Starting on July 1, six state parks will implement a new reservation-only pilot program that removes the "first-come, first-serve" policy.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife recently announced that last-minute reservations will no longer be available at six state parks, starting in July.
This new pilot program completely eliminates the risk of showing up at a campsite in hopes of securing a "first-come, first-served site, only to not find that there isn't one available," according to a news release by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
The six state parks implementing this pilot program are Cheyenne Mountain, Eleven Mile, Ridgway, Staunton, St. Vrain, and Trinidad Lake.
This change will apply to ALL campsites in those parks starting on July 1 -- with the exception of Ridgway State Park, which will apply the new policy on September 15 and only affect sites in the F and G loops. This pilot program also marks as the first time that camping will be available at Staunton State Park, with 25 backcountry campsites opening to the public.
"It's meant to mimic the private industry," Travis Duncan, a spokesperson for CPW, said. "We're doing it at these six state parks in the hopes this will iron out any kinks we have."
Reservations can be made 24/7 at cpwshop.com or by calling 1-800-244-5613. Those who want to take the risk and try to see if a campsite is available can still do so, as long as it hasn't already been reserved. If there are campers who occupy a reservation-only campsite without a reservation, they will be issued a $50 citation.
For more information, visit Colorado Parks and Wildlife's website.
What do you think of the new reservation-only program? Do you think it will eventually expand to other state parks? Let us know in the comments below.