Going to the Mesa Verde area

[Candi Woods]

We'll be going to the Mesa Verde area for a family reunion in June. We presently have plans to stay at the A&A Mesa Verde Campground. Has anybody stayed here before and do you know of any good campgrounds in the area?

http://www.mesaverdecamping.com/

[Linda R002]

We drove by a nice one right at the freeway exit, but we actually stayed in the state park and it was very nice. The only glitch to that is, the park office can't take reservations or book for more than a day at a time. You have to call the reservation 800 number. So I stood just outside the office and called the number back east somewhere to make a three day reservation even though I was right there. It worked. We had a nice camp spot with full hook ups. About 12 have full hook ups. And more have just water and electric. We spent three days exploring the park and enjoying our new trailer on our way home from picking up our new trailer.

[George Cathcart]

Hi Candi, I've seen a few reviews here and casitaclub wherein our fellow fiberglassers have remarked how nice the RV park is inside the National Park. Frankly, I don't recall seeing the RV area although we've been in MVNP a number of times. I think it may be well off the main drive through the park, which is good! That would probably be my choice if I were coming to the area.

Living in the area, we drive down US 160 quite often, past A&A and another nearby private park---both kind of non-descript in my "quick highway" evaluation. But perhaps they have the amenities you're looking for.

B.t.w., Linda&Dale referred to the "State Park". Although I'm guessing they really meant the National Park, there are one or two small state parks within easy driving distance, We've been to none of them, but I have heard that Mancos State Park is nice and is in the forest, which none of the immediate Mesa Verde campgrounds can claim. Probably doesn't have hookups, which is fairly common in small CO state parks.

At Mesa Verde, take every tour you possibly can----be aware some are pretty strenuous and you can climb (or decline to climb) some long ladders, but it's all a great experience, unlike anything else in the U.S. This is a National Park that, IMO, rates right up there with Yellowstone and Yosemite.

And when you're in the area, plan several hours at the Anasazi Cultural Center near Dolores, CO, very close. Especially if there are youngsters in your party, they have terrific interactive exhibits that even 80-year old youngsters enjoy.

[Linda R002]

Your right, we meant National Park. The campground is just off the main road. There is a little store, laundry and gas station on the main road and the camp ground snakes off behind these with the RV loop the second loop in so not right on the main road.

[Adrian W]

We have visited Mesa Verde twice and stayed at the campground at the National Park, no hook-up, but that is why they make these things self-contained, they have showers which are coin operated. They have a lot of spaces, and very nice, with deer walking around and it is in the park, much easier to get to the sights which are several miles up the mesa from the campground. We would always pick a national park over a private campgound, but that is the way we like to go. It is a very nice area, lots to see, nice drive, but it can get to be a somewhat traffic jam at the entrance in the summers. Better to not have to do it each day you go into it. That's my story and I am sticking to it!
AW

[Roger H]

I dunno, Candi... I've never been there, but the pictures I've seen of the campgrounds there were pretty primitive-looking. Kinda stone-age even. Y'know, it just looked like a bunch of stone huts and carved out niches in the walls. Even the big places on and under those walls looked primitive. I don't think the sites had much in the way of running water, and probably no electricity, and man-oh-man, some of the climbs looked pretty treacherous just to get up to them. I can't believe our National Park Service can't do better than a bunch of old stone walls on some cliff faces like that. They just look awful. Geez. You'd think they could keep the camping cabins up just a little better, don't you? I mean, after our nice trailers, who'd want to camp like that? Those stone slabs look awfully hard to sleep on.





Roger

[Des Nolan]

Has anybody stayed here before and do you know of any good campgrounds in the area?

Hi Candi,

Mesa Verde campgrounds were not yet open when we visited, so, we stayed here at A&A.
They have nice sites, among the cleanest washrooms we've ever encounterd, a wonderful hot tub, warm pool, and super staff.

It is just 3 minutes from the park entrance. We counted it a bonus to climb without the trailer in tow.



Diane & Des

[George Cathcart]

Those stone slabs look awfully hard to sleep on.

Attachment 6011



Roger

[b]That's hilarious, Roger. I'll bet you wrote the scripts for the Geico caveman commercials, too, huh?

[Jan Adams]

Been to Mesa Verde lots of times and have always camped in the National Park campground. It is a long haul into the park so I think it is better to camp there.

As is mentioned, this is a National Park - which means no hook ups like water, sewerage, electric - but most likely, you will only be spending 2-3 days there. They do have shower places, gas, and food places.

One important tip, you have to have reservations to visit most of the ancient sites so book them immediately upon arrival, otherwise, you may only be seeing 1 or 2 places.

Just make sure you are in pretty good physical condition and that you are not afraid of heights or ladders. I hate heights and ladders but I would never miss being able to see this stuff, so I just tough it out. Going up the 14 foot double log ladder, I just keep telling myself one more step, one more step. Ranger asked me what I was saying on the way up the ladder, I said "just one more step". He laughed. Once I am on firm ground, I don't care how high I am.

[Jan Adams]

And when you're in the area, plan several hours at the Anasazi Cultural Center near Dolores, CO, very close. Especially if there are youngsters in your party, they have terrific interactive exhibits that even 80-year old youngsters enjoy.

If you want a really exciting drive, take the razerback from there. About 20 miles along a mesa top, no guard rails, no shoulders - just major drops on both sides. I was scared to death!!!

[Adrian W]

Here is the web site for campground information at the Park:

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/camping2.htm

Open
May 4 to early-October, 2006

Phone
1-800-449-2288

Details
Join us for a night or two in Morefield Campground, just 4 miles inside Mesa Verde. With 435 sites, there’s always plenty of space! The campground rarely fills. Each site has a table, bench, and grill. Camping is open to tents, trailers and RVs.

Morefield's campsites are situated on loop roads that extend through a high grassy canyon filled with Gambel Oak scrub, native flowers, deer, and wild turkeys. Many sites offer excellent shade.

Wake to an all-you-can eat pancake breakfast at the café in Morefield’s full-service village. There's also a gas station, RV dumping station, coin-operated laundry, complimentary showers, a gift shop and a well stocked grocery store.

With all of its conveniences and amenities, Morefield provides a truly comfortable stay in Mesa Verde National Park.

Rates:
$20 per campsite, per night + tax. Maximum of two vehicles, two tents. Reservations accepted.

$25 per RV hook-up, per night + tax. There are a total of 15 RV hook-ups. (First come, first serve.)

Group sites ($55 minimum) are available at $5 per night, per adult or child. Reservations accepted.

[Linda R002]

Been to Mesa Verde lots of times and have always camped in the National Park campground. It is a long haul into the park so I think it is better to camp there.

As is mentioned, this is a National Park - which means no hook ups like water, sewerage, electric - but most likely, you will only be spending 2-3 days there. They do have shower places, gas, and food places.

One important tip, you have to have reservations to visit most of the ancient sites so book them immediately upon arrival, otherwise, you may only be seeing 1 or 2 places.

We camped there last July and there was 12 full hook ups in the park in the second loop with electric and water and as I remember with septic, there also was some with just electric and water. As we had just gotten the trailer and it was very hot out we opted for the full hook ups to use our A/C. There was two other loops for camping and they had no hook-ups. But they do have hook ups. We used them just last summer. And it was only like $5.00 more a night. If we wanted to use the golden passport that was good only for the no hook-up sites.


Room Type: 24 FT FULL HOOK UP
Morefield Full Hookup

Morefield Campground - 4 miles inside Mesa Verde National Park.
- Full Hook-Up site access (water, sewer and electric).
- NPS Park entrance fee not included.
Daily Average:
$32.50
Total:


I found this on the website under RV camping. This gets you around the $10 a day entrance fee too.

[Jerry Jacobs]

I don't know why, but when I was there they DIDN'T honor Golden age cards on the sites that had full hookups ??????????????????????????????????

[Pete Dumbleton]

[quote]I don't know why, but when I was there they DIDN'T honor Golden age cards on the sites that had full hookups ??????????????????????????????????


Attachment 6028


My experience at some of the Natl Parks/Monuments that have put in hookups is that they honor the GA card for the basic cost of the site, but the addl charge for the hookups is full price (so if a theoretical site is $20 plus $4 for hookups, a GA holder would pay $14) -- If they were doing otherwise, likely someone had screwed up.

[Candi Woods]

[b]That's hilarious, Roger. I'll bet you wrote the scripts for the Geico caveman commercials, too, huh?

No, no, that's Gecko, isn't it?

Sorry, I haven't responded in my own post, for goodness sakes! I've been busy setting up an outdoor skating rink in our backyard. It's finally cold enough for the ice to freeze good. For a while there I thought we were going to have an overgrown wading pool for the winter. Anybody up for hockey?

Wow, I'm so amazed by the wealth of knowledge I'm getting on this forum. I put out the request doubting I'd get much information. I guess I learned.

Roger, you should get paid for your humorous antics!

Candi

[Roger H]

Thanks, Candi (and George )

Our members really have a lot of corporate knowledge on just about any subject you can imagine. This is really a great community of folks, and this thread particularly has excellent info to share!

Roger

[Candi Woods]

And more useful information to share...(off topic)

Get the leaves and sticks off the surface of your ice before they freeze solid to the surface of your ice skating rink. If I'm not careful we may have an obstacle course instead of a rink. I'm off with the heavy duty ice scraper.

The scamp is going to make a nice warming hut for us, and a good place to heat up the hot chocolate.

Now, back on topic. I think that the A&A Campground is going to be a good pick for our family reunion. We have lots of kids coming and the miniature golf course and the heated pool is sure to be a hit with them. It's also very centrally located to other points of interest and towns in the area. We considered the Vallecito lake area, which is beautiful, is in the mountains and has the added benefit of water sports and fishing, but it was so much farther away from Mesa Verde, which is the focus of our visit. Mancos is a good location but they don't have any electrical facilities and we are needing that because of the number of days we will be staying (someday we'll get a solar system, not the really, really big kind, of course ). Another campground nearby seemed to cater mostly to the gigantuon pull through rv's and we don't want to get smooshed by them. They frighten me! The campground in Mesa Verde looks pretty good but they don't have a pool. We are spoiled, aren't we? I remember the days when we used to go backpacking...

Now, after all of this work planning, I just hope my family shows up. It's always a question mark in my mind until I can see them coming down the road and turning the corner. People in our family like to keep their options open.

I'm off to do some backbreaking ice scraping. Hockey? Anybody? I guess I'll just practice my figure eights.

[George Cathcart]

Here's one that I had forgotten about, Echo Basin, which is about four miles northeast of Mancos. Our local Good Sam chapter had a campout there two years ago for an Old Time Fiddle Contest and concert. We'll go back if they ever have another of those.

Nice spot and has some of the amenities that you are looking for. I've never been inside their cabins, which looked like oversize KOA cabins, or their dining room, so no info on those except what you read on their web site. I think the park shuts down tight in winter and you may get no quick response to phone, email or request for brochures.

In the past they have had a few huge concerts on weekends (such as Charlie Daniels, who has a home near Mancos). The County has pretty well shut down their larger concerts, particularly after they tried to host a Harley-D festival, a la Sturgis, this last Labor Day.

http://www.echobasin.com/