DENVER, Colo. – Starting in 2019, 20 of Colorado’s state parks will offer camping by reservation only. Effective Jan. 1, 15 state parks will convert to a “reservation-only” system after it was tested successfully by five parks in 2018. Under the new system, campers can reserve a site, 24/7, anywhere from six months in advance up until the day of their arrival by logging into cpwshop.com or by calling 800-244-5613.
Park managers in the pilot program reported success with eliminating the three-day reservation window and switching to a system where campers reserved their own spots via phone or online the day they plan to arrive at the park or up to six months in advance.
The ability to reserve a site on the same day eliminates the need for campers to gamble on a first-come, first-served spot, only to arrive at the park and find that there aren’t any spots available.
What if someone occupies a site they haven’t reserved? Campers who occupy a reservation-only campsite without a reservation will be subject to a citation. All campers must reserve a campsite prior to occupying the site. Also beginning Jan. 1, CPW is eliminating its $10 reservation-only camping fee when calling or using the website to reserve a site.
State parks currently participating in this program: Cheyenne Mountain, Eleven Mile, Staunton, St. Vrain and Trinidad Lake.
State parks joining the program on January 1, 2019: Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Boyd Lake, Cherry Creek, Golden Gate Canyon, Highline Lake, Jackson Lake, John Martin Reservoir, Lathrop, Mueller, North Sterling, Pearl Lake, Ridgway, State Forest, Steamboat Lake and Yampa River.
State parks joining the program on April 1, 2019: Lake Pueblo and Chatfield.
My only comment is, giving someone who is occupying a reservation-only site a citation does not make that site available to the person who reserved it. I know it’s probably not practical to force the violator to move, or to tow their RV. If the campground isn’t full, it’s no problem. You just go to a non-reservable site. But what can you do if it is full?