spruce lake rv resort, Estes Park, co

We lived in Estes for 8 years and it was always regarded as one of the very top places. We have not lived there since 2003 but have kept in touch and it still retains that level. If we were to workcamp in Estes it would be the first place we would contact.

Thank you Lauren..

We lived in EP for 31 years. We retired and left in 2010. Have stayed at Spruce Lake three times since leaving. Once for almost two weeks. Suggest you read reviews in rvparkreviews.com. I've posted a couple. Would say that they will give you a pretty accurate assessment of the campground.

Sites are adequate in size, but you are cozy with your neighbors. You get lots of short timers. Many of the campers are 1-2 week a year campers plus the occasional weekend at the lake. We found that they lack camper social skills such as not walking through your campsite. Many of their kids are even more lacking in manners. Infrastructure/utilities are a bit tattered. It's a mud pit when it rains. On the positive side, staff was very nice. It is very near the National Park.

The park is owned by a group of investors who specialize in buying RV parks with positive cash flow and holding them for ten years or less and then selling to developers who repurpose the property. I read the prospectus. Minimum investment was $100K. They also own Elk Meadows and Dakota Ridge. Your experience as a workcamper will be dependent on the on site manager. The one last year was very nice and seemed to care.

I've not worked there, so can't address that aspect of Spruce Lake. I can, however, address it as a visitor there.

As noted in a previous post, Spruce Lake and Elk Meadows are owned by the same company. They are also the most expensive of the campgrounds/RV resorts in Estes Park. Also as noted, rvparkreviews will give you a good overview from a visitor perspective.

Having lived in this area for nearly 35 years and still living here, I can give you a pretty good overview of the Estes Park area as it is now. I'm up there frequently, all seasons, being about 45 minutes from my house.

As a general observation, the staff that works at Spruce Lake, presumably made up of a lot of work kampers, have always been very helpful and friendly. I can't recall a time where the personnel have not been anything less than exceeding expectations. Even a time when I did not stay there, but needed to get propane in one of my portable tanks, they were the closest place to where I was staying and were very friendly and cordial about getting the propane. And I do recall having seen some of the same people there from season to season, and in conversations, some of the workers have been coming back for years. So....there must be something good about working there!

As I said, Spruce Lake and Elk Meadows are the most expensive. But they also provide nice amenities, though different for each park. Spruce Lake is a bit more compact and all of the sites are back-in sites. It's also in close proximity to a residential area of Estes Park, and a shopping center literally across the creek from the park. It's also very close to the Beaver Meadows entrance to RMNP.

Other parks in the area include Manor RV Park, KOA Estes Park, Yogi Bear's Jellystone (just out of town), Paradise on the River, Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake and Estes Park Campground at East Portal (these last two managed by the Estes Valley Recreation and Parks Department). There's also 3 campgrounds inside RMNP. There's a variety of USFS CGs outside of Estes Park to the south, and there's a "new"/revised RV park in Drake down in the Big Thompson Canyon.

So, with all these choices, there's a bit of competition but also no lack of visitors during the summer season. Most of these parks will be full or nearly full for a goodly part of the season, and as such, you'll likely stay busy with whatever duties you take on. You're also in a magnificent area for touring around in your off time, with lots to see and do.

Hope you have a wonderful experience here in our beautiful Colorado Rockies!