A Southern Colorado Loop

27 09 2020

Gunnison Pioneer Museum

We’re off to some of our favorite campgrounds in southern Colorado, starting with the Gunnison KOA.  This KOA is participating in the VKR Appreciation Weekend allowing Value Kard Members to book Friday, September 18th at regular rate and get Saturday, September 19th for free.

We’ve visited this KOA before: Gunnison KOA, August, 2019  This trip we’re parked in site #16 which is a standard back-in site on the western edge of the park.  During this visit we learned that odd numbered sites are pull-in, or what they call nose-in sites.  In some cases these odd/even sites share hookups, making them fairly close to each other.  We prefer the even numbers sites on the outer loop, #20-#40.  While in town, we enjoyed time at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum.

Gunnison KOA Park Map

From Gunnison we’re returning to Dolores River Campground.  We’re parked with friends in sites 39, 55 and 56.  These central sites are not nearly as roomy as site #14 back along the pond and river.  We visited Canyon of the Ancients National Monument on this visit.  Unfortunately the visitor center was closed due to Covid-19, however we enjoyed exploring the ruins at Lowry Pueblo.

Dolores River Campground

After our stay in the Four Corners area at Dolores, we’re headed to Alamosa where we’re back to Cool Sunshine RV Park.  Conveniently located in downtown Alamosa, the park provides an easy walk to places like the San Luis Valley Brewing Company.  We’re parked with friends in C6 & C8 and D3.  Either D3 or A9 provide nice private corner locations. From Alamosa we enjoyed an afternoon trip to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Cool Sunshine RV Park





Dolores River Campground

24 08 2020

Dolores River Campground, Dolores, CO

Leaving Lightner Creek, it’s a very short trip (less than 1 hour) to Dolores River Campground, just north of Dolores, CO.

We’re parked at site #14, a nicely shaded back-in site on the fishing pond, with the Dolores River beyond.

 

Dolores River Campground, site #14

This is a 50/30/20 amp, full hookup site complete with a concrete pad and picnic table.  Most of the sites along the pond are well shaded, which might make for a bit of a satellite dish aiming “challenge”.  The other challenge here is the lack of cellular service and what appears to be fairly low bandwidth WiFi service. The WiFi worked for casual browsing and email, but we had to head back to town to confidently make phone calls or download any large files.

Dolores River Campground

Dolores River Campground offers about 80 RV sites, both serviced and rustic cabins, a 1953 Vintage Airstream, 2 Yurts, 2 beautiful Conestoga Wagons and several tent sites.  We enjoyed our stay and plan to return soon!

Dolores River Campground, Yurt and Conestoga Wagon

From Dolores we’re back to Ridgway State Park where we last stayed early June.  We’re in site #179, up on the ridge overlooking the Dakota Terraces Campground.  The views are great, but the downside to these ridge sites is that you get some noise from highway 550.  We like our last site (#86) better, and it provide more privacy.

Ridgway State Park, site #179

Ridgway State Park, site #179

From Ridgway we’re bound for a 2 night stay in Del Norte.  More from there…