Best RV Parks & Resorts near Hartsel, CO

Have spent summer 2021 here.  A few blocks from all the casinos (they all run shuttles).

Great staff, owners on site daily.  There is a food truck (Doc's) with GREAT food, permanently on site. Laundry on site, Shower & bathrooms.
The Cripple Creek Burros (free range about town) are here often. NOTE: the burros like our hummingbird feeders!
Open year round (limited rv sites open through winter)
Hotel on property was once the Cripple Creek Hospital and is "period restored."

I've spent seven summers in Colorado in my rv, Hospitality House and RV Park has been one of the best summers we've had.

32' 5th wheel, 50 amp. Reasonable long term rate.

Rocky Top is close to Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, & Woodland Park. It has rv sites as well as a hotel and is located off I-24. Site #23 had full hookups and was a partially paved site, with a picnic table. Few trees are located within the rv park itself. Bathhouse was clean and required a code to get into them. There is also an attached laundry room that had 4 washers and 4 dryers (coin operated). Small playground located at the front of the park, but it looked like they were still working on it. Park provides free WiFi but it is iffy at times and cell signal is non existent for AT&T. Overall would camp here again.

The sites were a bit small but full hook ups with a lodge and general store on-site. Only about 5 minute drive the lake and Leadville.

Another great Colorado State Park, it sits above Eleven Mile Reservoir. The sites offer everything from tent sites to full hook up. There is limited shade, but most sites are exposed.

Theres beautiful hikes around the lake and the fishing is awesome between the reservoir and Spinny Lake, and 11 Mile Canyon below the dam.

We got there the Sunday before Labor Day and stayed all week. People were leaving so the park was fairly quiet. Full hook ups were nice to have. The temps were getting below freezing at night. Nice change from the Texas heat. The morning we left it was 23 degrees so protect your water lines. Great place to stay and ride out of park. Camp host were very friendly and we look forward to going back next year.

I wanted to stay in Manitou originally to hike Pikes Peak, unfortunate weather stopped that from happening so I had to make due and get in as many activities as I possibly could before heading out. I searched the area far and wide for great camping, and this place came up. I only at the time had the address but not much info and so as I was already in the area went ahead and made a stop in hoping to find a site to stay. Unfortunately I was told they only accept RVs, something very predominant in this area. It was a nice park so I went ahead and asked if I could check out some of their amenities before heading out, aka I asked if I could use their restroom and walk around. They let me but said since I wasn't staying I couldn't snag a bunch of photos and invade privacy, I think they told me this cause I had an entire convo about being a travel blogger..lol.

The location wasn't huge but it was quaint. It backed up to a creek which you could hear trickling trough and it made for a nice setting for a place to stay when in this area. Only a few moments away from Manitou only made it even more of a bonus.

Rates seemed pretty reasonable when I was visiting in fall a $45 a night but I did notice rates change seasonally so they could be a bit higher in summer months. They did also offer long term parking within guidelines of maintenance in an attempt to keep their campground looking nice. I really liked the location, I really just wish I had been able to stay, but like with most in Colorado, you have to search a bit harder if you are a tent camper.

TIPS:

• Reserve in advance and hold your reservation or you will forfeit your deposit.

• Check out Rainbow Falls, Garden of the Gods and downtown Manitou if you want to see some amazing different things. If you want a challenge try the Incline!!

This is a BLM dispersed camping site north of Salida on the road to Hecla Junction Recreation Area. The river access is about 5 miles away down a steep dirt and gravel road. The BLM site is very basic with no facilities. The campsites are not marked but easy to identify by the campfire rocks and road patterns. You can’t beat the price if you are looking for free camping near world class river rafting. Like all dispersed camp sites you get a diverse mix of users from long term residents to temporary van and tent campers. The site is located immediately off the access road to the river and provides some tree cover for the sun and wind. It can be a rather windy and dusty spot. So you will need to have a good tent or other cover in the summer or during wind events. The site is patrolled by BLM and other park officials. They have some great hikes here and nice scenery. However, the highlight here is the proximity to the Arkansas River and river rafting. The the Hecla Campground is full this could serve as a good plan B for free. You will need your own toilet, food, and water. You will also need to pack out your trash as they do not have any trash removal. If you are used to dispersed camping, this will be straightforward.

The information above stating the campground is closed is incorrect! 

General: Small (47 site) RV park at the eastern edge of downtown Manitou Springs, next to Schryver Park. This park is best suited for smaller RVs (although we did see some larger rigs).

Site Quality: As is typical for RV parks, sites are close together and without privacy separation. There are trees for shade though. Sites 1-24 back up to the recreation path (with access to the path) and sites 26– 47 back up to the creek. Although being creekside would be nice, these sites are closer to the road, and you will hear more traffic noise. 

Restrooms: These require a code to enter and have showers. Cleaned daily from 11 am– 1 pm and they were very clean (with soap and paper towels). 

Activities: So much to do in Manitou Springs including the cog railway to Pikes Peak, the Manitou Incline (for the very fit), shopping, and restaurants. Close to Garden of the Gods City Park in Colorado Springs. Schryver Park is nice. There are eight mineral springs, and you can do a walking tour to visit all of them. Each has a different taste to the water. If you stop by the Chamber of Commerce, you can pick up a collapsible tasting cup. 

Sheryl, the General Manager, was very friendly and accommodating. We had not planned to stay here but were pleasantly surprised there was availability on Memorial Day weekend when we stopped in. Although we don’t typically like or stay in RV parks, this was a perfect base for us to explore what the area had to offer. WiFi is included.

Nice campground for tents and small camper trailers (under 30”). Sights off the river are on a steep grade, which will require a lot of rise in trailer jacks-bring our blocks. Most sights have space for a trailer and tent. The camp group does not have water and spotty Mobile phone service for those who care. Nice relaxing place to visit.

Camped here for the first time we ever took the RV out. Visited in mid/end of September. It got cold at night and we were thankful to have brought an extra space heater. Views were nice. There was little vegetation in the area which made high winds even stronger. There wasn't a fire ban at the time but a campfire was impractical due to the winds.

RV spots were about average distance from neighbors. Spots were big enough and easy enough to park a travel trailer in. Spots didn't have water hookups, which is normally one of the big reasons for going to an RV site and dealing with neighbors. Using the dump station was easy in the off-season, staff let you schedule a dump time days ahead of time.

The campground was definitely intended for use by visitors on fishing trips at the nearby lake. Multiple individuals parked boats within their RV spots.

Pros: -lots of level, well maintained sites -huge lake, great for fishing or boating -electrical hookups for RV camping Cons: -minimal shade and sites are close together -bathroom/shower are at the entrance (a considerable distance from most sites) -not a ton of great hiking areas. Bottom line if you’re an RV camper and an angler definitely a decent spot. If you’re a tent camper and hiker check elsewhere.

Riverside RV Park is on the outskirts of Salida, Colorado just off of US-50. The Arkansas River flows through the campground at a sedate flow. Our campsite (#8) was right next to and parallel to the river which provided some soothing sounds at night. It took a couple of tries to back our 20 foot travel trailer into the spot. The gravel site was level side to side but sloped slightly back to front. The bathrooms and showers are clean but a bit worn, and they are across the river bridge from the campsites and up some fairly steep steps. My wife is handicapped, so we had to drive around to the bathhouse. 

The campground is next door to a Sonic Drive-In and across the highway from a Wal-mart. It is within a half hour drive to rafting, horseback riding, hot springs, trailheads to the outback and high mountains.

We enjoyed our stay and would definitely return.

This is one of the best RV Campgrounds in the state of Colorado! This is definitely a hidden gem with sites nestled up in the forest trees and close to everything you come to do while camping. Close to hiking, fishing, OHV trails, and anything you can think of for the Rocky Mountain outdoors! Book a stay here as soon as you possibly can, you will not regret it....

This campground is still just the coolest! You don't find a more unique Campground in this day and age, feels more like camping than your average RV Park 😊