It’s Time to Think About Camping!

Okay, maybe it’s not time to actually go camping – for most of us, anyway. (And bless you winter campers – you go and have fun!  Don’t let your champagne freeze – it makes the cork pop off.  Trust us.) 

But it IS time to make reservations for next summer.

If you’re like The Colleens, you’re still getting outdoors as much as possible, but already disheartened by the cold and dark and starting to dream of those halcyon summer days in the mountains.  At this time of year, nothing brightens the outlook like having some plans in place for future fun.  We’re not saying a winter trip to Mexico is out of place, or making a deposit on that big summer trip to Italy isn’t a fabulous idea, but don’t forget to make your camping reservations too.

Many campsite reservations become available six months in advance of the camping date, which means it’s time right now to make those Memorial Day Weekend plans and grab your favorite sites for June. Here are some helpful hints and links to get you started:

Colorado State Parks

All Colorado state parks require camping reservations.  Prices range from $14 per night for primitive sites to $41 per night for full RV hookup.  (Remember, this doesn’t include your daily entrance fee so just grab that annual state park pass and make things easy on yourself.)  With more than 4000 campsites in the Colorado State Park system you wouldn’t believe they could all get booked but if you’ve tried to find a site at the last minute, you know they do.  If you have to cancel your reservation more than 30 days out, you only lose 25% of the fee, which is – let’s see – $3.50 for those primitive sites, so there’s hardly any downside to booking early.  That being said, be courteous to other campers and don’t book a bunch of sites you know you’ll never use.  That is bad camper etiquette!

Here’s the link to make reservations in Colorado State Parks:  www.cpwshop.com

Reserve America

Reservations available here up to six months in advance as well.  Reserve America is not just for Colorado – it’s national – and also includes non-government / park locations such as KOA Campgrounds, Jellystone Parks and Private RV Parks. 

Here’s the link:  www.ReserveAmerica.com

From there, you can even link to Outdoorsy to reserve a trailer or RV for your trip.  (And then don’t forget to get the Colleens Trailer Kit to go with you!)

National Park System

Whether you’re looking forward to your first National Park visit or you’re knocking another one off your list in your glorious quest to hit all 130 of them, it’s time to put the goal into action. 

Some sites can be reserved directly on each park’s website, by starting with the NPS website.  Others can be reserved through Recreation.Gov.  It depends on whether the sites are associated with the park or the hotel complexes in the parks. 

2023 dates have just been announced and reservations are now available!

Other Winter Prep

The Colleens have a couple of other camping prep items we intend to do this winter.

  • Go through our gear to wash, clean and resupply for summer.  As diligent as we are about cleaning up at the end of a trip, everything could use a good freshening up before the new season begins.  We might need to get rid of the old spices for new, or replace the ancient sunscreen that’s in there.  We might make a note to get new batteries for the lantern or another roll of aluminum foil.  Of course, if you don’t have your gear yet, or just need a total refresh, now’s the time to get your Colleens Camping Kit.
  • Here’s a favorite for a winter weekend:  head to a mountain town and check out the local stores and even the thrift stores for amazing deals on outdoor clothes, new boots and shoes, and abandoned gear with little to no use.  Or a weird Yogi the Bear Bobblehead for your dashboard.  Whatever.
  • Get motivated.  Just looking into gorgeous photographic essays or trail maps and guidebooks gets me pumped up and ready to go.  Check out some National Park options at Barnes & Noble:  fiction, non-fiction, atlases, puzzles, and games.  Then order a set of those adorable notecards and surprise your friends with an invitation in their mailbox to join you on a journey in 2023. 

So we say again, it’s time to think about camping.  

The Colleens hope you use these ideas to Get Ready, Get Set, Go Camp!

Camping After Labor Day?  Don’t Miss It!

While some people consider Labor Day to be the end of summer and hence, the end of camping season, reconsider these reasons to be excited about fall camping in Colorado. 

Weather

The weather in September is practically perfect for getting into the woods.  Mountain high temperatures are in the perfect mid-60 to mid-70 range with lows staying above freezing for perfect sleeping bag comfort.  Even into October, average highs range from the upper-50s to mid-60s.  And our high-altitude sunshine is always perfect for maintaining a warm glow.  At the same time, the average number of rainy days continues to drop in the autumn, leaving less risk for a dampened camp out experience.  I’m not saying you shouldn’t check your weather app for the possibility of something different, but overall, it’s a great time to go.

Crowd Control

Because most people haven’t read this (yet), and aren’t acquainted with the pleasures of fall camping … well, they stay home … creating more availability at popular campsites and less crowded conditions for those of us who know to go.  Right now, I’m even seeing September and October availability in Rocky Mountain National Park – you’ll know that’s practically a miracle if you’ve tried to get a site there over the summer.

Aspens

Colorado is one bright and glittering place from mid-September to mid-October, thanks to our glorious aspen trees.   Pick a site near one of these spots for jaw-dropping beauty:  Guanella Pass, Kebler Pass, Kenosha Pass or Trail Ridge Road, just to name a few.

Elk

Truly an amazing thing:  check out the annual bugling of the rutting elk near Rocky Mountain National Park from mid-September to mid-October.   Heard from your spot near a crackling campfire, the sound will give you chills of delight.

Spots Too Hot for Summer

Although I’m a pretty hearty camper, there are a few places I try to avoid during the hottest parts of the summer, but camping there in the fall is amazing.  Check out Dinosaur National Monument, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and Grand Junction, where it’s a whopping 30 degrees cooler in October than in July, when it averages 93 degrees. 

Convinced yet?  Whether you’re a full-blown trailer camper kind of person, or a minimalist tent-er, there’s no reason not to try Colorado camping in the autumn.  Don’t have the gear to go but ready to try it?  Check out this simple solution to have you on your way with one simple purchase:  The Camping with Colleens Kit. 

Ready.  Set.  Camp!