With well spaced sites, full hook ups, and great views, Cheyenne Mountain State Park is our favorite place to start a camping season. Not only is the park beautiful, it is closely situated to Colorado Springs, in the (likely) event that you need to make any unexpected, first-trip-of-the-season repairs. We’ve made trips to the nearby Home Depot two years in a row!
Cheyenne Mountain State Park is situated directly south of Colorado Springs. The park sits at the base of the infamous Cheyenne Mountain, which used to house NORAD and the United States Space Command. The mountain itself towers over the campground, providing a beautiful backdrop from any of the sites. Perched on a hill, the campground overlooks Fort Carson – an Army base – and beyond. The views of the plains past Fort Carson are breathtaking on a clear day.
The campground itself has three loops: Raptor Glen, Gobbler Grove, and Swift Puma. It also has several sites designated for groups (called the Meadow Group Campground) and 6 walk up tent sites. Every site has a large, flat pad for your rig and full hook ups with 20, 30, and 50 amp electric. The staff is friendly and communicative. During our last stay, they went out of their way to inform all campers of power surges that could damage an RV’s electrical system. The issue was resolved within an hour, which was also promptly communicated to the campers.
The most picturesque sites are located in the Raptor Glen loop. This loop is the highest of the loops and offers beautiful views of both Cheyenne Mountain and the plains beyond Fort Carson. These sites, however, are the most exposed to each other and might not offer much privacy from your neighbor. Most of the sites in this loop are pull-through sites, with the best views out of sites 7,8, 9, and 10. Sites 5 and 6 have less desirable views but more privacy.
Gobbler Grove is the smallest of the three loops and offers more privacy than the other loops. It has far fewer sites – giving it a more intimate feel – but still offers beautiful views of Cheyenne Mountain and the plains. Sites 14 and 15 have the best views, but you can’t go wrong with sites 16 and 17.
Swift Puma is the largest of the loops and – like the others – offers beautiful views and well spaced sites. Trees offer some privacy between sites – although you will still be near your neighbors. We’d recommend sites 35 and 36 for the best views, but 39, 40, 25, and 26 are also great options (in that order).
All three loops have well-maintained bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks. There is also an amphitheater off of Raptor Glen and a playground near Swift Puma.
Finally, the Meadows Group Campground offers various “pods” of campsites. The largest “pod” links 5 campsites, while the smallest “pods” link 2 campsites. Each of the “pods” have a group gathering space between them with a fire pit and picnic tables (in addition to the fire pits and picnic tables at the individual sites). This loop has the least impressive views but offers a great options for groups.
The campground at Cheyenne Mountain State Park is open year-round. Reservations are available online at reserveamerica.com. In addition to campground fees, you’ll need to buy a Colorado State Parks Pass. You can buy a daily pass or an annual pass.
Heading to Cheyenne Mountain? Get some ideas on what to do: Keeping Busy in and around Cheyenne Mountain State Park.
