Planning a long weekend trip this summer with the fam (kids are 5, 8, and 10). Looking for something that's not gonna cost me a kidney but also has basic amenities - like actual bathrooms, not just a hole in the ground lol. We've done Echo Lake before but want to try somewhere new. Any recommendations from CO dads? Trying to keep it within an hour of the city if possible.
Echo Lake is great but yeah, try Mueller State Park area or look into Peaceful Valley near Woodland Park. Both have actual bathrooms and are cheaper than the touristy spots. Mueller especially is good for kids because it's got short hikes and isn't too crowded in summer.
How many nights are you thinking? That affects recommendations a lot. Long weekend vs full week changes the vibe. Also with kids that age you probably want something with easy hikes nearby?
Try looking at private RV parks instead of just national forest stuff. I know you're not looking for RV hookups but they usually have better bathrooms than the rustic USFS spots. And around Denver they're shockingly affordable.
May through September those elevation campsites book fast, FYI. If you're doing summer you probably need to reserve now. Also watch out for some of the "cheap" places that are just... sketchy areas to camp. Location matters.
How far from Denver are you willing to go? Like 30min? An hour? That changes the options a lot. There's stuff near Bailey and Evergreen that's decent but also Chatfield and Barr Lake area has some good cheaper options.
Check out the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website - they have a bunch of smaller campgrounds around the Denver area that don't get as packed. We've had good luck at Rampart Reservoir and it's only like 30 minutes from Denver.
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Elevenmile Canyon (if it's open after last year's fire stuff) has good budget campsites with bathrooms and it's reasonable. Not sure on current status but worth checking. Otherwise yeah, the USFS sites near Echo Lake but cheaper are your best bet.