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Thom02099's avatar
Thom02099
Explorer II
Jul 27, 2018

Changes for 2 Popular CO State Parks

CO Parks and Wildlife Camping

A change went into effect July 1, 2018 at 2 popular CO State Parks -- Cheyenne Mountain and St. Vrain. Both parks are now "Reservation Only" and walk ins will no longer be allowed. There's no indication that it is only for a certain period of time, ie, when the season winds down, walk ins are allowed.
  • Trinidad State Park is also on the new res plan. I have seen people shopping sites today and I wondered if you could now shop for a site for the same day.
  • Some other states have done similar things (Michigan and maybe Minnesota that I've encountered, if I remember correctly). While a reservation is required, at least in those states one can be made at the moment you arrive at the campground--in those cases with a dedicated phone at the campground, or presumably with the ranger at the kiosk when it's manned, or with one's cell phone.

    The main annoyance for me was that I had to figure out what site I might want before having any idea what the campground looked at, usually by talking to someone in a call center who knows where who didn't really have much of a better idea than I did.

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