[RockyMtnRay]

I was not in the CCC! I know lots of folks over 70 who did build not only our parks but most of our nation. Even just 50 years ago the parks were not use as they are today.

No kidding. Most of the trails inside Rocky Mountain NP were constructed by CCC...and have hardly had anything done to them since. There's no way you can get anyone to do the kind of rockwork that was done then. As for use...eeep, RMNP is getting almost 3 million visitors a year or almost the same as many, many times larger Yellowstone.

Ever been to 7 Falls?

Oh, yeah...that's a stop on the local take-visitors-around-town tour...but not for a about 10 years now. And yes, it's turned into a fancy little tourist trap...elevators, laser light shows, the whole kit-and-kaboodle. I could easily believe long, long lines on busy summer days....after all, Colorado Springs is now getting over 6 million visitors each summer.

They tell me you have to have reservations at most nationl parks now.

For camping, yes. At RMNP, reservations are absolutely necessary throughout the summer at Glacier Basin and Morraine Park campgrounds (the main ones)...and you better make them 3 months in advance. Aspenglen and Timber Creek (west side) are still first come-first served. I'm planning on camping at Timber Creek in the middle of the 2nd week of September and crossing my fingers there will be at least one open site when I arrive.

It isn't just the national parks either...the majority of the National Forest campgrounds in Colorado are now on a reservation system as well...and reservations are virtually mandatory for all Friday or Saturday nights in any NFS campground within a 150 mile radius of Denver or Colorado Springs. Same-same with the state park campgrounds....if you haven't made your campsite reservation for either within 2 weeks of when you want to camp, you aren't going to find a campsite on any summer weekend. Weekdays aren't too bad...usually a few free sites except around holidays. Planning ahead...way ahead...is a necessity.

And now days that someplace else most likely has private campground (s) close to it. In fact it would be my guess that I could show you places in your state not even an outdoorsman as yourself knows about.

Maybe, maybe not. There's still only a very limited amount of private land anywhere near the national forest or national park boundaries. And unless that land has been put in a conservation easement, it's getting bought up left and right for "40 acre ranchettes" and trophy homes (many owned by out of staters). Private campground usage doesn't generate nearly as many $ per square foot per day as do other uses...even with RVs parked 10 feet apart.

Take RMNP for example...as has been the case for years, there are only 4 or 5 very tightly jammed private campgrounds in & around Estes Park on the east side (and no available private property in the canyons below to build more); and only 2 on the west side around Grand Lake. I absolutely refuse to even think about camping in or around RMNP from late June until late August, really not until after Labor Day.

Take Summit County as another example...one of Colorado's premier tourist areas...chock-a-block full of winter/summer resorts (Breckenridge, Keystone, Dillon area, etc.), has 3 nice NFS campgrounds...but one and only one private campground (Tiger Run RV Resort) in the entire county. And Tiger Run is very exclusive...popups, tent trailers, etc. are strictly forbidden...and if you've got a free $95,000 they'll sell you your very own RV site (no, not the RV, just the site). If you want to camp with a TM anywhere in Summit County, you'll have to do it in an NFS campground. Period. I'm going up there for next week...will bring back pictures of just how beautiful that area is.

As for knowing more about the hidden get-aways in this state, it's possible but not real likely...I've been into darn near every nook and cranny of the entire state.