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Ryan Robinson takes you for a ride in the passenger seat of his RV, off the grid, deep among the dramatic rock formations of the Utah Desert. Robinson and friends chill by the fire, tell stories, and of course, rig a one of a kind highline over the Looking Glass Arch in Moab, UT.
Colorado has beautiful winter landscapes, fun winter activities, and lots of great RV parks for camping. Here are some of the best RV parks and campgrounds open during winter in Colorado.
RVers looking for places to enjoy winter recreation in Colorado have plenty of options, with dozens of campgrounds and RV parks staying open through the winter months.
“Many out-of-staters are surprised to find campgrounds and RV parks open in winter,” said Mary Arlington, executive director of the Colorado Campground & Lodging Owners Association. The association hosts Camp Colorado, which allows campers to search for RV campgrounds that are open in specific months, making it possible to quickly identify association member campgrounds and RV parks that are open in winter.
"Winter camping enthusiasts tend to have other activities calling more loudly than the camping,” Arlington said, citing ice fishing, ice climbing, cross-country or downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, sledding, and snowshoeing as key winter activities.
“The campgrounds usually offer limited services, such as shorter hours, and usually the swimming pool is closed, yet the campsites, glamping features, and cabins and lodges are often available," she said. “Each property has its own definition of winter availability.”
The good news is that RVers can find campgrounds and RV parks open in some of the most sought-after winter destinations in Colorado, from ski resorts to winter festivals, like the annual Ouray Ice Festival and Competition.
If you’re camping in Colorado in the winter, make sure you and your RV are properly prepared for below-freezing conditions.
Ten Winter Camping Options Include:
1. Westerly RV Park, Durango
Westerly RV Park is a popular winter RV campground for skiers and snowboarders bound for Purgatory and Durango Mountain Resort. Families also enjoy taking their kids on winter train rides on the historic Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad up to Cascade Canyon and a Polar Express ride for parents and kids to enjoy the Christmas Village, just north of town.
The 8,000-foot elevation Ouray Riverside Resort is popular with winter visitors including RVers and park model campers wishing to explore Ouray Ice Park in the Uncompahgre Gorge. Skiers and snowboarders also use Ouray Riverside Resort as a base camp for excursions to Telluride Ski Resort or to enjoy backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. Full hookups are available year-round and there’s an on-site restaurant for convenient meals that’s also open in winter.
3. Base Camp at Golden Gate Canyon, Black Hawk
Located at 9,230 feet, Base Camp at Golden Gate Canyon is one of the highest in Colorado to stay open through the winter months. Campsites have no running water this time of year, but restrooms and shower facilities are available. The campground also offers 12 cabins.
Nearby winter activities include skiing and snowboarding at Echo Mountain and Eldora Mountain ski resorts, scenic winter drives along the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, and casino-going in the nearby communities of Black Hawk and Central City.
Garden of the Gods RV Resort, which has views of Pikes Peak, complements its RV sites with rental accommodations. Nearby attractions include the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, which offers scenic sandstone rock formations, hiking, and mountain biking trails, as well as a wide variety of organized activities.
The campground can be used as a basecamp for visits to downtown Colorado Springs and to the scenic and historic mining towns of Cripple Creek and Victor as well as Manitou, which is famous for its hot springs.
The road to 14,115-foot Pikes Peak is also open in winter but sometimes closes briefly based on weather conditions. The historic Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is also open Friday through Monday in winter.
5. Lake John Resort, Walden
Lake John Resort offers RV and tent sites and furnished rental cabins. This 8,200-foot, family-owned campground has an ice fishing contest every January. The park also rents out ice fishing huts, which can be rented with or without ice fishing equipment.
While ice fishing is a big attraction here, other nearby activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. The resort is close to Delaney Butte Lakes, Big Creek Lake, Cowdrey Lake, and the many alpine lakes of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Steamboat Ski Resort is about an hour away.
6. Palisade Basecamp RV Resort, Palisade
This campground with frontage along the Colorado River, complements its RV and tent sites with rental cabins and cottages, plus two country home suites. Unlike many campgrounds, Palisade Basecamp offers winterized RV sites with water.
7. River Run RV Resort, Granby
River Run maintains a small number of RV sites during the winter months. The resort’s park model vacation rentals are also available year-round. Winter activities include skiing and snowboarding at Winter Park, 25 minutes away, and the annual 3 Lakes Ice Fishing Contest at Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir, and Grand Lake.
8. Tiger Run Resort, Breckenridge
Winter recreation enthusiasts in Colorado often stay at Tiger Run, a 9,600-foot resort near the historic mining town of Breckenridge. It’s close to several popular ski resorts, including Breckenridge, Keystone, and Copper Mountain. Vail is about an hour away, depending on road conditions.
Photo courtesy of Tiger Run Resort in Breckenridge, CO
9. Snowy Peaks RV Park & Rentals, Buena Vista
Snowy Peaks is open in winter and serves as a base camp for RVers who enjoy skiing and snowboarding at the Monarch and Cooper Mountain ski resorts. Don’t miss nearby hot springs, Cottonwood Hot Springs or Mount Princeton Hot Springs, to cap off a day on the slopes.
10. The Hideout at Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Springs
The Hideout at Glenwood Springs has small RV camping sites (under 20 feet) and is near winter attractions such as the hot springs (located in downtown Glenwood Springs) and Sunlight Ski Resort, just 15 miles away. Sites do not have water and electric hookups in the winter, but water is available at the bathhouse and clubhouse.
Jeff Crider, President and CEO of Crider Public Relations, has been involved in covering the campground industry for over 25 years. Jeff has worked as a freelance writer for publications such as RV Business, Motor Home Magazine, Trailer Life, Highways and other Affinity Group Inc. publications since 1995. He has also successfully pitched many of the nation's top tier media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Financial Times, Reuters, The Associated Press and National Public Radio. In addition to writing, Jeff is also a talented photographer and humanitarian.
