Lakewood is the west side of the Denver metro, where the city runs straight into the foothills. For an RV trip that means you can camp at a city park with electric hookups, then reach Red Rocks, dinosaur tracks and a large state park reservoir without towing up a mountain pass. Downtown Denver is about 20 to 30 minutes east by US 6 or US 285, depending on traffic and where you start.
Lakewood works well for travelers who want foothills scenery and concert nights but would rather not drive an RV on I-70 into the high country. The city's elevation is listed at 5,656 feet, only a little higher than Denver.
Camping at Bear Creek Lake Park
The City of Lakewood operates Bear Creek Lake Park campground, inside a 2,624-acre park at the base of the foothills. The city lists 47 campsites with electric hookups (20, 30 and 50 amp), plus three cabins, two yurts and one group site. RVs and tents are both welcome.
- Regular camping runs April 1 through October 31. Outside that window the campground is not open for general camping.
- Reservations are made online through the city's CivicRec portal. The group site is booked by phone.
- An on-site dump station is available, but only to guests with reservations.
- Every vehicle needs a park pass. One vehicle pass is included with a campsite, cabin or yurt reservation.
- Quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Alcohol must be 6% ABV or lower and glass containers are not allowed.
- Fires are allowed only in the designated rings and depend on current fire restrictions.
The park's main address is 15600 West Morrison Road, but the city lists a separate after-hours campground entrance at 14218 West Hampden Avenue in Morrison. If your arrival could run late, put that second address in your navigation.
Inside the park you will find Bear Creek Lake for fishing and boating, a summer swim beach, an archery range, horse trails and paved and unpaved paths for walking and biking.
Red Rocks, Dinosaur Ridge and the hogback
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
Red Rocks is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver and sits just west of Lakewood at 18300 West Alameda Parkway in Morrison. On days without a concert, the park, amphitheatre and trails are open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, and admission and parking are free. The Trading Post and Visitor Center keep their own seasonal hours.
Concert days change everything. The amphitheatre closes to visitors at about 2 p.m., with exact times set the week of the show, and parking lots open two hours before doors. Red Rocks classifies any vehicle 6 feet 5 inches wide or wider as oversized, which includes RVs and any vehicle towing a trailer. Oversized vehicles must use Lower South Lot 2 and cannot stay overnight.
Dinosaur Ridge
Dinosaur Ridge runs along the Dakota Hogback between Red Rocks and Lakewood. The Main Visitor Center is at 16831 West Alameda Parkway, parking is free, and the self-guided trail is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Visitor center hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from mid-March through October and close an hour earlier in winter.
A bigger lake to the south: Chatfield State Park
If you want more campsites and full hookups, Chatfield State Park is south of Lakewood near Littleton. CPW lists 197 campsites across four campgrounds, electric hookups at every site and full hookups at many. The reservoir supports boating, sailing and fishing, and the park has nearly 33 miles of trails. CPW asks visitors not to enter "Chatfield State Park" into a mapping app and to use 9700 South Wadsworth Boulevard or 11500 North Roxborough Park Road instead, which is good advice in a large rig.
Worth knowing: If you have tickets to a Red Rocks show, do not plan to drive the RV itself to the concert unless you are ready for the oversized-lot rules. Bear Creek Lake Park and Red Rocks are both on the Morrison side of Lakewood, so leaving the rig at camp and taking a smaller vehicle or a rideshare to the show keeps you clear of those rules.
Comparing campgrounds on Lakewood's side of the metro
| Campground | Run by | Hookups | Season | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Lake Park | City of Lakewood | Electric at all 47 sites | April 1 to October 31 | Red Rocks and Morrison trips |
| Chatfield State Park | Colorado Parks and Wildlife | Electric at all sites, full hookups at many | Check CPW for current dates | Big-lake boating and longer stays |
If, then
- If your group is here for a concert, camp at Bear Creek Lake Park and leave the RV at the site on show night.
- If you want a swim beach for kids, plan for Bear Creek Lake Park between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend.
- If you need a sewer connection at your site, look at Chatfield, where CPW lists full hookups at many sites.
- If you are visiting after October, Bear Creek's regular campground is closed, so look at Chatfield and confirm dates with CPW.
Driving and seasons on Lakewood's west side
Getting around in an RV
US 6, US 285 and C-470 connect Lakewood to the rest of the metro. Most routes to the places on this page use wide arterials. Red Rocks is the exception to plan around: on event days the park closes to visitors in the early afternoon and RVs are limited to one lot, so a morning visit on a day with no show is the simplest option in a large rig.
Lakewood also sits at the start of the I-70 mountain corridor. If you plan to continue west, check COtrip.org for closures and any traction law in effect before you leave camp. Mountain grades are steeper and longer than anything inside the metro.
Weather by season
The Bear Creek campground season covers spring through fall, and summer is when the swim beach and the Red Rocks concert calendar are both in full swing. Afternoon thunderstorms are common along the foothills in summer, so plan hikes on exposed ridges like Dinosaur Ridge for the morning. September and October bring cooler nights and fewer crowds. Winter visitors can still walk Red Rocks and Dinosaur Ridge on clear days, but should look to Chatfield for camping.
How RVRents fits a Lakewood trip
There are two ways to rent an RV for this trip, and they work differently. RVs from owners on Outdoorsy are booked and paid for on Outdoorsy and picked up from the owner. They do not include RVRents delivery, setup or other services. RVs booked directly with RVRents can add services à la carte through vetted local providers: groceries, cleaning or activities, plus delivery and setup at your campsite near Lakewood on RVs marked Delivery available. Some RVs require delivery and setup, and the listing says so.
To book direct, send a trip request. Each service is a request until a provider confirms and you approve the price, and we check the campground's rules before any delivery is scheduled.
