Colorado is where RVRents runs the whole trip: the RV, delivery to your site, setup, groceries, cleaning and the plans in between. Most of our coverage starts along the Front Range, from Fort Collins down through Denver, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, because that is where most guests land and where most campgrounds sit within an easy delivery drive.
Where Colorado RV trips usually start
Denver International Airport is the arrival point for most fly-in guests, and it sits about 25 miles northeast of downtown. From the Denver metro, the mountains are close. So are the long grades. That is the main reason people ask for delivery: towing or driving a 30-foot RV up I-70 on your first day is not most people's idea of a vacation.
| Starting area | Good for | Rough drive from downtown Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Denver metro | Fly-in guests, Red Rocks concerts, state park camping close to the city | Under 45 minutes to Chatfield or Cherry Creek state parks |
| Castle Rock and Larkspur | Families who want a quieter base between Denver and Colorado Springs | About 35 to 50 minutes south on I-25 |
| Colorado Springs | Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Cheyenne Mountain State Park | About 1 hour 15 minutes south on I-25 |
| Boulder and Fort Collins | Northern Front Range trips and routes toward Rocky Mountain National Park | About 35 minutes to Boulder, 1 hour to Fort Collins |
Drive times assume normal traffic. Friday afternoons and ski-season weekends on I-70 run far longer.
Altitude changes how an RV behaves
Denver sits at roughly 5,280 feet, and plenty of popular campgrounds sit higher. Engines make less power in thin air, so a loaded motorhome climbs slower than it does at sea level. Brakes work harder on the way down. Plan to use lower gears on descents rather than riding the brakes.
Nights get cold even in summer. At higher campgrounds, freezing temperatures are possible in late spring and early fall, and a hose left connected overnight can freeze. If your RV is delivered and set up by us, the setup crew walks you through the furnace, water heater and tank valves before they leave.
Worth knowing: The common failure point on a first Colorado RV trip is not the driving. It is arriving at a campground after dark, unsure how to level the rig or connect the sewer hose. Delivery and setup removes that part of the evening.
Mountain driving rules to know
The Colorado Department of Transportation can activate the Traction Law on mountain highways, including the I-70 corridor west of Denver, when roads get slick. It is most often in effect from fall through spring. Before any mountain drive, check current road conditions and restrictions on COtrip.org.
- Expect afternoon thunderstorms in the mountains in summer. Start drives early.
- Check your RV's height against tunnels and overpasses on your route.
- Fill up before long mountain stretches. Stations thin out between towns.
Camping: state parks, private parks and national parks
Colorado state park campgrounds take reservations through Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and each vehicle also needs a park pass. Popular summer weekends fill months ahead. Private RV parks often have full hookups and fewer length limits, and some have on-site restaurants or stores. Rocky Mountain National Park has its own campgrounds and has used a timed-entry reservation system for vehicles in peak season in recent years; check the park's official site before you plan around it.
If, then: picking the right base
- If you fly in and want to sleep near the airport the first night, start in the Denver metro.
- If you have young kids and want short drives, base at a state park within an hour of Denver.
- If Pikes Peak or Garden of the Gods is the main event, start in Colorado Springs.
- If you want to drive into the high mountains yourself, choose a smaller RV and plan for slower climbs.
What RVRents handles in Colorado
You can rent the RV and stop there. Or you can add delivery to the campsite, setup, a stocked fridge, campground dining, golf tee times and local activities. Every add-on is a request until a coordinator confirms it with a vetted local provider and sends you the price. Some campgrounds restrict outside deliveries or set gate hours, so we check each park's rules before confirming anything.
