5 Epic Weekend Camping Getaways from Denver
Few major cities embrace the outdoors like Denver, Colorado. Everything from bike racks and water bottle filling stations at the airport, to the cyclists and runners who seem to outnumber cars, it’s obvious that active living is a priority in the Mile High City. It makes sense given the fact that Denver basks in an average of 300 days of sunshine a year.
From the Rocky Mountain aspen groves, to cottonwood-lined creeks and grasslands of the Great Plains, nearly three-quarters of the state is protected public land. From Denver, it’s an easy drive to wilderness campgrounds with as many amenities as you’d like. Set up camp to summit the state’s famous fourteeners, paddle whitewater rapids and tranquil prairie lakes, hike and bike hundreds of miles of trails, and explore the rich geologic, Native American and frontier history of the region.
Make Denver your outdoor adventure hub for these weekend camping getaways.
1. Eleven Mile State Park (2 hours, 15 minutes)
Breezes on Eleven Mile Reservoir are ideal for cruising the waters in your sailboat or sailboard. The 5.5-mile-long lake offers plenty of space to maneuver your craft with the kayaks, canoes, SUP boards, motor boats and jet skis that share the waters. Fish for trout, northern pike, and kokanee salmon, or head back to land to bike or hike five miles of trail along Coyote Ridge.
Nine lakeside campgrounds accommodate tents and RVs, some with a boat ramp for direct lake access. For boat-in campers and backpackers looking for more secluded camping, there are backcountry sites on a wooded peninsula at the southern end of the lake.
2. St. Vrain State Park (40 minutes)
The majestic Rocky Mountains are your backdrop for biking, hiking, fishing and boating on eight ponds within the park boundaries. Only small motor and self-propelled boats are permitted on all but the largest of the lakes, making St. Vrain a perfect spot for learning to kayak, canoe and SUP board. Flat half-mile to 1.5-mile hiking trails connect the ponds for family-friendly waterside treks. More challenging trails in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park lead to fourteener summits on Mt. Ida and Longs Peak and alpine views at Chasm Lake, Sky Pond and Lake Helene. Be on the lookout for elk, bighorn sheep, moose, marmots, ptarmigans and American dippers along the creeks and trails.
Many of the tent and RV campsites along the shores of the park ponds are shaded by mature cottonwoods and willow trees, ideal for afternoon picnics and relaxation. Keep an eye out for bald eagle, egret, white pelican and cormorant sightings from your campsite.
3. Jackson Lake State Park (1 hour, 30 minutes)
Shallow, warm water and wide, sandy beaches are the main attraction at Jackson Lake. Swim off the south and west shore, or go waterskiing and jet skiing out beyond the no-wake zone. Back on land, cruise the rolling prairie around the lake on the park’s beginner-friendly, 1.5-mile off-highway vehicle track. Nearby, you can raft the class III-IV rapids of the Cache la Poudre River (pictured), Colorado’s only designated National Wild & Scenic River.
Over 250 tent and RV campsites are clustered in six campground loops near the swimming beach. Large groups can reserve a site in the Dunes Campground.
4. Trinidad Lake State Park (3 hours)
Explore the pinion-juniper forest and sandstone canyons of Trinidad Lake on 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, where exposed rock marks one of the best examples in the world of the K-T Boundary between Mesozoic and Cenozoic geologic eras. Waterskiing, jet skiing and fishing for trout, bass, catfish and walleye are popular, while just outside the park you can take a historical tour on the Santa Fe Trail and the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway.
Walk to the water from the small tent campground on the south shore or set up your RV or tent 150 feet above the lake at Carpios Ridge Campground for a commanding view across the prairie to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
5. Cheyenne Mountain State Park (1 hour, 20 minutes)
Over 25 miles of hiking and biking trails crisscross the hilly short-grass prairie. Trails are mostly beginner to intermediate, but can be combined for more distance and difficulty. For experienced backcountry hikers, a 17-mile round trip lollipop loop climbs over 3,000 feet to the summit of Cheyenne Mountain. Look for mule deer, elk, wild turkey, prairie dogs, coyotes and rattlesnakes in the warmer months. More hiking on Pikes Peak and through the red rock landscape of Garden of the Gods (pictured) lies just over an hour west in Pike National Forest.
Over 50 campsites have full hook-ups with showers and laundry facilities nearby. Two small walk-in campgrounds are reserved for tent campers only.
Are you ready for an outdoor adventure? Plan your camping trip!
Check with your Local Government Organization
Many policies have been established to counter and control the coronavirus outbreak. State and local officials have been taking decisive action to stop the spread. The policies vary by state, sometimes to a great degree. When you book a reservation, make sure to review the park and state's latest rules and regulations prior to your visit.
For COVID-19 updates, please visit our Impacted Park List and Reservation Guide for the latest information.