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Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Colorado every summer to hike, admire the mountain views, and go camping. Campgrounds can fill up quickly in this Rocky Mountain state, especially during summer.
Fortunately, during my few years in Colorado, I camped at some of the most beautiful places. One of my favorites was in Durango, beside the San Juan Mountains. Here is everything you need to know about Durango Riverside Resort.
The Riverside Resort is set in the beautiful San Juan Mountains along the Animas River. The campground and cabins are situated along the river’s edge at the northern end of the Hermosa Valley.
The campground sits north of the charming downtown Durango, which has plenty of restaurants, shopping, and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
You can also drive the intense Million Dollar Highway, which connects you from Durango to Ouray, for a thrilling day trip.
This area of Colorado has some of the best hiking opportunities, fishing, river rafting, horseback riding, and the famous Durango Railroad.
There are so many things to do when visiting Durango Riverside Resort, whether you want to camp for a weekend or stay an entire week.
Durango Riverside Resort Amenities
JW Durango Riverside Resort features a pool, game room, convenience store, and more. Take a dip in the pool to cool off after a long day of exploring outdoors. They also show movies and hold other events during the summer.
Camping Options at Durango Riverside Resort
You have various options when camping here, whether driving your RV across the country or pitching a tent near the San Juan Mountains.
Tent Sites
Their tent sites have picnic tables, a gravel pad, a fire ring, water, and electric hookups. Parking is available for one vehicle.
The cost is $51 per tent site.
RV Sites
If you are traveling with an RV, you are in luck; Durango Riverside Resort has so many sites for you to book.
You do need to enter the measurements of your RV to see pricing in ability, but you can do that directly on their booking portion of the site.
Glamping Cabins
I stayed in one of the glamping cabins, which start at an affordable $143 a night. They are the perfect size for two or four people, depending on your choice.
This rustic camping cabin features one twin/twin bunk (thin mattress) and one full-size bed (thin mattress), along with small desk space and chair (1 electrical outlet available).
Located outside are a front porch swing, picnic table, and a fire ring. The park has two bathhouses, and parking is available for one vehicle. This cabin does not include linens, but linen packages are available to add on when booking.
Contemporary Cabins
The Contemporary Cabin overlooks the Hermosa Valley and Missionary Ridge. It features air conditioning, a kitchenette with a cooktop, sink, microwave, and apartment-size fridge, a bathroom with a stand-up shower, and a futon in the living space.
It has a queen bed in the back bedroom and is pet-friendly. Linens are provided, along with towels and basic kitchen utensils. The porch outside features a table and chairs and a fire ring nearby. Parking is available for one vehicle.
This option is excellent for those looking for a more luxurious experience. They start at $263 per night.
My Camping Experience at Durango Riverside Resort
We arrived after a long day of driving and had a campsite for one night and a glamping cabin for the next night. It was 4th of July weekend, and this part of Colorado was packed!
My Tent Site
When we arrived, the team was more than attentive, helping us get set up and telling us about the resort’s offerings. They showed a movie outdoors that weekend and served fresh food until early evening. The bathrooms were easy to walk to, and the campsites were well-spaced.
If you are tent camping, I recommend booking one of the slots away from the RV Parking since the lights of some kept us up at night. That is not a campground problem, though; it is just a rude people problem.
The more isolated tent spots were booked that weekend, or we would have chosen that. Nonetheless, it was a great experience, quiet, relaxing, and nestled among the trees.
My Glamping Cabin
The next night, I was very excited to check into the Glamping Cabin after visiting Durango Hot Springs and hiking in the area.
The glamping cabin is a perfect size and sits along the river, so you can enjoy the babbling brook while sitting around a campfire.
There was no light pollution where the cabins were unless a cabin nearby had lights on. The stars were beautiful and made a great addition to our camping weekend.
Inside the cabin was a comfortable bed, to which we added linen during our booking. This cabin had no bathrooms, but they were clean, and easy to walk to.
If you want a cabin with a bathroom and have extra money, book one of the contemporary cabins; they have full bathrooms inside and other fancy features.
Visit Junction West Durango Riverside Resort
If you are visiting Durango to hike or explore, booking a trip to Junction West Durango Riverside Resort is what I recommend.
Not only was the campground taken care of, but the team went out of there to ensure all the guests were happy, even during one of the busiest holiday weekends.
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