Best Campgrounds In The Denver Area
DENVER (CBS4) - Some of Colorado's best campsites are just a short trip down the road. Whether you have friends or kin driving their RV or camper when they come visit, or you want to introduce children to the joy and adventure of sleeping in a tent, area campgrounds near Denver fit the bill.
Cooking outdoors and eating at a picnic table makes campers feel miles away from the bright lights of the city, but they're still right in the heart of Colorado's Front Range. Check the website or phone for details on admission to public lands as well as camping fees – and also about open bans that are periodically imposed.
Chatfield State Park
11500 N. Roxborough Park Road
Littleton, CO 80125
https://www.colorado.com/state-parks/chatfield-state-park
This beautiful Denver park is popular with hikers, boaters, campers, bikers, fishermen, and picnickers. This 5,378 acre park just off C-470 centers around Chatfield Reservoir on the South Platte River. It features a campground with nearly 200 sites full of amenities, accommodating individual vehicles and tents and also groups (bring the scouts!). The park also features a full service marina, so consider also checking out their boat rentals when making your campsite reservation.
Dakota Ridge RV Resort
17800 West Colfax Avenue
Golden, CO 80401
https://dakotaridgerv.com/
Rigs up to 45 feet in length can pull into this 144-site facility that is open year-round and offers views of Denver to the east and the mountains to the west. Sites are level and paved. Amenities include full hook-ups, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, playground and a clubhouse with a fireplace, exercise room, pool table, games and lending library. Its proximity to Red Rocks Amphitheater, atmospheric Golden and Denver's considerable attractions is unsurpassed.
Denver West Central City KOA
605 Lake Gulch Rd Co Rd 6, Central City, CO 80427
https://koa.com/campgrounds/denver-west/
The Kampgrounds of America (KOA) affiliation carries a lot of weight with RV enthusiasts. There are certain standards a KOA campground must achieve in terms of amenities, operator friendliness and knowledge. The Central City KOA is considered "big rig-friendly" but also accommodates tent campers. RV sites feature 50-amp full hookups, cable TV and Wi-Fi, and other campground's amenities include a clubhouse, hot tubs, mini-mart, souvenir shop, laundry and showers. The casinos of Black Hawk and Central City, along with the historic Central City Opera, are nearby.
Prospect RV Park
11600 W 44th Avenue
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
http://prospectrv.com/
Located just off Interstate 70, Prospect is close to Denver, Black Hawk, Central City and the mountains. Open year-round, this full-service RV park has 70 sites. Forty-seven are full hook-up sites, 26 of those are pull-throughs, and 23 with water and 30 amp electricity. Visitors also find a full-service laundry, private bathroom and shower facilities, and dump station free of charge for guests. Recreational trails are nearby, and there's a pet walk that leads to 250 acres of open space and a habitat garden.
RELATED: Colorado State Park Entrance Fees Increase With New Year
This article originally appeared on CBSDenver.com in 2011 and was written by Mile High Cheapskates Claire Walter & Laura Daily at MileHighOnTheCheap.com.