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    River Island State Park

    4.0 (20 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Alisa M.

    The best maintained campground I have ever been to. Right at the beginning of the river, there are a few nice hiking trails and a fenced in dog park. Bathrooms are plentiful and clean and they have free showers. RV with hookups and tent camping. Also have their very own dump station. Right down the street is a deli and mini mart. Like I said probably the nicest campgrounds I have ever camped in.

    Colorado River

    We loved it at this campground. So pretty. Staff members friendly and helpful. Very pretty scenery. We took our kayaks out almost daily on the Colorado River.

    From the trail above the park, looking down over boat ramp to Camping area.
    Darryl N.

    Very clean, small state park on the Colorado River. They have large RV and tent camping spaces. There is a gift store, camp host, restrooms and full hookups. There is a nice little boat ramp into a cove next to a small island in the middle of the river. The park is downstream from the Parker Dam and the flow of the river varies based on the power needs of the area. You can look up the flow rates at the government Parker Dam website. Usually it is at it's lowest levels over night, and moderate level between high flows. Usually high flow is early morning and afternoon and is about 8x faster than the overnight flow. Moderate is about 3x faster than low flows. Keep your boat above the high water level. The park is located between two cliffs and has hiking that goes back to the other near state park. You can get awesome views of the river and over the park. There are abandoned mines to explore. There are lots of birds and around the river. I did not see much wild life in January. If on the river just passed the island on the upriver side there is a sunken boat. The water is very cold about 48 degrees all year. Lots of RV parks above and below the park. Kayaking is nice up and down, but going upriver gets pretty hard about a half mile up river. Nice place

    View from the trail next to the boat launch area.
    Ana P.

    Payed $10 for a day pass. There were tons of trails through the desert with really nice views. Didn't explore a lot because our kiddos were tired and the trails were not super easy (a lot of lose rock). It is hike at your own risk and the trail information board was blank (covid times maybe?). There is a small beach but nothing like the ones around London bridge so don't come here just for the beach. Unless we come with kayaks - we probably won't visit again.

    RV spots. Bathroom nearest the water is not visible, but just to left.
    Milagr O.

    Just got back from spending a couple of nights here. When I made the reservation I was the only tent camper, and there were 3-4 RV spots reserved. The first night was quiet with one family next to us. Saturday a HUGE group of 20-30 people took over almost the entire tent camping area with their giant stereo, lit up EVERYTHING with what looked like night-time highway construction lighting, and lined the beach with staked fishing rods. The campground was nice, and clean, including the bathrooms, -that is until the large group showed up; after that I found toilet paper all over the bathroom and smeared handprints in what looked like feces on several walls. The cove area and beach were very nice. I did a bit of hiking around from the campground, which was also nice. Overall we liked the campground and the spot. In spite of this I don't know that I'll visit the campground again. Perhaps the presence of water and electricity at each camp spot is a strong draw to those super-obnoxious campers that ruin trips for everyone around them. I will definitely be looking for dry or primitive camping first the next time I want to visit the area, no matter the time of year.

    Early evening view from the shore at River Island State Park.
    Bradlee C.

    We've stayed at River Island State Park in our travel trailer twice now. While the campground is advertised by the state to be great for tents, I think it is really nice for RV's, too. Flat, paved sites have water and electric. No sewer hookup, but a dump station is available. The RV campground is set in-between rock cliffs. The tent sites are near the river under large established shade trees on grass. The Colorado River flows right by the campground. The water is very cool as it is just south of the Parker Dam. The beach is set in a cove that keeps it away from the main current of the river. However, there is still a fairly strong current that bends back through the cove. It is advisable to keep children close to shore. The "beach" isn't much of a beach at all when the water is up. The dam releases more flow in the afternoon, so the beach ends up under water. There is a steep dirt hill leading down to the river that can't be used for sitting or setting up a canopy. Canopies are actually set up in the water. It is a popular day use area as well with the large boat ramp. Plenty of room to beach a boat or jet ski if the beach isn't crowded (on a 110 degree summer week day you may be the only one in the park!). The showers and bathrooms are clean, particularly the building that is towards the front of the park away from the beach. The supplied water can be very warm right out of the tap in the summer. I didn't even have to light the LP water heater. One more note: it is ALWAYS windy here, and really all up and down the Colorado River corridor. The dust devils in the afternoon can get pretty crazy. I really would've loved to have the awning out to keep the sun off the camper, but not with the gusts that blow through. Both times we've visited we've seen a canopy at the beach go flying away.

    Grassy area for tent campers

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    8 months ago

    Awesome place. Clean quiet great campsite. I would stay here again and recommend to others.

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    River Island State Park Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - River Island State Park

    Is there access to WiFi?

    Yes they have a wifi set up. However you won't be able to text, only email. Also you will not be able to stream movies as there is no connection and their wifi is throttled back for other campers etc. If you are staying there plan accordingly!

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    Review Highlights - River Island State Park

    The tent camping spaces are right near the water with easy access to the beach.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Colorado River Adventures

    Colorado River Adventures

    2.0(189 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Established in 1983

    Let my first start out by saying. My husband and I became first time RV owners in 2021. We were so…read moreexcited with our new purchase that we quickly started looking up campgrounds in our area. That's how we came across one of CRA's sites called KQ Ranch. Being first time campers we absolutely loved the campsite in Julian. We agreed to the sales meeting during our free stay and of course fell for the sales pitch and bought in. I wish I would have taken the time to read the reviews on the member services and reservations system they have in place. For start, the girls that handle the calls are definitely not customer service oriented at all. When you drop a call with them or get disconnected (it's happens often) nobody bothers to call you back. So it's back to sitting on hold again. One girl will tell you one thing and the other has a power trip and makes you call back on a later date. Then if you're tired of being treated with disregard and ask to speak to a manager. They tell you the manager is busy and send you to somebody's voicemail that never calls back. If they had a better member service system in place I would definitely change my review.

    I want to share my thought so everyone can make an informed decision…read more Colorado River Adventures operates legally, but the business model raises serious concerns. The sales process feels extremely high-pressure, with a strong push to sign the same day under the impression that the deal wouldn't be available later. That alone should be a red flag for anyone making a large financial commitment. The membership structure is essentially a long-term financial obligation with ongoing annual fees that are not always clearly emphasized upfront. Once you're in, getting out is not simple. From what I've seen from others, these contracts are treated like binding loans, which can follow you financially if you try to walk away. Another issue is that some of the benefits and expectations presented during the sales process don't always match the reality of the locations or availability. It can be difficult to book when and where you want, and not all properties are maintained at the level you might expect based on the presentation. There are also broader concerns about customer data security following reports of a data breach, which adds another layer of hesitation when trusting a company like this with personal information. To be clear, this is not about the company being illegal -- it's about whether the value truly matches the cost and commitment. For many people, especially those who don't consistently use the membership, it may not make financial sense. I would strongly recommend anyone considering this to take their time, read the full contract they throw you carefully, and to not make a same-day decision under pressure by the sales team.

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    Colorado River Adventures
    Colorado River Adventures
    Colorado River Adventures

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    Pirates Den Resort - Ahoy Matey!!

    Pirates Den Resort

    2.9(40 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    This was our first time staying at the Pirates Den Resort. We were invited by some friends to come…read more& enjoy the river & sunshine. Our group had 5 different rigs with 4 of them on the front row with cabana/beach access while our rig was on the second row with a decent view of the river even with rigs parked in front of us. The staff in the office were friendly & helpful especially with helping us extend our visit. When we originally scheduled our site in April we could only stay 3 days but we're able to stay 7 since there were cancellations. The resort was clean & well taken care of with staff always going around cleaning & checking sites for issues. While we were there the resort hosted a canoe (kayak, long board) race (not sure what it was called but it was fun to watch & cheer) We did get some crazy weather (rain/thunderstorm) which did cause some water pooling in the different campsites but we didn't have any issues. We did enjoy the onsite bar/restaurant from happy hour to pizza they had just about everything. The office also had a small convenience store with ice, snacks & a great selection of drinks (both alcoholic & non). Only negative we had was the lack of availability for the same spots next year as the ones we're interested in we're already booked out. Maybe we'll have check back after the new year to see if any availability opens up.

    motorhome owners be aware. I stayed there with my 4x4 club from 10/26 - 11/2 2025. Very long 5th…read moreshowed up and parked on the concrete pad where most people put their easy chairs and tables. when opened his slides, he was only few inches from my window awning. later he added very long trailer, his big truck and few quads. I complained to Trish the new manager. For what ever reason she cited with the new comer. (he came for 6 months). apparently the owner give her free hand to do what ever she wants. I never saw her smile, and seems that her judgment is in question. after my review, she cancelled my reservation for 2026. She also lied, sending me email stating that I cancelled my reservation. when I confronted her, she said " it's a standard procedure" to write that way. I come almost every year with my club at the same dates and I reserve a spot a year in advance just before we leave. so, I hope you have better experience and you won't have a reason to complain.

    Photos
    Pirates Den Resort - The sunsets are phenomenal.  Bonnie Feigt's photo Nov. 2020

    The sunsets are phenomenal. Bonnie Feigt's photo Nov. 2020

    Pirates Den Resort - Arghhh Matey!!

    Arghhh Matey!!

    Pirates Den Resort

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    River Island State Park - campgrounds - Updated May 2026

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