Summer Camping 2015 | Small Home

Departing the Grand Canyon

4 06 2017

Goulding’s RV Park, Monument Valley, UT

Without a lot of campground options outside of the Grand Canyon, our first night on the way home will be back at Monument Valley, Goulding’s RV Park. We’ve parked in site #34 for our quick overnight stay. This is an end site, lots of room for the picnic table and fire pit.

From Monument Valley we headed directly north to Moab. We’re going to check out Portal RV in Moab, with both short term rental sites and lots that can be purchased. Located just north of town, the park is set back from highway 191 about a 1000 feet and still east of the river by about a mile. The rental sites occupy the first 46 sites on the north side. These sites are gravel and include a concrete pad and picnic table. There are also grills on some of the sites, but no fire rings. The 36 “resort” sites are to the south with concrete parking areas and pads and extensive landscaping. In the first row of 12 resort sites (#M13-M24), 5 or 6 of these owners have added 2 and 3 story homes next to their RV parking space. These homes are quite impressive, but leave RV’s parked deep into a site with a 3 story adobe wall as their “view”. These home sites obviously are not built for living in the RV – you live in the house and simply park the RV nearby.

With afternoon temperatures pushing into the 100’s, and no shade near our parking spots, we opt to check out the swimming pond. Surrounded by big cottonwood trees all around, the water is a nice cool-down, but not quite as luxurious as the pool on the resort side. If you’re looking to be near the town of Moab, this is a nice park. Otherwise, we’d opt for a space on Dead Horse Point or even at one of the parks further out of town.

From Moab we’re headed back to a favorite overnight stop, Rifle Gap State Park. More from there…

: Portal RV, Moab, UT

: Portal RV, Moab, UT

: Portal RV, Moab, UT

: Portal RV, Moab, UT

: Portal RV, Moab, UT

: Portal RV, Moab, UT

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Tags: moab, portal RV resort, utah
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

7 10 2015

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

We’re enroute to Albuquerque for the world famous Balloon Fiesta! Our first stop is at the Alamosa KOA. Fairly typical for a KOA, our $37 buys us a fairly flat, gravel space with electric & water – and in this particular site, a bit of a privacy break with a tree and some sage brush on our slide-side. Facilities appear to work well, the nearby bathroom is clean but the shower house has a bit of a locker room smell – not particularly inviting.

Our second stop is to a familiar RV park, Santa Fe Skies. We first visited Santa Fe Skies in the truck camper back in 2010. Our “thumbs up” impressions sticks – this is a nice park, on the outskirts of Santa Fe, with great facilities. Our $50 here (we’re close enough to Albuquerque to feel the effects of Balloon Fiesta pricing) gets us a fairly long pull-through site (Aster #7), very tight with a huge coach to our curb site and fortunately no neighbors on our slide-site. The site had electric, water and sewer. Normal rates at this Good Sam park run about $35/night.

Santa Fe Skies RV Park

Arriving at Balloon Fiesta on Thursday morning for the 2^nd weekend, we find the Premium and Standard RV spaces very full. With 5 rigs in our group, it’s not immediately clear that we’ll even be able to park near each other. But, “Bob”, the friendly and more than accommodating organizer finds us a perfect spot in the last row of the standard (dry camping) area. With new, more stringent fire regulations being enforced, we’re unable to build the previously planned compound with our trailers encircling an open social space. But, after a bit of finagling of a couple of the trailers, we’ve built an acceptable space that will accommodate all 12 of us.

Our past few trips to Fiesta have brought some fairly miserable weather conditions and plenty of event cancellations. This year’s final weekend is a beautiful example of why Fiesta is held in Albuquerque in early October. With cool, clear morning skies and afternoon temps in the 80’s, we’re treated to Special Shapes and Mass Ascensions every morning of our visit. Only 2 Balloon Glows end up being cancelled due to winds. On Saturday, the Music Fest kicked off with performances by Two Way Crossing, Gloriana and The Band Perry. Splurging on “Premier Seating” for $50/seat, we enjoyed an enclosed seating area, a nearby bar and easy access to a huge line of porta potties. Well worth the extra $’s – especially on an afternoon when the temps were pushing into the low 80’s. After the concerts we hang around the Fiesta grounds, grabbing some dinner from the Midway and watching one of the largest Balloon Glows in Fiesta history.

On Sunday morning, after viewing the Farewell Mass Ascension from the RV lot, we are making preparations for watching the Denver Broncos at the Oakland Raiders. With lots of awnings, towel and blankets we manage to make a shady spot for all 12 of us to crowd around a much-too-small TV screen. After a tight game, but Denver finally squeaking by, we begin to wrap up Balloon Fiesta 2015, bidding good night and good bye to those that have early plane flights and therefore will be departing the Fiesta RV lot way before sunrise. It’s been a great 44^th Annual Fiesta – with good times had by all.

As it typical, we’ll stop on the way home – this time at another favorite southern Colorado State Park – Lathrup. Impressions of Lathrup are here: LATHRUP STATE PARK. This may well be our last trip of the 2015 RV season. After winterizing and storing the camper away for the winter – we’ll be back on the road next spring as we hit the road to escape the end of the winter weather…more then.

Santa Fe Skies RV Park

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

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Tags: aibf, alamosa, alamosa koa, albuquerque balloon fiesta, lathrup state park, santa fe, santa fe skies, walsenburg
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Hecla Junction – AHRA

26 09 2015

Hecla Junction, Tent Camping

Good Morning from Hecla Junction, a small primitive Colorado State Park along the Arkansas River in central Colorado. PARK MAP For river rafters, we’re just beyond the infamous Brown’s Canyon. With just 22 sites, this is a tiny campground by most standards. The only facilities or services at Hecla are clean vault toilets, and beautiful canyon and river views – there aren’t even trash dumpsters provided. We, along with friends, are in sites #2, #3, & #4 – premium, spacious back-in sites, all with great views to the river and with large tent pads and picnic table/fire ring areas. Sites beyond #7 would be difficult for most trailers or 5th wheels due to a short turning area at the bottom of the loop. However, site 17-22 would be good alternates to riverside sites.

In a unique situation, we’re tent camping this weekend. After acquiring a new pickup last week, we haven’t had time to install hitch rails yet. This is our 3^rd time at Hecla this season, so it’s obvious we enjoy it. It’s close to home, without any major highway or train noise, has beautiful dark skies at night and (so far) appears to be off the beaten trail of many RV’ers. We’ll be back next season!

: Hecla Junction

: The new Truck

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Tags: ahra, arkansas river, colorado, hecla junction
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Taos Valley RV Park

19 09 2015

Taos Valley RV Park

We’re parked in sites #56 & #57, just next door to those we had in 2012 when we last visited Taos Valley RV Park. We enjoy this park a lot – with heavy sage brush a a few small trees, it feels very private in these “awning-to-awning” sites. These are partial hook-up sites, with electric and water. We think the full hookup sites #87-92 would be worth trying. Situated at the back of the property, they look across an open field and also provide “awning-to-awning” configurations. PARK MAP

Taos Valley RV Park offers a good mix of sites, from shady, no-services tent sites to large pull-through full hookup sites. There’s also a small convenience store, an RV dump station and clean restroom/shower facilities. It is also very close to downtown Taos and some great looking restaurants – a few within walking distance.

There is also the Rio Grande Gorge – with nearby Taos Mesa Brewery that we’d like to visit again. We’d also like to explore nearby Chama including the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad that runs from Chama to Antonito. And, for spa relaxing, there’s always nearby Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa – which provides RV parking also.

Having delayed our departure from Denver until Thursday, we’re only here Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday we bicycle into downtown to visit the Farmers Market in the main square, shop in the some of the rather touristy shops and enjoyed lunch at The Alley Cantina. The Alley Cantina presents good New Mexico food and looks like a great place to enjoy a happy hour or even a sports evening.

Tomorrow we’ll pack up and make the 6 hour drive home. Contrary to our “normal” travel pattern of about 3 hours per day, we’ll plan to go all the home since we’re still having trouble with the pick-up. Our next outing is to Hecla Junction next weekend…more from there.

Taos Valley RV Park

Taos, Giant Metal Columbine

Taos, Giant Metal Iris

Taos, awesome Star Ship

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Tags: new mexico, taos, taos valley rv park
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Lathrup State Park

18 09 2015

Good Morning from Southern Colorado. After a delayed departure, we’ve enjoyed a quick stop at Lathrup State Park enroute to Taos, NM. Arriving late, and without a reservation, we selected A Loop #32, a perfectly level site, with electricity, a near-by water tap and lots of privacy. The view to the Spanish Peaks to the south is awesome. This site is a departure from our normal sites up on the D loop, but we found it offers over-the-air TV (16 digital channels) and good T-Mobile broadband connection. We’ll be back to this site!

I snapped a picture of the shower coin slot as a comparison to recent prices for campground showers in Canada, a whopping $3 for 6 minutes compared to Colorado State Parks rate of 75 cents. Quite a bargain!

Lathrup SP, site 32

Lathrup SP, site 31

CO State Park Showers

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Tags: lathrup, taos, walsenburg
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Oh Canada – the 2015 Roadtrip

26 08 2015

Peter D’s RV Park

We’re headed north!

We’re currently parked at Peter D’s RV Park in Sheridan, WY after spending a quick overnight in our favorite site at Glendo State Park last night. Today we’ll be joined by friends and family for the short trek up to Billing, MT. From Billings we’ll head directly north toward the Canadian Border, crossing at Morgan/Monchy, the 12^th LEAST used border crossing between the US and Canada. Enroute, we’ll spend one night at Malta, MT.

This is our first time at Peter D’s RV Park . It’s a fairly basic park on the outskirts of Sheridan, just off of Interstate 90 at the 5^th Street exit. With about 50 sites, all are long pull-throughs that seem a bit narrow. We have to relocate the neighbors picnic table to get our slide out, and our awning is only inches from the opposite neighbor’s slide. Each site has nicely arranged hookups including great water pressure at the tap, a well located TV cable connector and easy to access dump connector. In the central area of the loop is a shared vegetable garden and ultra-clean restrooms and laundry room. The laundry facility has 4 or 5 washers and dryers, each $2 (quarters only, no change machine) per load. Beyond the laundry room there are 5 centrally located pull-through sites which appear to be a bit wider than the rest. The daily rate of $37.50 includes about 10 cable channels, and limited WiFi (it connected, but no internet access) plus 50, 30 amp service, water and sewer. A $5 fee was accessed for a “late departure”, allowing you to extend your stay from 11AM until 2PM.

Warrior Dash and Peak One Camping

15 08 2015

Good Morning from the shores of Lake Dillon!

We’re parked in sites #19, 21 and 23 at Peak One, a federal campground just east of Frisco, Colorado. We’ve camped at Peak One numerous times where we always enjoy the bike paths around the lake and into downtown Frisco. This weekend we’re here to cheer on friends that will be running the Warrior Dash at Copper Mountain.

Before leaving for home on Sunday we check out a few of the recently vacated sites. Sites #55 and #56 offer great lake views from a fairly private overlook area. And, Site #15 would be a great individual site.

: Lake Dillon from Peak One

: Peak One #19

: Peak One #21

: Peak One #15

: Peak One #15

: Peak One #56

: Peak One #56

: Peak One #55

: Peak One #55

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Tags: dillion, frisco, peak one, warrior dash
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Colorado Campground

8 08 2015

Colorado Campground #36

Good Morning from Colorado Campground!

We’re about 10 miles north of Woodland Park along highway 67. This federal campground is nearly across the highway from South Meadows campground where we last camped in the truck camper in 2011. Both campgrounds are connected to the paved hike/bike trail that runs from Woodland Park to the picnic areas around Manitou Park Lake. Colorado Campground is organized around a large loop that is bisected by a central roadway. There are campsites along both sides of the central roadway and around the outside loop roads. There are vault toilets and water faucets that are not threaded for hose use. After re-exploring South Meadows, we think that campground is a bit more desirable, the sites are slightly larger with better privacy.

We’re in sites #36 and #37, sites along the outside edge nearest Manitou Lake. Both of these sites are back-in sites with a picnic table and fire ring. Site #36 is a reverse entry site, requiring an approach against the one-way pattern leaving the door and awning looking toward the road instead of into the woods behind the site.

In an afternoon excursion, we take the short trip back over to Meadow Ridge campground where we camped in 2013. This campground was involved in the Waldo Canyon fire in June, 2013. We’re curious to see how close the fire came to the campgrounds of Meadow Ridge and Thunder Ridge. We’re pleased to find that most of the campsites are untouched. While there is obvious evidence of the fire, most is across the access roads that presumably provided the firebreak to keep the campgrounds safe. With smaller sites, both Meadow Ridge and Thunder Ridge are perfect for small trailers and tent campers. Many of these sites would provide a challenge with larger trailers or 5th wheels.

: Colorado Campground #36

: Colorado Campground

: Thunder Ridge Entrance

: Meadow Ridge

: Meadow Ridge

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Tags: colorado campground, manitou lake, meadow ridge, thunder ridge, waldo canyon fire, woodland park
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Custer Cove, Glendo State Park, Wyoming

25 07 2015

After several attempts to find available walk-up sites at Custer Cove over the years, we’re finally camped at what we consider the prime lake-side sites at Glendo State Park, Custer Cove #3 and #4. These two side by side sites provide plenty of space, privacy and easy access to the lake. We arrived last Thursday to occupy site #4. However, pre-scouting earlier in the week undoubtedly secured this prime spot for us. Thanks Shawn! When we arrived site #3 was occupied, however within minutes of their departure on Sunday we’ve secured that spot for friends that will be joining us later in the week. We also used site #6 for friends and family. #6 isn’t a prime site since it’s located right on the entry road, but works well when paired with #4. It has a fairly easy access pull-through, but doesn’t provide much in terms of shade or privacy. And, with the wrong wind direction, might be a bit too close to the vault toilets and/or dumpsters.

Site #4 is a back-in site with nearby trees curb-side and the rather misplaced fire pit on the opposite side. Allowing safe space for a campfire, we needed to trim a few tree branches to fully deploy our awning. Behind the site is a sand and rock beach area with some nice shade trees and easy access to the water. Site #3 provides either back-in access (down a very long access road) or a side approach that allows an RV to be parked sideways in the site. This side to side orientation might not be easy for longer rigs, but does provide beautiful lake views from the patio/awning area. The tighter trees on #4 also provide a bit better shading, #3 has full sun from early in the morning until at least mid afternoon. The fire pit is much more appropriately located on #3. This site is situated on a point, with sandy beach access to the rear and rocky lake access to the side. Both of these sites are away from all of the other Custer Cove sites and provide the best privacy. Facilities at Custer Cove include a line of 3 or 4 dumpsters and some vault toilets. Drinking water (with threaded taps) is available at nearby Reno Cove, or back to the other side of the lake at Whiskey Gulch.

Arriving on Thursday and not departing until the following Sunday, we’ve spent 10 days dry camping – a new record for off-the-grid survival. The 3G Verizon access is good and about 3 or 4 hours of generator usage each day provides all the resources we need for productive work days. But by around 3pm, with temps climbing into the low 90’s, we’re enjoying the shade of the cottonwoods on the beach and the cool lake waters. Most sites at Custer Cove are occupied by late Thursday evening. Departures seem to occur on Monday or Tuesday when the campground is the quietest until the crowds begin to arrive again on Thursday. We’ve had a great time at Glendo, and look forward to returning next year!

Site CC-6

‘Big Yard’, Site CC-4

Custer Cove Beach

Lake Glendo

Site CC-4

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Tags: custer cove, glendo state park, wyoming
Categories : Summer Camping 2015

Ridgway State Park

3 07 2015

Good Morning from Southwestern Colorado.

After 1 night in Montrose with good friends, we’re parked in site #115 in the Elk Ridge campground at Ridgway State Park. We’re a part of a group that will eventually total 15 people camping in sites #108 – #115. Set high on a ridge overlooking the reservoir, the D and E loop contain about 100 campsites. Nearer the lake, the Dakota Terraces campground provides about 80 sites in 3 loops. Lakeside near the marina is a boat ramp (with the required Invasive Species inspection) a small swim beach area and several day-use covered picnic tables. All of these facilities make up the Dutch Charlie area. Further south is the Dallas Creek area designed primarily for day-use with fishing areas and picnic tables. There are also about 80 full hookup campsites at the Pa-co-chu-puk area to the north, below the dam.

All of the Elk Ridge sites offer 20 and 30 amp electric hookups with conveniently located threaded water taps. Site #115 has many trees, great for privacy, but impossible for awning use. The roads throughout the campground are asphalt as are each sites parking area – some back-in, some pull-through. There is also a concrete apron with picnic table and fire ring. These aprons are placed at various locations, some on the left, some right and some rear. Not all the locations are ideal – our fire ring is directly outside the RV door and under a low hanging tree. With 15 campers, we used the large picnic table and fire ring area at site #113. The trees thinned out a bit toward site #108 where awning can be deployed fully. These 5 sites are well spread out and not always convenient for toting food or chairs between sites. A better alternative would have been to select sites around the inside of the loop end (such as #84-#113) or across from each other (#115-#112).

Best sites at Elk Ridge are those along the upper loop #165 – #184. Many of these sites offer great views off to the east with good privacy. On the lower loop the first campsite #80 provides beautiful lake views, but might be a bit short and narrow for some rigs.

We had a great July 4^th weekend at Ridgway and would like to return here again on another long weekend.