July 24, 2026 - Silverthorne, CO…read more We first stayed at Heaton Bay Campground about seven years ago, so we were looking forward to camping right along the water again. Unfortunately, because of the severe drought and low winter snowpack, Dillon Reservoir is currently about 20 feet below its normal level. Our campsite was no longer waterfront, but we had a short hike down to what is now more like a small pond. There are a few more drawbacks, too. There isn't a nearby dump station or an RV water fill, although there are water spigots for filling jugs. Campfires were prohibited during our stay because of the high fire danger, and you can hear some traffic noise from the nearby highway. Even with those disappointments, I still give this campground five stars. Why? Because, the campsites themselves are outstanding. They're spacious, private, and thoughtfully laid out, with plenty of room between sites. The views of the surrounding mountains are absolutely spectacular, and the campground has a peaceful, wooded setting that's hard to beat. If you're looking for a scenic campground with large sites and don't mind the lack of full amenities, Heaton Bay is an excellent choice. We'd happily stay here again.

New management just took over and disappointed in the changes they have made. It's a beautiful site…read moreand great location but the one star is due to management. They will not let you will up your RV with water although it says you can on their website. Make sure you fill up before getting to the campsite. Very frustrating to pull the extra weight.

Great view from site 18. Easy access to the lake. Sites and public toilets were clean. Camp host…read morewas pleasant to deal with. Firewood is available for purchase. Would definitely come back here again.

Drove by Cow Creek South on our way to a hot springs last summer and just HAD to take note of the…read morebeautiful snow-capped mountains in front of a super serene body of water. This was serious camping goals and as soon as I was able to reserve a spot in Jan of this year, I did it. These spots go FAST, so I highly recommend stalking it and reserving as soon as you are able to. I booked site #16 - was it the best one? Not necessarily, but still it was beautiful, private, and very close to the surprisingly clean/not smelly restrooms (toilet only). We were right on the water, though quite a few weeds were a little annoying to wade through. Still, the weather was beautiful, the views were amazing and it was a wonderful weekend against this amazing backdrop. Pretty sure there's no bad site at this campground. Campers and tents welcome, though we did have to pay $7 extra for the second car parked at our up to 10 person campsite. Not sure this was explicitly mentioned in the reservation, but worth it. I guess there's no shortage of beautiful camping views in this state, but at about $25/night, I would 100% recommend this campground for anyone looking to disconnect and recharge for a day or two.

Great park to kayak with beautiful views no matter what direction you look. Several out of the way…read more places to pull your kayak onto a bank to take advantage of trails around the lake and up to tree lined mountains. Only drawback was marina area where you park and put your kayaks, paddle boards etc is PACKED and there is a guy renting gear that takes up a large corner portion of the parking area.

Less than an hour away from Steamboat Springs, Pearl Lake State Park is a jewel (yes, I went…read morethere). It is about 2 miles off of CR-129. We went to do some morning photography and caught some stunning scenery, with Aspen groves turning yellow. While it was still a bit early for the full fall beauty, the serenity and quiet of the surroundings, other than nature, was nice. The campgrounds are in great shape. The restrooms were very clean. The lake does not allow motorized boats, but kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, etc. are fine. We saw a lone kayaker enjoying the morning on the lake. This is a beautiful place for camping, hiking, fishing or just sitting back and watching the sun move slowly across the sky while you enjoy a bottle of Syrah or Pinot.

I love coming here when I want to get away from the city and have a truly relaxing night or two. It…read moreis typically quiet, dark and can be very romantic. I personally love coming when it's snowing or when there is snow on the ground. In a clear night, you get the best view of the stars and sky. It's a hop skip and jump from Denver for a quick getaway, so I'm frequently here. There is no NO phone service, and please if coming in at night keep flashlights down to the ground as clothing is optional.

Obviously the location is amazing. Hard to beat hot springs in winter, especially since we were…read morelucky enough to be there while it was snowing. But service and accommodations? Negative stars. My husband and I just stayed two nights in the caboose for our anniversary. First impressions the caboose is adorable, but smells like the inside of a bong. Absolutely overwhelmingly rank. We opened all the doors and windows and used most of a bottle of febreeze we found under the sink to make it slightly more tolerable. Then when we pulled open the murphy bed we found someone else's dirty underwear. We let the attendant know, he apologized and told us he'd let his manager know and we should hear from her the next day. We watched him write a note for her. Heard absolutely nothing. No follow up whatsoever. We talked to another employee when we were checking out to let him know we left a pile of someone else's dirty laundry on the stoop and his response was "f***, I keep telling those guys they have to clean in there." Seriously not impressed for a $500 stay. On top of that the provided linens are one thin blanket, threadbare sheets and the saddest pillows you've ever slept on. I get that it's a rustic setting, but that's no excuse for a dirty, smelly room and cheapskate bedding. It was just gross.

We had such a wonderful time at this campground! The kids loved having the water right there, and…read moreeven with it running fast we found a couple of perfect little coves for them to splash around in. The nearby hikes had something for every skill level, so our whole group was able to find a great fit. Clean, well kept facilities from start to finish!

Amazing campground in the middle of the mountains…read more We took a chance on this spot and we were lucky enough to snag the last campsite on a Friday at 2pm. Sometimes trips are hard to plan in advance, and we were ISO a spot with first come, first serve sites. Kudos to the universe for allowing the stars to align in our favor! + Along the Middle St. Vrain Creek + Two vault toilets located centrally between campsites + One fire ring (with grates) per site + Firewood available on property for $9 + Sizable tent pad, bear locker and picnic table + Walking distance to trailhead + Reservable and non-reservable campsites + 8 people allowed per campsite + Pets allowed We had an extremely enjoyable camping trip a few weeks back. Roughly an hour and a half from our house in Denver, Peaceful Valley Campground made us feel like we were thousands of miles away from civilization. For reference, the campground is about 8 miles away from the ever-popular Brainard Lake Recreation Area. We did experience some rain on Saturday afternoon which was a damper (pun intended). But because of that rain we were treated to the most spectacular rainbow and sunset. It was magical, just look at the pictures I got. The consensus was that we'd come back in a heartbeat next year. There's nothing better than going to sleep at night with the sound of a vibrant creek in the background. We're creekside campers and Peaceful Valley delivered an A+ trip for us!

I hate to give them gem away, but it is an amazingly beautiful campground!…read moreCons: booking a site on line costs $9 on top of the nightly fee - which you pretty much do, since it is usually booked. This year the walk in tent sites are closed due to hazardous trees (sound funny - but i went over and looked and yeah, trees down everywhere It costs $5 extra dollars to get into the lake per night. So a weekend is an additional $10 on top of your site fee and reservation fee. Snow - there was still some there in july and it could come again as early as august.. you never know! Bring layers and big boots for hiking! Pros: It is within walking distance to the lake. The views are absolutely amazing. All the peaks! The clouds and fog did seem to descend right on top of you, so be prepared to be wet occasionally Tons of hiking trails! Beautiful - did i mention that? Sites are well maintained, flat Fire pits are nicely maintained The roads are paved, potable water, vault toilets, but plenty around and they don't smell terrible! See you there soon!

If you're looking for camping with the greatest solitude and privacy -- and safety -- you'll be…read moresatiated with Gold Park Campground near Minturn, Colorado. (Near Vail). This beautiful wilderness area is spectacular but this particular campsite is worth the 11mile dirt road to get there. Again, if solitude and serenity and spaciousness and privacy is your 'thing' -- I highly recommend this place. No reservations accepted but according to the host (who lives onsite), no reservations are needed. Apparently, this is camper's dream spot but also a best-kept-secret!

What an amazing place to camp and go hiking. Campsites & bathrooms are clean & the Camp-host…read more James is very knowledgeable & does a wonderful job keeping everything up. This is the place to go if you want to see wildlife - we saw a moose, elk, deer, chipmunks, bunny, rabbits, and squirrels. In the few days. We were here Easy access from Denver, or Colorado springs. Beautiful scenery. This is a wonderful, wonderful place to take a few days to relax and regroup.

As of August, 2023, this campground was closed due to ,"fires". There was trash strewn about, and…read morethe bathrooms looked like they had been ransacked. The county should be notified. Side note: There was a man parked half way into the creek with his 4 x 4.

We stayed at this campground so we could break up our drive and do the whole route through the RMNP…read morestarting at Estes Park and could finish the drive back to the Denver area the next day. It is the only campground in the park that is on that side of the park by grand lake. We stayed at campground site 74. If you can choose your campsite I recommend that site. It is on the outer rim of the campgrounds and has a great view of the mountains. In the morning we were able to see and hear elk from the campsite! The downside was some of us drink the water from the water spigot at the campsite (not from the dish sink or bathroom sink) and got very sick while the others that did not were fine. Bring lots of your own water or boil your water just to be safe. Mostly tent campers at this location. No showers. We did not have cell service either here, but did not have cell service in the majority of the park. Lots of signs and talk about bears being here but we did not see any. Bring cash to buy firewood at the campground.

We love nature and this was a perfect spot to unwind and get back to that minus cell phones or…read moredigital interruptions. All of Colorado is beautiful but this was one of our favorite spots in both winter and spring but especially in summer because it's like being in a postcard.