roadtripper1232671

Stayed only one night while traveling through. Large level sites. Not very crowded for a larger state park. Electric hookups only, but great access to potable water and a dump station.

The park is a bit dated, but full service. We had a pull thru, leveled okay but the asphalt was uneven by tree roots. The pull thu sites are close together. Signs posted everywhere about recent bike thefts, and that they were cutting locks. They recommended keeping bikes out of sight which was impossible for us. I did lock my bike to the picnic table right next to our rig. It was gone by morning.

The bike “might” have been considered high-end…..twenty years ago so any bike is at risk. Our neighbors had bike on a rack on their rig, but the Ranger said that bikes have been taken off of rigs. Evidently it’s a real problem in the park so pay attention.

We arrived on a Wednesday and had the place to ourselves. First arrived at the large lot where you will find the vault toilet. We selected a site farther away after exploring a bit on foot. Access from Highway 178 was gravel and some washboard, but an easy drive. There are plenty of accessible sites around and near the first set of rocks next to the main lot. Going further a field could be difficult as the roads take will take you through dry washes.

We stayed for three nights. Pay attention to the posted signs. We selected a site and stayed for two nights before a BLM employee stopped to say that we were set up in an area closed to motor vehicles. He suggest we move to the other side of the lot, which we did for our final night. We couldn’t see any appreciable difference between the sites as both had fire rings, other than the second one was farther from the sign.

OHV activity began to pick up on Friday, and more of the sites began to fill up. Really not a problem given the nature of the area. The night sky here is awesome!

You need to intend to come here and the trip is well worthwhile. We had a partial hook-up site with plenty of room. The park is in the middle of the high desert and there are plenty of hiking trails to keep you occupied for the week. A soak in the pools are something to look forward to afterwards.

If you are staying for a while, be sure to provision up, and gas up before you arrive. Services are a ways away. Though a visit to Julian for a day is worth the drive.

There is zero internet or cell coverage in the park. There is a “cell phone” lot about 5 miles down the road at Vallecito County Park that has good reception.

Visit for a great desert visit.

We were in the B loop, which has access to water and electric. The sites are on grass and relatively level, though we did not unhook for just one night. There are longer term stay folks, using this as a base for recreating on the river. Our reserved site was B18, but the long-termer next to us was REALLY close to our site. After checking with the gate we moved to another un-occupied site.

Many of the sites are relativity large and a number of folks park perpendicular in the site which tends to crowd. Also, services share two sites, so for back in’s someone will have a curb-side hookup with a longer run for water and electric. We made ours work.

We took several night while passing through Bend. This older park is located near downtown and good access via biking trails. Some sites seem tight but that also depends on what you travel in. Laundry was good and clean. Bend is a great town and this would be an excellent basecamp from which to explore.

Our site was paved and level. WiFi was glitchy, but fine once connected. You will get some road noise from the adjacent highway, while sitting outside.

The minor downside was contacting the office. Possible reason was that they just had a major tech issue with their system and phone. I would expect that to improve.

The very first thing to recommend this park is Steve the owner. He will park your rig, and address any need you might have. But more so, he maintains this park as a jewel in the middle of the city. He is a fierce advocate for making sure that parks like this remain available to everyone. He caters to entertainment industry folks, but also to traveling nurses, families in town for medical treatment, as well as nomads like us.

Access might very well include using their “valet” service. It is an older park and some of the spaces are close. They prefer parking travel trailers and 5th wheelers. Go ahead and let them. They are absolute pros! We (proudly) travel with a ProPride 3P hitch. I installed my lot bar and off they went. I think it was a first for Steve. They park, level, and hook up your rig. Our only glitch was a faulty 30amp plug, and they had it fixed by morning.

The park itself is magical. Hollywood themed, with original artwork, by women artists, throughout. You will hardly notice the air traffic from the nearby airport. After a day here, you won’t care about it!

The long term residents here are great, and a good source of information. They provide the character for the park. We like small parks with a lot of character. You will find it here in bushels!

The neighbors, hosts, wifi, and cell reception entice you to stay forever. We will return.

There are very few commercial campgrounds in Boulder County. If the selection were greater, this would remain our preferred spot. The campground was rebuilt after a major flood in 2013 is wonderful. The location provides excellent access to The Town of Lyons, Estes Park and the Peak to Peak Highway, and to Boulder as well.

While the sites are smaller and ignite present issues with larger rigs, and the services could have a more ideal location, those pale in comparison to its location, ambiance, and the Hosts and Town staff who manage it.

We are full time travelers, but Boulder County was our home before we hit the road. When get to Lyons, we really do feel home again in so many ways.