Camping in Ridgway, CO

Last week we had the blessing of camping at Ridgway State Park. This was our first time out camping together this year! Our previous plans were thwarted by the vehicles needing to be fixed so we were thankful to be able to get away this time.

Brad and I both give Ridgway State Park two thumbs up! We stayed in Elk Ridge, Loop D. This part of the campground is up a little higher than Dakota Terraces and has some nice pinyon pines that offer a little bit of shade from the hot afternoon sun. The sites are spacious and fairly private. There are nice playgrounds located in different areas of the park, a number of short (less than a mile) hiking trails, a great bike path, and beautiful views! We took advantage of all these amenities, except the bike path. We are definitely taking the bikes and trailer next time we camp here. There is also the wonderful Ridgway Reservoir which offers plenty of space for water activities. We went out on the kayak a little bit and spent most of Wednesday relaxing and playing on the beach. We saw lots of water skiers, a wind surfer, sailboats and wave runners out having fun on the water, too.

We also took a day and went hiking above Ouray, just below Red Mountain pass on the "Million Dollar Highway". The place where the trail head was supposed to begin had a "no trespassing" sign. So we tried to figure out another way to connect with the trail. It seemed hopeful, but we didn't reach our aspired destination, the railroad old turntables. However, we had a nice hike and saw amazing vistas of the mountains around us. After hiking we spent some time in the Ouray Hot Springs - another great place to admire the creation. God sure did something special when he made the San Juans!
So if you're looking for a family-friendly vacation spot with lots of variety in available activities that includes both mountains and water, Ridgway State Park is the place to go!