Canoeing/Kayaking

Sweetwater River Resort

11 RV Sites, 4 Cabins, 6 Tent Sites, 1 Glamping Site

Sweetwater River Resort occupies 31 private acres along a half-mile of the Arkansas River in Cotopaxi, Colorado — a stretch of Highway 50 where the river cuts through the Bighorn Sheep Canyon between Cañon City and Salida, delivering some of the most dramatic high-desert river scenery in the American West. With frontage on both sides of the Arkansas and a setting in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Sweetwater River Resort is one of the most scenically positioned camping destinations in Colorado. Accommodations span rustic cabins, pioneer cabins, deluxe cabins, glamping tents, four traditional motel rooms, and a Big House perched above the river — suitable for large groups who want a private space with kitchen amenities and wraparound river views. RV sites and tent sites round out the options for guests bringing their own shelter. The bath house provides hot showers near the property entrance, and the half-mile of Arkansas River frontage on both banks gives guests unfettered access for fishing, wading, and riverside relaxation throughout the day. Pets are welcome. The Arkansas River at Cotopaxi flows through the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area — a state park extending the length of the river's Colorado run that protects and provides access to some of the most celebrated whitewater in the country. Gold Medal fishing on the Arkansas draws fly anglers who prize its brown and rainbow trout, while kayakers and paddlers of all skill levels navigate the Bighorn Sheep Canyon section that runs directly through the Sweetwater property. Royal Gorge, 30 minutes west in Cañon City, is one of Colorado's most dramatic natural landmarks — a 1,000-foot-deep canyon crossed by the world's highest suspension bridge, with the Royal Gorge Route Railroad running along the canyon floor for a scenic ride unlike anything above ground. Salida, 30 minutes east, is one of Colorado's most vibrant mountain towns — art galleries, local restaurants, live music, and 14er access fill the kind of afternoon that makes Salida worth a full day of exploration. Forty-five miles of 4x4 and ATV trails at Texas Creek and the Rainbow Trail near Westcliffe extend the outdoor recreation for guests with off-road capability. Sweetwater River Resort is open through the Colorado camping season, with summer delivering the widest combination of river recreation — from whitewater rafting with the outfitters concentrated along the Highway 50 corridor to fly fishing the Gold Medal Arkansas to hiking the Sangre de Cristo foothills. The sweetwater river resort's position exactly between Cañon City and Salida makes it a natural base for exploring two of the Arkansas Valley's most appealing communities in any direction.

from $40/night

Four Seasons RV Park - Salida

62 RV Sites, 4 Cottages

Four Seasons RV Park in Salida, Colorado, offers 62 full-hookup RV sites and four cottages along the Arkansas River, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 65 feet. Premium River and Deluxe River back-in categories join deluxe back-in, deluxe pull-through, and a small premium river tier, with a boat ramp, walking trails, and mountain views in every direction. Sixty-two sites span deluxe back-in, deluxe pull-through, deluxe river back-in, premium river back-in, premium river back-in small, and standard categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 65 feet, with picnic tables. The river categories are the reason to book here, and the small premium river tier right-sizes for compact rigs that still want the water. Four cottages and cabins round out the lodging. A laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and boat storage handle the practical side. A boat ramp opens the Arkansas for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, with walking trails, hiking, biking, a dog park, and picnicking filling the rest. Skiing and snowboarding are nearby. Pets are welcome. Directions: from US-285 go east on US-50 toward Salida — the park is a half mile east of town along the river, 10 minutes from Poncha Springs and an hour from Cañon City. The Collegiate Peaks define the skyline in every direction, and the Arkansas is the most rafted river in the country. Summer rafting season is peak. Reserve well ahead for June through August, with fall color drawing a strong September.

from $70/night

North Shore RV Park & General Store

8 RV Sites, 2 Cabins

North Shore RV and Store in Loveland, Colorado, provides a strategically located campground along US Highway 34 in the northern Front Range foothills, positioning guests at the eastern threshold of the Big Thompson River Canyon and within comfortable range of both the recreational lakes of Larimer County and the dramatic mountain terrain of Rocky Mountain National Park to the west. Serving as a practical gateway property for travelers transitioning between the Front Range urban corridor and the Rocky Mountain high country, the park combines solid utility infrastructure with an on-site general store that covers essential supply needs. Full hookup sites with water, electric, and sewer connections accommodate a range of RV sizes along the Highway 34 corridor, and the on-site general store functions as a one-stop resource for fuel, groceries, camping supplies, and the local information that first-time visitors to the canyon country need before heading into mountain terrain. The store's presence distinguishes North Shore from parks that require guests to drive to Loveland or Estes Park for resupply, a meaningful convenience for travelers arriving late or departing early in the mountain time window before weather changes. The northern Colorado Front Range landscape surrounding Loveland is defined by the dramatic transition from the flat Great Plains to the east and the suddenly vertical granite and gneiss peaks of the Colorado Front Range to the west—a transition that happens with a geological abruptness unusual even among mountain fronts. The Big Thompson River carves a steep, forested canyon through the hogbacks west of Loveland, following a drainage that has supported recreation, ranching, and water supply infrastructure for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District for over a century. Boyd Lake and Carter Lake, two state parks within Loveland's immediate vicinity, provide warm-water fishing, boating, and camping that supplement the colder mountain recreation available farther west. Rocky Mountain National Park, accessible via the Fall River Road entrance at Estes Park approximately 30 miles west of Loveland via Highway 34, protects over 415 square miles of alpine tundra, glacial valleys, and high-elevation peaks that include Longs Peak, the northernmost fourteener in Colorado. The park's wildlife—elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose, and black bear—are regularly visible from roadside pullouts and popular trail corridors, and the Trail Ridge Road crossing provides the most accessible high-alpine drive in the Rocky Mountain National Park system when it opens in late spring. Fort Collins, home to Colorado State University and a thriving brewery and dining district, lies approximately 15 miles north of Loveland along US-287. North Shore RV and Store operates year-round, with summer representing the peak season when Rocky Mountain National Park visitation reaches maximum intensity and timed entry permits are required for the most popular park zones. Spring and fall offer genuine appeal for guests who want mountain access without summer crowds, and the park's proximity to Boyd Lake State Park extends the camping season with warm-water recreation options on either end of the high-country window. Advance reservations for summer weekends are recommended, and guests heading into the park should check timed entry permit availability well before departure.

from $30/night

Mesa Campground

Three miles west of Gunnison on US Highway 50, Mesa Campground sits at the gateway to one of Colorado's most compelling outdoor corridors, with the Gunnison River within walking distance and Blue Mesa Reservoir—Colorado's largest body of water—just minutes down the road. The campground offers full hookup sites for rigs of all sizes, cabin rentals, and proximity to both Curecanti National Recreation Area and the broader Gunnison Valley that makes this part of Colorado a legitimate four-season destination. The combination of river access, a national recreation area next door, and proximity to Crested Butte and Black Canyon makes Gunnison a natural hub for serious outdoor travelers. The campground's sites range from open and shaded options with 30 and 50-amp service to luxury pull-through configurations suited to the largest motorhomes. Free shared WiFi covers the property, and pet-friendly restrooms and showers reflect a campground culture that treats traveling pets as genuine guests. A well-maintained laundromat, communal fire pits, a small playground, and an on-site clubhouse, recreation center, and general store keep the operation self-sufficient for guests who prefer to limit trips to town. Propane service and boat storage accommodate guests who arrive between outings on Blue Mesa or the river. Cabins are available for those seeking a more contained stay. The Gunnison River is the natural focal point of the campground's immediate setting, and walking access to its banks provides easy trout fishing—the river holds brown and rainbow trout in quality numbers through the season—and the particular calm of a high-country river corridor available at whatever time of day fits your schedule. Blue Mesa Reservoir, three miles from the campground, is Colorado's largest body of water and one of the best Kokanee salmon fisheries in the West. Curecanti National Recreation Area surrounds the reservoir system and offers boating, paddling, and scenic canyon geology. Crested Butte, one of Colorado's most beloved mountain towns and a world-class ski and mountain biking destination, is 28 miles north of Gunnison on Highway 135. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park—a dramatically narrow canyon carved by the river itself—is accessible to the west for a day trip that ranks consistently among the most visually striking geological experiences in the Rocky Mountain region. The Gunnison area also anchors an off-road vehicle network extending into the surrounding mountains, and mountain biking trails out of Gunnison and Crested Butte are among Colorado's best. Mesa Campground operates year-round and provides a genuinely useful base for campers who want to explore the Gunnison Valley's remarkable concentration of outdoor opportunity. Summer is the peak season for water recreation on Blue Mesa and trails at Crested Butte, while fall brings extraordinary aspen color across the valley. Winter brings ski access at Crested Butte for guests willing to make the short drive over Kebler Pass. Book your site early for summer weekends and fall aspen season, and use the Gunnison Valley as the base camp it deserves to be.

Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains

288 RV Sites, 39 Cabins, 25 Tent Sites, 75 Cottages, 8 Airstreams, 7 Wagons

Along the headwaters of the Colorado River in Granby, Colorado—in the Grand County valley where the river's first mountain miles flow beneath the Arapaho National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park rises on the eastern horizon—Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains delivers a Colorado Rockies camping destination with resort infrastructure that most mountain campgrounds can't approach: a pool and hot tubs, two on-site bars and restaurants, massage and spa services, kayak and paddleboard dock access, a wellness center, an amphitheater, and the Continental Divide views that the Grand County valley's 8,000-foot elevation frames in every direction. Full hookup RV sites, furnished mountain cabins, glamping, and tent camping accommodate the full range of travel styles in a setting that makes it genuinely difficult to leave the property for the first afternoon. Full hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp electric, water, and sewer on crushed granite pads accommodate rigs up to 50 feet with room for slide-outs. Furnished mountain cabins provide the most luxurious enclosed option, and glamping and tent camping serve the guests who want the Rocky Mountain atmosphere in the most direct form. The resort's two food and beverage operations—Summit Bar and Grill and Headwaters Tavern—give guests on-site dining choices beyond the camp stove, and the outdoor patio seating at each provides the mountain view dining experience that Grand County's visual context makes genuinely exceptional with minimal effort. A pool and hot tubs serve the elevation-climate dynamic where Colorado mountain days require sun protection and Colorado nights require heat. Mini-bowling, an arcade, sport courts, and planned activities provide structured recreation, while a lake dock with paddleboarding and kayaks accesses the Colorado River headwaters environment directly. Yoga, massage and spa services, a wellness center, and an amphitheater for evening programming extend the resort's offerings well beyond standard campground expectations. An off-leash dog park completes the pet-friendly infrastructure for traveling dogs. The Colorado River headwaters flowing through Granby's valley provide the water access and the ecological beginning of one of North America's most significant rivers. The Grand Lake—Colorado's largest natural lake, two miles north of Granby—provides the most expansive open-water experience in Grand County, with kayaking, sailing, and the mountain lake character that the surrounding peaks create in every direction. Rocky Mountain National Park, accessible from the Grand Lake entrance just north of the resort, provides the most biodiverse and visually spectacular mountain terrain accessible from any campground in the Colorado Rockies. The Trail Ridge Road—crossing the Continental Divide at 12,183 feet and traversing the alpine tundra ecosystem above tree line for 11 miles—is the most dramatic paved road in the American national park system, and the fall elk rut in Rocky Mountain's meadows, occurring in September and October, draws wildlife enthusiasts specifically to Grand County for the bugling and display behavior of one of the largest elk herds in North America. Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains is open year-round in a mountain environment where summer represents the peak season for full recreational access. Winter brings snowshoeing, cross-country skiing at Granby Ranch, and the quieter character of a mountain resort between its summer and spring crowds. Fall brings the elk rut and the aspen color that makes Grand County's hillsides visually spectacular from late September through mid-October. Reserve your full hookup site, plan a Trail Ridge Road drive at sunrise, and let the Colorado River headwaters and the Continental Divide view earn what Rocky Mountain summer camping is supposed to look like.

from $44/night