Direct Links To Colorado Reviews Below

Dates: May 8, 2008 - May 13, 2008
Location: On U.S Hwy 84 about 10 miles south of Pagosa Springs in southern Colorado
GPS Coordinates: 37.15765N, 106.9468W
Our Site Number: 47
Reason Selected: We were on our way from Utah to Branson, Missouri and wanted to stop in Pagosa Springs where we had lined up a workamping job for the summer. Many of the National Forest campgrounds had not yet opened for the season, so our choice was RV parks. From our web research, this one seemed the most like our style.
Setting:Open setting between a feeder of the Blanco River and a wooded hill. But to the right of the river in the photo above is Hwy 84. It's very close to the road but buffered by the river and a steep bank. The roads and sites are gravel and the sites are very close together.
Guidebooks: None used
Big Rig Friendly: Could handle any size rig, but could be trickier if the RV park is full.
Hook-ups: Full hook-up with 50/30 amp electric
Laundry: Really nice with four washers/dryers.
Price & Discounts: $30 per night plus tax; They also have weekly and monthly rates. They do offer 10% discounts off nightly rate for Good Sam, FMCA, and others. There is a 15% discount for Escapees. I saw a Happy Camper sticker on their window, so it appears they have some discount for that 1/2 price club membership. Our stay with the Escapees discount was $27.25 per night including tax.
Other Factors: Very, very friendly owners; Rooftop satellite was no problem; Bathhouse was immaculate and laundry facilities were great; They don't have their own website, but they are listed on coloradodirectory.com - Caution: Rates on that website were outdated when we checked. Free Wi-Fi. At 6900 feet elevation. Lots of beautiful scenery and National Forest roads nearby. We had constant hummingbirds at our feeders.
OVERALL RATING: 7 (out of ten)
There were very few rigs in the park while we were there. But the sites were way too close together, and I bet it is really crowded during the summer. Because the sites are packed in, because it sits really close to the highway, and because the price is a bit on the high side for us, I can only give it a seven.

Dates: July 11, 2007 - August 10, 2007
Location: On Colorado Hwy 67 just north of Woodland Park, CO; about 20 miles from Colorado Springs
GPS Coordinates: 39.00867N, 105.0685W
Our Site Number: 175
Reason Selected: We had planned to meet up with friends of ours who were workamping at this campground. During their days off, they were helping us do an upgrade to our electrical system.
Setting:Quite wooded for an RV park near town. Lots of tall pines. Mule deer wandered through the campground daily and bears were known to visit once in awhile as well. The front of the park (east) is near Hwy 67 and is very loud. The back of the park (west) where we stayed is much quieter but backs up to a residential community beyond the privacy fence. The south side is next to commercial business and the north side is next to a wooded area that looks like will become a developed subdivision soon. Sites are very close together. Road is combination of gravel and hard-packed dirt.
Guidebooks: None used
Big Rig Friendly: Could handle any size rig, but many sites required skill for back-ins.
Hook-ups: Full hook-up with 50/30 amp electric
Laundry: Nice facility.
Price & Discounts: $27 per night plus tax; $162 per week plus tax; $450 per month (tax included) - We stayed a month just to get the better rate; $1495 seasonal for May 10 - Sept 30.
Other Factors: Very, very friendly staff (not just saying that because we knew some of them); Rooftop satellite options were very limited; Bathhouses were very clean; Website could definitely be improved; Lots of beautiful scenery and National Forest roads nearby; Cool summer temps and no bugs.
OVERALL RATING: 7 (out of ten)
The sites were way too close together for my liking, but the setting was better than I expected. There are lots of seasonal folks which is very understandable given the great price and wonderful summer weather. Some good community activities. Not really our cup of tea, but we liked it more than we thought we would. If you don't mind going without hook-ups, a National Forest campground a few miles up the road is more the type campground we like, but even there, there is still a lot of road noise from Hwy 67. Still, Diamond is probably the best option in the area if you want full hook-ups.

Dates: July 9, 2007 - July 11, 2007
Location: In the San Luis Valley. Eight miles east of Hwy 150 (Mosca) and a few miles west of the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
GPS Coordinates: 37.67842, 105.734W
Our Site Number: 16
Reason Selected: We were looking for a place to stay on our way from Mancos, CO to Woodland Park, CO. We chose this state park because of its closeness to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Setting: Overlooks the San Luis Lake and the Great Sand Dunes on the eastern side of the lake. The Sangres Mountains are also part of the view to the east. The views are beautiful. The terrain is high desert with no trees. It is a remote state park and, therefore, very quiet.
Guidebooks: None used
Big Rig Friendly: Could handle any size rig
Hook-ups: Electric hook-ups only (30 amps); Water sources are in the campground, but you need to take on water before parking in most sites. There is a dump station.
Laundry: Yes, very nice.
Price & Discounts: $18 PLUS $6 park entrance fee per day.
Other Factors: All sites have a nice little shelter over a picnic table. All sites are certainly satellite friendly. The views were nice, but the bugs were bad. And it is very windy - the harsh winds made us leave a little earlier than planned. Bathhouse was very clean. The state park website is pretty good, but there are no pictures of the campground. The camphosts were not on duty when we were there, but the contracted park managers were nice. Best campground for "it" factor near the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Unfortunately, the lake was very low and the wildlife area had closed just before we had arrived for nesting birds.
OVERALL RATING: 7 (out of ten)
I might have given this campground a 7.5, but Linda would probably have given it a 6.5 because of the wind. So we compromised once again and settled on the 7. It's certainly not what you think about when you visit Colorado. But its proximity to the Great Sand Dunes (a must see) and Zapata Falls, make it a very worthwhile stop.

Dates: June 25, 2007 - July 9, 2007
Location: Soutwest Colorado. Off Hwy 160 about 30 miles west of Durango and 3 miles east of Mancos.
GPS Coordinates: 37.39553N, 108.24677W
Our Site Number: 67
Reason Selected: Looked online for a natural setting in the Durango, Colorado area. Happened across this possibility in our research.
Setting: Way out in the middle of nowhere. Most sites are wooded with tall pines, but there are open sites as well. There is no brush between sites for privacy and the spacing between sites varies greatly. From our site, we had a view of Mesa Verde to the west, the La Plata Mountains to the east, and wide open pastures to the north behind our rig. There are several cabins and the ranch looks like an attempt to become more of a resort than it can afford to be. Sites are all gravel. But it is scenic, quiet, and remote. Bears were spotted in the campground a couple of nights we were there.
Guidebooks: None used
Big Rig Friendly: Could handle any size rig, but there is a 3.5 mile drive back a fairly narrow, windy road to get to the ranch. Fortunately, there is almost no traffic.
Hook-ups: Full hook-ups with 50/30 amp electric
Laundry: Very nice.
Price & Discounts: $35 Nightly rate; $220 Weekly ($31 a night); $630 Monthly ($21 a night). These are 2008 prices which have gone up considerably since we were there. We paid a $177 weekly rate which came out to about $25 a night.
Other Factors: Close to Mesa Verde National Park and San Juan National Forest. Sits at 7800 feet elevation, so nice summer temperatures and no bugs. Pretty place with some great views if you choose the right spots. Some tackiness with artificial grass and flowers in some areas. Staff was friendly, but often unavailable as their concentration seemed to be on catering and group events. Swimming pool and hot tub, but the pool heater was broken when we were there. Website is pretty good, but the Restaurant/Saloon are only open for private functions.
OVERALL RATING: 8 (out of ten)
The peace, quiet, views, remoteness, nice temps, no bugs, and full hook-ups warrant an 8. We liked it enough to change plans and stay two weeks. However, it is quite a drive to anywhere from this campground. If you just want to get away to a cool place for the summer, Echo Basin ain't bad. The management is a little lax - we had a hard time finding anyone to pay. Linda might have given it a little higher rating, but I think 8 is pretty fair.