Campground Review: James M Robb State Park, Fruita, CO

Why we chose here: After repositioning from Northern California, this was our first stop in Colorado, so we decided to spend a few days here. We had also read good reviews of the park from other traveling friends.

General: This is a Colorado state park. One thing you should know about camping at CO state parks is that you have to pay a daily entrance fee to the park in addition to the camping fee. We'll add Colorado to Washington, Montana and Texas; the list of state park systems we have visited who love to sting you with extra fees. Anyway it's $7 or $8 a day, depending on the park, or $70 for an annual pass. Given our plans to stay in Colorado for a few months we bought the pass to save the fees. 

Location: This is city camping, close to the freeway, the city of Fruita and not far from Grand Junction. This is not camping in a rural setting. I don't mean that as a negative, we like urban parks, but you should have the right expectations. Having said that there is an abundance of nature around - the Colorado River runs through the park and the views of the Colorado National Monument are spectacular. Wonderful canyon hiking is just a few miles away. While the nature is great, the cities were a little uninspiring; a brewery or two but mostly corporate urban sprawl. 

Sites:  This is easily the nicest state park we have stayed in. Clean, spacious paved sites, immaculate laundry facilities. Never mind a publicly owned campground the standards here are actually what an expensive RV Park should aspire too. All sites have fire rings, picnic tables and shelters for shade. A spacious paved area and generously sized sites. 

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, laundry, children's playground, dump station. There is a day use area with a small lake, but no swimming due to some contamination problems. 

Groceries: There is a City Market nearby which met our needs and a weekly Farmer's Market in Fruit and Grand Junction. 

Reservations: Yes; the place seems pretty full.

Cell coverage / WiFi: Yes good coverage from Verizon. AT&T and T-Mobile

Price paid: $28 Water, Sewer & Electric - Plus $10 Online Reservation Fee Plus $70 Annual Pass to avoid $7 daily fee 

Date of visit: July 2016

Would we come here again? Yes. Although the surrounding cities are a little characterless there was great hiking around that we would definitely like to explore more. 

Link to website