Cheap camping in Colorado!

fanrgs wrote:

tragusa3 wrote:
Sounds like a good state to get off the grid in!

Exactly the point of this thread, my last post, and my blog!

And the point of my comment! :) Although, if they keep raising prices, we may find the boondocking treasures to be full as well.

I'll gladly pay higher prices and make reservations if it means that the parks can stay open and remain well kept. Also, due to our size, we have to make reservations pretty much anywhere anyway. Last thing we want to do is show up somewhere and find there's nowhere we can fit. My dream one day is to have a small travel trailer or truck camper in addition to our current rig, just for local shorter trips so we can utilize more of the lovely places on fanrgs's blog.

JAC1982 wrote:
I'll gladly pay higher prices and make reservations if it means that the parks can stay open and remain well kept.

I agree to a point, but what if CPW prices SP camping out of the reach of a lot of state residents? Are they in business just to serve out-of-state tourists? And they are facing more competition as the Forest Service adds electric hookups and flush toilets to more of their campgrounds, but charges less than CPW for those sites.

We have already lost San Luis Lakes, Bonny Lake, and Julesburg/Jumbo Reservoir as state parks in the last few years. What's next? Maybe Vega, Mancos, or North Sterling?

BTW, we love the state parks and have purchased annual state park passes for many years. But we are seriously considering skipping it this year.

What I keep wondering is why FHU sites at New Mexico SPs can still be $18/night and partial hookup sites are $14/night?

Think of Colorado from the perspective of a tourist passing through for only a few days. Buying the annual pass and the high prices combine to rule out State Parks for us. Michigan was the same way (as are others I'm sure).

LOVED New Mexico's SP's!

tragusa3 wrote:
Think of Colorado from the perspective of a tourist passing through for only a few days. Buying the annual pass and the high prices combine to rule out State Parks for us. Michigan was the same way (as are others I'm sure).

LOVED New Mexico's SP's!

Pa is also the same way, but no annual or other pass is required.
The cost structure is archaic.

Campsite $15.00 Resident, $20,00 Non Resident.

Then start adding.

Fri/Sat/Holiday/Event Add $4.00

Modern Campground - Definition; has showers. You pay if used or not. Add $4.00

Adirondack Shelter on the site - Pay if you use or not - Add $2.00

Electricity - Add $7.00

Water and Sewer - Add $13.00

Designated Pet site - Pay if you have pet or not - Add $2.00

Extra Vehicle? - Add $5.00

Total $52.00 per night, weekend, with extra car and FHU's. BTW the limited FHU sites are most always located in a designated pet section.

Don't forget to add the $6.50 reservation fee.

To top it off any money received gets dumped into the general fund in Harrisburg, and wasted by the elected criminals on their pet peeve projects. The DCNR is then handed back X amount as a yearly budget appropriation for operation, which is never enough to even begin to cover the operating costs. Add to that the idiotic management of the parks by the DCNR. They'll spend a million to add FHU's to a dozen sites in a single park, but at the same time let existing 45+ yr old substandard electric remain as is, 1960's shower houses / restrooms to sit and rot, and roads that are crumbling remain that way for years. The whole system operates on the good ole boy I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine business model in PA, and is further robbed by the unions every time a contract is awarded.

gkainz gets it. So do other people that live around CO. Great place to wander around and find new spots. I lived there for 5 years and can't remember ever staying in a State Park. I avoided RMNP after one visit. Too many other places that are free with no one around.

I've booked multiple (weekend) stays this year at Colorado State Parks. $72 total for Golden Gate Canyon SP and State Forest SP/Ranger Lakes, but $58 for Jackson Lake SP. I also buy the annual pass.

Compare that to the remainder of my reservations which are in RMNP or at USFS CG (some of which offer electricity) and cost me $26-$30 (not sure why the cost difference at some locations). This is, of course, with the Geezer Pass which gets me half price on USFS as well as RMNP CGs.

Although I don't like that much of a price difference, I'll continue to support the Colorado State Park system. Still beats commercial "parks" here in northern Colorado.

tragusa3 wrote:
LOVED New Mexico's SP's!

Agree. Last month we decided to wait out a Colorado snowstorm while returning from snowbirding in Tucson. Spent $54 for three nights in a FHU Caballo Lake SP campsite, without any reservation. And that amount included the daily vehicle pass for our truck!

For those planning to camp along US 160 near Great Sand Dunes National Park, the 2018 Spring Creek Fire burned more than 100,000 acres on both sides of the highway. The fire burned from the area near Pass Creek Pass on the north to Cuchara on the south and included all of the La Veta Pass-North La Veta Pass area. The fire may affect the 2019 route and schedule of the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad and its summer concert series as some of the railroad right of way and the summer concert venue burned.

So, make your summer plans to include GSDNP, which was not in the fire area. But check the websites for other activities and campsites that you may have planned in the Alamosa, Ft. Garland, and La Veta-Cuchara areas.

If you are planning to camp or 4-wheel along US 550 this summer, be aware of the area of the 2018 "416 Fire". The burned area is north of Durango and west of US 550. A Forest Service Closure Order is in effect until May 1, 2019, but could be extended. You can view the Closure Order for the fire area at HERE.