for a 45 foot motorhome. We would like full hook ups but are willing to deal with anything, even dry camping.

Have you found making reservations has become so difficult?

Thank you in advance for any input,
Stuart & Leslie

Two Gypsies has most on their link - I answered on RV.net - surprising how few there really are.

Best of luck,

S-n-L · 02-28-2019, 09:22 AM

Thank you both,

It is surprising how few good choices there are. We are Elks members and we may go that route. They do not take reservations so that makes it a little uncertain.

Stuart

FL420 · 02-28-2019, 10:38 AM

Cherry Creek SP has closed all but one loop this winter. It only has 13 sites and none are available all next week. It should open up by the time you get there.
For winter campers Boyd Lake SP has 148 open sites with 50/30/20 electric, scattered water faucets and an open dump station.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has raised the prices for all daily passes, annual passes and camping sites this year diminishing the value state parks usually provide compared to commercial campgrounds. The Front Range of Colorado has too few campgrounds of all types.
To reduce personnel costs, IMO, the state now requires all campsites in state parks to be obtained online through Reserve America or the CPW's own website. If you drive up to the entry station without a reservation and try to register for a campsite the CPW employee or volunteer will not be able to sell you one, even if the campground is completely empty.
It would be nice if the state would spend some of the millions of windfall dollars it is receiving from the marijuana industry to rescue the state parks from further decline. They could call the program something catchy like "Spending GREEN from GREEN for GREEN."[emoji857]

bitubo · 03-04-2019, 09:53 PM

Weekends are booked 6months in advance at the state parks. If you can go in on a Sunday or Monday that may help.

Hammer bird · 03-11-2019, 08:04 PM

One issue with a rig of your size is many state parks can't handle the length of the rig. Check on line. Sadly there aren't too many rv parks in/around Denver. If you're willing to drive a bit there are some KOA campgrounds out on the Eastern fringe. Good luck

EZDZIT · 03-12-2019, 10:03 AM

St. Vrain SP has w/e and fhu. From there it is easy access to Boulder and Ft. Collins. Traffic into Denver is often heavy.

FL420 · 03-12-2019, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZDZIT

St. Vrain SP has w/e and fhu. From there it is easy access to Boulder and Ft. Collins. Traffic into Denver is often heavy.

For anyone interested in St. Vrain SP there are several things you should be aware(or beware) of. The unlighted entry road all the way from the stoplight on Hwy 119 to the park entrance is pretty narrow with no shoulders and is lined with big rocks and small boulders right next to the pavement. Many are well-disguised by their dark color and are hidden in untrimmed weeds. Two big yellow and black signs are placed very close to the road and could easily take off a mirror or gouge the side of your coach if you make the smallest misjudgement, especially if passing a large RV coming from the opposite direction. A number of smaller signs are placed on posts right next to the pavement directly opposite each other making it a tight squeeze when passing opposing traffic.
Another problem is miswired electrical panels throughout the park. They installed new 50/30/20 amp panels several years ago. Last year I discovered my 20 amp outlet in the full hook up site had the hot and neutral wires reversed. I informed the staff who sent out their maintenance man, a CPW employee. He was definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He was very confident of his electrical knowledge and dismissive of mine. I watched in silence as he miswired not one, not two but three new GFCI 20 amp outlet before declaring it fixed and left. After he was gone I plugged in my tester and the wires were still reversed. I told the staff about the problem and his efforts to fix it.
When we came back this year we found our site in the electric only loop also had a miswired 20 amp outlet. I again informed the same CPW employee who reluctantly said he would look at it. It's a good thing I didn't need to hook up a third electric heater or put my 75 watt heat lamp in the water bay. The lamp especially could have given me quite a shock if I had accidentally touched the metal barrel of the light socket which would have been hot even with the switch off. He drove by many times during the week without stopping.
I took a stroll through the loop with my testers checking the 30 and 20 amp outlets in all the unoccupied sites. Quite a few 20 amp outlets couldn't be tested because they were new and a tamper proof design and I felt I would break the prongs trying to force them past the gates.
Almost every 20 amp outlet I tested had the hot and neutral wires reversed. All the 30 amp outlets were wired properly. I didn't test any 50 amp outlets other than the one at our site because I didn't want to fiddle with my multi-tester in a cold wind. I reported it to the rangers and the camp staff. Maybe they will pay attention this year before someone gets hurt or killed.
The last thing is the showers. They are nice but there are some surprises. The lights are on timers and are activated by motion sensors. If you dawdle in the shower and no one else comes in the room you will find yourself finishing your shower in the dark except for what comes in from a skylight and a few clerestory windows. If it happens at night it will become extremely dark inside. I used the shower several times without problems until the third (and last) time when the water turned ice cold for 2 minutes after 2 minutes of warm water.
Of course I had soap all over my face. It then turned warm again. No one was in the room and my DW was showering on the ladies' side without any issues.
To sum up: 1.Be careful of the boulders and signs going in and out of the park. 2. Test the electrical pedestals before hooking up. 3. Be aware of possible brown or black outs in the showers.

busyguy · 03-12-2019, 08:52 PM

There is a campground in Longmont.Boulder county campground. You can google it. Right in town. I don't think they take reservations as it been a few years since I was there. My son lives in Boulder and this is where I stay when I bring the coach.W/E and has a dump station. Worth checking into. Not fancy but adequate.
Busyguy

twogypsies · 03-12-2019, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by busyguy

There is a campground in Longmont.Boulder county campground. You can google it. Right in town. I don't think they take reservations as it been a few years since I was there. My son lives in Boulder and this is where I stay when I bring the coach.W/E and has a dump station. Worth checking into. Not fancy but adequate.
Busyguy

Ugh! Our memory of Boulder County campground was of those huge black moths tucking in around our slides and plastered on the screen door. Pulling in the slides to leave they swarmed us!!

It took us forever to eradicate them upon leaving. I'm not blaming the campground it was just..... ugh!!

FL420 · 03-12-2019, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Ugh! Our memory of Boulder County campground was of those huge black moths tucking in around our slides and plastered on the screen door. Pulling in the slides to leave they swarmed us!!

It took us forever to eradicate them upon leaving. I'm not blaming the campground it was just..... ugh!!

Boulder County Fairgrounds Campground in Longmont is an adequate Plan B. Dirt roads that are a dustbowl when dry and a mudbowl when wet. Lots of potholes. Short and narrow pull throughs. $20 for water and electric but water is shut off in winter.
First come first serve unless a big event is scheduled in the adjacent fairgrounds then the entire campground is reserved. The maintenance guys are nice. The lady who works in the office during the day, well.....
14 day limit per YEAR. She will not hesitate to remind you every time she sees you. Policy probably based on past experience with campers who live in their RVs because they don't have a choice.

Busskipper · 03-13-2019, 05:43 AM

Boulder County - Longmont

https://www.bouldercounty.org/open-s...ds/campground/

Having stayed there a few times - we had no problems.

We used all our own facilities so experienced none of the above - Wal*Mart is just around the corner FYI - we stayed in the fall or winter and were generally the only ones there.

I would have no problem recommending it.

FL420 · 03-26-2019, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busskipper

Boulder County - Longmont

https://www.bouldercounty.org/open-s...ds/campground/

Having stayed there a few times - we had no problems.

We used all our own facilities so experienced none of the above - Wal*Mart is just around the corner FYI - we stayed in the fall or winter and were generally the only ones there.

I would have no problem recommending it.

Absolutely the best thing about the Boulder County Fairgrounds Campground is that Leenie's Southern Cafe is right across the street (Nelson Rd.) from the campground. Good N'awlin's style meals along with comfort food. Good inexpensive food served by friendly servers.