Best Glamping near Basalt, CO

Wow! This is a beautiful spot. The lower campground is for tents and smaller RVs, but is definitely the spot to be if you can swing it! This campground has cabins, glamping tents, tent pads and spaces for RVs. We camped in spaces 17 and 18 in the lower campground right by the river. The “resorts has a rafting company, zip line, and restaurant/bar on premises.

Pros:

• Easy to access off of I-70, but you feel a million miles away
• Gorgeous scenery all around
• Very easy access to the bike/walk trail through Glenwood Canyon
• 5 to 10 minute drive to Glenwood Springs attractions - Hot Springs, Gondola, downtown shopping a land restaurants

Cons:

• Spaces are EXTREMELY close together
• The train runs by, which is very nice to see and experience as it runs through the canyon, but at 5 am, that sucker is LOUD
• It’s a pricey campground, but could be worth it if you take advantage of all the amenities and it fits in your plans

Overall, this is a great campground. I might save it for a mid-week stay or slightly off season so you aren’t stacked on top of your neighbors.

Whether you're camping or staying in one of the cabins or Yurts this place is absolutely breathtaking located in the Rocky Mountains there were many miles of hiking trails and great places to go fishing for trout they don't allow motorized boats however this place was perfect for canoeing and kayaking this is a nice little getaway with breathtaking views absolutely recommended if you were in the area or looking for a nice place to get a good dose of nature

This park has so much character that it should have it’s own tv show. There are conservation areas, trails galore, historical buildings, and a beautiful lake that is surrounded with alpine forests. 

The staff is really sweet and willing to help in any way they can. We lost our pump for our inflatable and they found us one to borrow. 

The campground is large and can accommodate a lot of campers, the bathrooms are fully equipped and clean. It was quiet at night which was surprising since you are basically in a cul-de-sac of tents and rv's. There are cabins and yurts to rent as well. They are even building (or just finished) a new section of a campground that looks like it will accommodate more rv’s and boats. It is called fisherman’s paradise.

There is also a day use area with grills and picnic tables. 

The road to get out here can be rough in bad weather but low clearance is fine to get out here. WInter excursions are probably a bit tougher and would require an all wheel drive.

Slyvan Lake State Park is located outside of the Town of Eagle, CO. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from town to the park. Upon entering, there is a multitude of activities you can partake in. Besides camping, which i will get to in a second, Sylvan lake offers excellent fishing for trout, Stand up Paddle Boarding and Canoeing; Both which can be rented there. The surrounding area offers hiking and scenic drives.

As for the camping, there are a couple campgrounds in the Sylvan Lake area as well as cabins and yurts that can be rented. Camp grounds are standard forest service spots. The each feature a picnic table and metal fire rings. As always, spots range from small to large, some having ample tree coverage and some are very exposed. There are vault toilets in the are as well.

There is a fee to use these spots which can be paid via self service area. This is a great spot for a family or anyone looking to get away and stay active. The area can get very busy in the summer so try to avoid weekends. This summer (2018) there was a lot of construction in the park and in turn it closed down some area that were normally open for camping and activities.

The Piney Lake area of Vail is by far the most scenic spot anyone can drive to. The ranch at the lake is ever growing and offers a restaurant, canoe rentals, SUP, fly fishing lessons as well as cabin and yurts to rent for the night. If you are looking to spend your night closer to nature the campground is just located about a mile away from the lake.

This may get confusing as there are camp spots along the road that are forest service controlled and have fire rings and right next to that you will find many spots that are in the National Forest but are primitive. The "Camp Spots" that have fire rings are located on the final stretch to the lake. There are maybe 6 or 8 of them. Really the only difference in these spots compared to the primitive ones right next door are the fire rings and the fact that they are fenced in with a small wooden fence.

The upside to grabbing one of these spots is all of summer 2018 in the valley we were in a stage 1 fire ban, meaning you could only have a fire in a permanent fire ring, leaving these few spots the only legal camping in the area. The spots themselves are fairly large, we have put 4 cars and 5+ tents comfortably in one of them. There are no toilets or anywhere to get water unless you drive to the ranch (the ranch is privately owned and closes and opens at a certain time, the lake is public and can be accessed anytime) There is also no fee which is always a plus.

After a long, long day of driving, this was a true treat to pull into. As soon as we set up we ventured off to “duck island” after crossing their little bridge over the Colorado. It was truly refreshing to have trails, lots of beautiful landscaping and the Colorado river to relax with. There’sa nice pool, restrooms are clean, staff is delightful and spaces are large and inviting. Each has a fire and picnic table. Other than slight noise from the highway, this is definitely 5 star.

After a long, long day of driving, this was a true treat to pull into. As soon as we set up we ventured off to“duck island” after crossing their little bridge over the Colorado. It was truly refreshing to have trails, lots of beautiful landscaping and the Colorado river to relax with. There’sa nice pool, restrooms are clean, staff is delightful and spaces are large and inviting. Each has a fire and picnic table. Other than slight noise from the highway, this is definitely 5 star.

Friendly, knowledgeable staff, well equipped store, water play pad AND pool with jacuzzi, and a creek to walk along to where it meets the Colorado River! Gorgeous!

This is not Glenwood Springs. It is located in Silt which is several towns away. That being said, it was a clean KOA with sites right on the Colorado River.

This is such a clean, comfy little RV park. It backs to the Colorado river, get hot in summer but not too hot. The bathrooms, shower pool are grounds are very well maintained. It’s my second stop here and I’d come again!

We stayed at the Glenwood Springs West / Colorado River KOA in October 2020 for one night as we passed through the area. We were really pleased with this KOA, it was clean, quiet, well-maintained, and located in a nice area (not always the case with KOA's we've learned). The staff were friendly and the sites were all level and nicely spaced out. We wouldn't hesitate to stay here again.

Great spot on the East side of the lake, Not far from the town of Leadville where there is a Safeway, places to eat and places to shop. It was a bit windy the day we stayed but great views, lots of hiking trails and things to explore. Campground is located a high elevation.

Accessible Sites, Boating, Campfire Rings, Canoeing, Drinking Water, Firewood Vendor, FishingGrills, Hiking, HostLake AccessSailing, Self Pay Station, Tables, Vault Toilets, Waterfront Sites

Less Than 1 Mile: Boat Ramp, Interpretive Trails, Water Skiing

Fun Fact:

The campground was named after Elizabeth McCourt's nickname, Baby Doe. She made a name for herself in the Colorado mining community in the 19th century when she took on the rugged work of a miner, and was given her nickname.

The cabins are HA and have nice sidewalk paths from the parking lot. Inside a mini fridge, coffee maker, and a microwave are provided. There are 2 bunks in the back and a plastic kitchen table in the "living space." The cabins have nice patio furniture on the front porch, which was a nice touch for a State Park.  The outdoor picnic table and campfire area outside the cabin is large. The five cabins in this area are close together and you can view your neighbors but this was not a problem for us. (It would make for great a trip with extended family or friends.) One may consider the cabin pricey, but it was typical for a Colorado state park.

During our stay the bathrooms (vault toilets) near the cabins were so full of bees it was like Candyman was also staying the weekend. There are flush toilets and showers next to a small playground closer to the reservoir. A trail will take you from the cabins to the visitor center. While other areas of the park were not full during our stay, I imagine that at the peak of summer the boating and RVing is plenty.

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Glenwood Canyon Resort

3.9

(987)

2-star hotel

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bob shoulders

Local Guide·20 reviews

just now

NEW

Tried to camp there last week on a trip out west but I-70 was closed by the Colorado Dept of Transportation at mile marker 116 because of a mudslide. I was coming from Grand Junction and the Glenwood Canyon Resort is at MM 119 so there was … More

Pamela Johnson

9 reviews·1 photo

a week ago

NEW

Vacation | Friends

Our camper van, fortuitously, broke down near the entrance of the Glenwood Canyon Resort. The Resort staff were very helpful in finding us a mechanic to have a look at the van; however, nothing could be done on the day. This circumstance … More



Hayley Brown

1 review

a month ago

Vacation | Family

We found this place by chance and it is probably one of my favorite places in CO. The place is keep incredibly clean. The bike trail along the water can take you directly to town is beautiful. There is a river rafting place right on … More

Glenwood Canyon Resort (Owner)

3 weeks ago

Hi Hayley! Thanks for your 5 star review. We can't agree with you more, our park is a favorite place for LOTS of people!

Cori Barnes

3 reviews

a month ago

Recently we booked our family event for 120+ people at the Glenwood Canyon Resort. Due to unforeseen circumstances (an accident closing I 70), we were unable to hold our event at Glenwood Canyon Resort, so I have split the review into two … More

Glenwood Canyon Resort (Owner)

a week ago

Thanks for your review! We're sorry that the accident on the interstate caused such a disruption to your plans. We were so looking forward to hosting our first big event! To be sure, there were issues that we needed to work out, but we had our team working dilligently to make everything right for you. We thank you for your review because it helps us to ensure that all of the proper steps and communication on our part will be better in the future.



















bob shoulders

Local Guide·20 reviews

2 hours ago

NEW

Tried to camp there last week on a trip out west but I-70 was closed by the Colorado Dept of Transportation at mile marker 116 because of a mudslide. I was coming from Grand Junction and the Glenwood Canyon Resort is at MM 119 so there was no way to get there from the West. I tried to call the office but it was after 6 pm so no one answered. Found a place to plug in and called the next morning to get a refund and was told their no cancellation policy wouldn't allow me to get a refund even when the highway was closed in the canyon which does happen now and then. Their lame justification was that other people made it there last night and implied that I should have kept driving into a closed interstate highway and try to sneak through. Amazing. I lost the mobile signal while discussing and called back several times and left a voicemail but they didn't want to deal with me so this is my only option. So, unless you are willing to give them your money with no recourse when Glenwood Canyon closes, you are at risk of losing it.

This became a favorite car camping spot of mine while living in Vail, Colorado. The lake is situated in White River National Forest and is accessible only for a few months during the summer via Red Sandstone Road. I have seen 2wd sedans drive up this road, however I would definitely recommend something with high clearance and 4wd if possible as the roads up there are not well maintained. There are plenty of first come, first serve USFS campsites near the lake, additionally there are quite a few service roads off of Red Sandstone Road that provide access to miles of additional dispersed campsites. It is hard to find a spot to camp without a breathtaking view of the Gore Range from Piney. In addition to camping, there are hiking trails near the lake and the privately owned Piney River Ranch offers horseback riding, boat rentals, fishing, a restaurant, and other lodging options. This area is also known for the moose that frequent the area, be sure to keep your distance if you are lucky enough to spot one! If you are interested in camping at Piney in the early summer or fall, you may first want to call the Minturn Ranger’s Station at 970-827-5715 to check on the closure status of Red Sandstone Road.