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Fall Camping at Hecla Junction

18 09 2021

We’re back at one of our favorites, Hecla Junction, one of the campgrounds that make up the Arkansas River Headwaters State Park. Our site, 1101, provides a long level back-in, beautiful views of the Arkansas River, a firepit and a nice gravel tent site. This site is optimal for backing out of the park if you suspect the low crossings could cause clearance issues. Site #1102 is the same – however neither of these sites offer any shade. For early afternoon shade site 1103 & 1104 would be the best.

Hecla Junction

The aspen are just starting to turn over Ponca Pass, with a few showing their colors here along the river. Our days are spent exploring Buena Vista and Salida – and evenings around the campfire. We enjoy food and beers at both EddyLine Brewery in Buena Vista and The Boathouse in Salida.

Eddyline Brewery, Buena Vista, CO

On a technology note, friends tried out a weBoost Drive Reach RV ($500) cellular booster in Site 1102. Using a Verizon phone hotspot, they achieved about 8Mb down and .5Mb up. And were able to share the signal with several of our devices from 1 site away. This is quite impressive, none of our cell phones, T-Mobile or Verizon, have enough signal to even send text messages!

This is likely one of our last Colorado trips for the season. Next up, is a trip to northern Arizona. More from there…

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Tags: buena vista, hecla junction, salida
Categories : Summer Camping 2021

The Montana Loop – Salida, CO

10 06 2021

We’ve combined two trips, one with friends in Carbondale, CO and a second for a family reunion in Livingston, MT. This “loop” will take us north through western Colorado and Wyoming, followed by a return along the front range on I-25.

Our first night is in Salida, CO at Wilderness Expedition/Riverside RV Park. We could concur that this is an “interesting” place as other reviewers have noted. Our first encounter is:

“You’re going into site #4?…oh wow, that’s going to be tight!”

To which I respond with – “your website says that site can handle a 45 foot trailer, I’m 35 foot. “

“OK, well, you can try it – but I also have pull-throughs if you want one”

After circling the campground, the “backing assistant” takes over with his directions, the first of which puts a tree limb up against the side of the trailer. He insists that we continue forward, pushing the limb tighter. When I take over, and reverse course to get further away from the tree, he exclaims “OK guys…it’s all yours, Good Luck” and walks away. Probably for the best. We get repositioned, and make the back-in to site #4 in one attempt. Of course, all the time with an audience of 4 or 5 people standing around the check-in picnic table.

Riverside RV, Salida, CO site #4

As far as facilities – site #4 is 30Amp, without a circuit breaker. The water pressure is adequate. None of the sites offer sewer, longer stays allow the use of a “honey wagon”. The park WiFi, provided by Spectrum Internet, runs along about 3Mb, but appears to have ports blocked that prohibit the most popular streaming apps. Hulu and Netflix failed while 9News and Amazon Prime worked OK. The site itself is adequate for a 35’ trailer, but parking the tow vehicle was a challenge. And, we had to trim a few tree limbs before we could extend the dining room slide. All in all, this park is OK, it provides a convenient location for services in Salida, and given a better site selection, we might stay here again.

: Riverside RV Park, Salida, CO

: Riverside RV Park, Salida, CO

: Riverside RV Park, Salida, CO

: Riverside RV Park, Salida, CO

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Tags: carbondale, montana, salida
Categories : Summer Camping 2021

Hecla Junction, AHRA

30 06 2015

Happy Independence Day! We’re bound for Ridgway State Park in southwestern Colorado. Along the way, we’ve stopped at the newly renovated Hecla Junction campground – one of six campgrounds that make up the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, a Colorado State Park. Located just north of Salida and next to the rafting pull-out for Browns Canyon, the campground offers 23 campsites in a beautiful, riverside setting. Each site offers a parking area, a graveled tent pad and a fire pit/picnic table area. There’s a vault toilet in the center of the campground next to a accessible site (#8). Access to this campground is a bit daunting, just 2.4 miles off of highway 285, there’s a short section of 12% grade. But, with school buses pulling trailers of rafts in and out all day, the dirt road is in good shape, and oiled to keep the dust down. The entrance to the camping area is unique, you traverse the boat loading zone, across the cement apron before turning into the camp sites.

Sites #1-#12 are riverside sites. We’re parked in site #9, beyond which the access road gets a bit tight, and might provide a challenge for turning, especially if those higher numbered sites were occupied. Sites #7 and #9 would be optimal for a dual-site arrangement with #7 providing very easy access. Site #3 is a 49′ foot site providing some of the best river views in the campground. Site #4 also shares this good river view. Upper sites #21/#23 would provide highest privacy and good views. After visiting Railroad Bridge and Ruby Mountain a few years ago, this campground has become our new favorite among the AHRA sites.

Tomorrow we’ll head south to Poncha Springs, make the right hand turn over Monarch Pass and be in Montrose with good friends for 1 night before moving to Ridgway State Park. More from there…