St. Vrain State Park

We stayed for a three-day weekend at St. Vrain State Park. A weekend spent camping is almost always better than a weekend at home, but we definitely didn’t pick good camping sites.

A satellite view of the park makes it seem like the sites right next to one of the biggest ponds would be the best ones, but they aren’t. People fish all over the ponds, and we ended up with people in front of our RVs pretty much the whole time, on the few feet of grass between our picnic tables and the water. It definitely wasn’t as relaxing as it could have been.

We went for a walk, as always, and discovered that the sites in the trees and away from the water were actually pretty nice. The sites next to water that was not easy to fish because of tall grasses were also nice. So, in this case, you should choose sites that aren’t exactly perfect unless you plan on fishing (and setting your chairs up next to the water the whole time you’re there).

Longmont was on the agenda, so we hit the St. Vrain Cidery and Longtucky Spirts for some local booze. It was a great day in town.

If we stay in St. Vrain State Park again, we’ll definitely camp in the trees. It’s very close to town and very easy to get to, which makes it ideal for quick weekends.

You may shake your head and laugh, but I’ve already booked camping for April and May of 2018. Why so far in advance? Because spring is only six months away.

A Year of Colorado State Parks

2018 will be my Year of Colorado State Parks. I’m going to get a State Parks Pass for the motor home, and I’m going to plan my Jeep trips around those camping weekends. How many can I stay at in one year? I’m looking forward to finding out. There are a lot of Colorado State Parks, so I am going to have a busy season.

The plan is to start the spring east or near I-25 at lower elevations. It’s still winter in the mountains until June, and I’m not going to buy chains for the motor home and drive in snowy conditions. Luckily, there are lots of places that meet those requirements. This spring, I’ll be camping at Jackson Lake State Park, St. Vrain State Park, Cherry Creek State Park, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, and Lake Pueblo State Park. Cheyenne Mountain is almost completely booked already!

But Why Now?

State and national park campgrounds are the first to fill up. There are many people who are just waiting for a date to pass so they can book six months in advance, which is the cutoff date for many campgrounds. If you want a good spot, you’ll need to be in that group of people with your fingers crossed. You still need to book a month or two in advance at the very least if you want a spot at all at some of the premiere spots.

I would recommend planning your summer now. The Guide to Colorado’s State Parks is a great resource, providing an overview of everything (you can pick up a hard copy at any state park office or request a brochure). All state parks do not offer overnight camping, and some of them have spots available for people without reservations.

If you change your mind and it’s more than 14 days before your reservation begins, you can cancel it. You will forfeit the $10 reservation fee, but that is a small price to pay in order to get a great spot. I’d recommend thinking about 2018 now while you still have options.