Best RV Parks & Resorts near Calhan, CO

This location was perfect for exploring the area. It is very close to downtown Woodland Park and many attractions. Deer wander through the campground throughout the day. It is rustic , with dirt/gravel roads and sites. Lots of pine trees and most spots are pull through. Some sites are a little close together but not all of them. Restrooms are clean. Small but nice laundry-room. Clean showers. A nice tent area. Staff was friendly and helpful. Try to get here before the office closes because finding your site may be difficult. It is a little hard to figure out the roads and the proper direction to go to fine your site and get into it.
We were here for 4th of July and there were NO activities. No pool. There is a small playground area and a small stage that has been abandoned. The dog park is at the very back of the property. Everything on our 50 amp site worked perfectly. The site was ample for our toy hauler and truck. Sites are not level, bring proper equipment for leveling. Overall, it has an awesome Colorado vibe and we liked it here. Only downside was layout of sites, no activities. You have to reserve a spot to wash clothes. This became a problem because people reserve large blocks of time and don’t show up. I couldn’t use laundry, so be forewarned.

We wanted to be close enough to family, hiking and biking, and get a monthly rate during our stay this summer. This is apparently a struggle in the Colorado Springs area during the popular summer season.

The people who run the campground are an older couple and very nice, but somewhat disorganized. They were confused about our reservation, and accidentally overcharged us. No problem with a refund or our reservation in the end – just make sure you confirm everything if you decide to stay here.

The office/camp store is in disrepair. The park itself is a little run down, with a few recent looking upgrades mixed in (shower house, new chairs at each campsite). The worst part of being here IMO is the rigs that are obviously long term and look it, e.g., makeshift DIY winterization like plywood skirting.

Unless you get one of the spots in the back of the campground, all you see are these run down rigs. Not the mountains.

It's depressing.

There's moderate road noise from Highway 24. A white noise machine helps here.

There are picnic tables at each site, on concrete slabs. The one at our site was unfortunately sitting in mud, because the slab is too low and everything drains there. It's also adjacent to some sort of open drain, which doesn't help.

The maintenance guy came and shoveled the mud off the slab after we let them know we were moving the picnic table out of the mud. The next day it rained and the mud was back. By then I realized I didn't want to spend time outside in this park, at least not at the site we're in.

This Pike National Forest campground is run by Rocky Mountain Recreation which means you'll pay a $10 transaction fee if you make a reservation on recreation.gov. It looks like some sites are strictly walk-up. Check recreation.gov to see what's available, but you can just show up if there are available sites, pay at the self-pay station, and avoid the $10 transaction fee on recreation.gov.

Every site has a picnic table and fire ring. Vault toilets (rather fragrant as you walk by because of the vent pipes) and trash dumpsters are conveniently located throughout the campground as is potable water. There are no bear-proof lockers but locking up your food is a prudent move.

There are mostly back in sites but some pull through sites. Most of the pull through sites are partially protected from the road by a few tall pines and large rocks, but the pull through curve may be tight for some RVs. There are a few double sites (with double charge) if you need more space.

Manitou Lake on the edge of the campground is a popular fishing spot, and there's a trail around the lake.

Our site (#45) was rather close to the road, but the road noise was not bad throughout the park. Sites 40 through 44 are on a small loop and are probably the nicest sites even with a bit of road noise; these sites are near the trail to the lake.

In my opinion, there are two things that make this campground stand out: 1) The sites are large and not on top of each other. This campground could have twice as many sites, but it's nice that it doesn't. 2) It's a great location because you're close to Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, US Air Force Academy, Cripple Creek (only if you're into gambling), lots of hiking trails...and on and on. It's close to Colorado Springs and even closer to Woodland Park. If you want craft breweries and restaurants, you'll find plenty. We enjoyed being close to a larger city after being in lots of small towns. We loved the inexpensive food at Uchenna (Ethiopian and Mediterranean), Taste of Jerusalem, and Azada Mexican as well as craft beer (Fossil Craft Beer Company and Phantom Canyon Brewing Company with ginger wheat ale, Belgian ale aged on cherries, hazelnut coffee stout, coconut/chocolate porter, and on and on) in Colorado Springs. Beer is $3 during a 3 to 6 pm happy hour at Phantom Canyon....yes!

This campground is only open between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

Colorado campground is situated outside of Woodland Park (10 minute drive) and right next to Manitou lake.  This is a great area central to the Pikes Peak wilderness area so many trails are nearby and activities while still being close to civilization if you forget something or choose to eat-out.  The CG itself is large, but the sites are well spaced apart...it is a primitive CG with picnic table, fire-pit and gravel pull through or back-in spots.  There are water spigots, vault toilets and garbage cans equally dispersed throughout.  In the summer they have an educational series also on the weekends of various nature/wildlife "seminars" that are great for the kids in their small amphitheater, although i don't know how frequent they are scheduled.  As others have stated its a short walk to the lake for fishing and canoeing if you choose.  The CG is well maintained and hosts are friendly.

Total charge was $101/night with fees. $7 reservation fee (I called in) and $6.40 credit card fee. 

Feel free to think I'm paranoid but I absolutely did NOT like that we were required to allow them to copy our driver's license. In 12 years of RV'ing I've never seen this. The desk promised to shred the ID copy after we left or return it to us (when we left the clerk was confused about giving it back). 

SIX pages! of legalese rules you have to sign that are obviously not being enforced anyway and appear to be focused on long term guests.

If there had been other options for a last minute stay I would have left, but they probably would have kept my money. Cancelations <72 hours before is NO REFUND. 

Sites are adequately spaced and are neat and clean. Some small trees (fairly new park). Very nice paved roads and gravel sites but really just a parking lot. Some long term guests. 

No picnic table or fire ring (wood fires not allowed in any case). 

As with most "RV Resorts" describing it thusly is an exaggeration. 

Gate code required for entry, difficult to see screen in sunlight. 

Fees charged to accept packages.$1.50-$5 depending on size. 

Two dogs under 25 pounds each are allowed.

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: COLORADO CAMPGROUND PIKE NATIONAL FOREST

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/colorado-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70684

Colorado Campground is one of several campgrounds less than 10 miles north of the city of Woodland Park off Route 67 in the Pike National Forest.

Situated at 7800 feet elevation, even summer nights get cool. Nearby 5 acre Manitou Lake is a trail walk away. You can toss your canoe or kayak in, but unless you are simply trout fishing, it’s tiny size doesn’t offer much variation.

Numerous foot trails lead into the National Forest, offering wonderfully quiet hikes and exploration.

There are 81 sites available, but some are adjacent to highway 67, so periodic road noise will be heard. The ponderosa pines assist in muffling highway noise.

Neighboring sites are visible across the entire campground, but they are situated in such a way that you are not directly on top of each other.

The back loop sites are larger and set deeper (Site 19, 20,21, 22, 23) which are my choice. Sites can be secured on www.recreation.gov. There are double sites which garner double fees. At the time of this review, sites are $23.00 nightly (a bit pricey for no showers or modern facilities). When there during the week, not including the host and groundskeeper, only four sites were filled. Most sites were reserved for weekends and upcoming Labor Day holiday.

No RV/Campers over 36 ft permitted. Parking pads are gravel, a few are pull-through. Sites are non-electric with no hookups…no showers Water spigots, metal trash containers and pit latrines are spaced out through the campground. Each site has one stationary picnic table and a fire pit. Most sites appeared fairly level. No specific tent pad locations.

With the towering ponderosa pines, there is ample shade.

Plenty of trails permit mountain biking as well as the paved centennial bike path that runs along highway 67 from Woodland Park 15 miles north…that you can walk, in-line, cycle and even ebike.

You have plenty of local activities to keep you busy, including the Red Rocks a couple miles south…or drive east on Rt 24 to Pikes Peak, or further into Manitou Springs for the Incline, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Garden of the gods and more!

Just six miles south into Woodland Park offers every food or shopping option.

All in all, a nice, clean campground in a great location.