This is the closest park service campground to Salida which makes it super sweet!
I reserved site 21 online, which was like $28/night. However, if you just show up, other sites that are available are only $18/night. I wish I would have waited to reserve, but at least you can drive here and know by reserving early that you have a place to sleep! You also need to pay a daily state park fee, unless you have a yearly pass. (this is in addition to the campground fee)
Our site was right on the river, and even though this campground is right off the main road into town or into Big Horn Sheep Canyon, when the sun sets, you will not really hear the cars and trucks going by due to the sounds of the river. It was very high when we visited. At night, depending on your site, and if you are in a tent or camper, you may see a bright light shining from a business across the street. Not to worry, as you will still be able to see a night sky of amazingly beautiful stars!
It was cool to be hanging out after a long day and see people rafting down the river. The sites are pretty open, and there are only a few with shade. However, there is plenty of parking, and most people were pretty respectful.
There are people camping out on the other side of the river, which was a little sketchy and strange. They didn't do anything weird when we were there, but it was a little uncomfortable. However, since I had my dog, and there were other campers nearby, I felt safe.
The one recommendation I have is that they use sand or dirt trucked in for their tent pad areas. They currently have gravel! Gravel is useless with a tent, as my tent stakes could not find secure footing in the ground. I then tried to pitch the tent next to the tent pad area in the dirt, and the dirt was rock solid! I then realized why there were so many large stones in the tent pad area. I used these to help my tent stay grounded and upright for the two days and nights we were there. (When we were there, there was a truck coming into the campground area in the morning and dropping off dirt in a big gully. )
The port-a-pots were the cleanest I have ever seen! read more