Vega State Park — Attraction in Collbran

We booked campsite #142 in the Pioneer camping area July 1-3, 2024 and had a wonderful time: we saw several deer, a turkey, marmots, and chipmunks and had lots of fun exploring on the trails, which ranged from primitive (muddy tracks through the forest) to really well-groomed (4-feet wide with weedblock underneath gravel). The campsite itself was impeccably clean and it had an approximately 12 ft X 12 ft raised gravel bed for the tent (good drainage), and then about a 20-foot diameter area for the picnic table and fire pit, which included an adjustable grill and nearby bear boxes (you may need to share half a bear box with a nearby site-- there were more campsites than bear boxes.) One comment about the raised tent area is that it was raised up about 2 feet above the surrounding area, with no steps/stairs, which was inconvenient for people with older knee joints. There was a complimentary wagon/cart in the parking area to shlep your belongings up to your campsite, which was a blessing! We had read online that the showers in the nearby showerhouse cost money, yet they were free, but THERE WAS NO HOT WATER during our stay! Very disappointing and the main reason I can't give it a 5-star rating. There was no communication about why there was no hot water. We didn't think to ask until we were in the showers, so don't be surprised: take your shower mid-afternoon when you are warm; don't wait until late the evening when summer temperatures can dip into the 50's! We were somewhat disappointed that there is really no obvious swimming or beach for the lake, despite the fact that we saw a paddleboat and several overboard motor boats in the lake. The local signage seemed to indicate that the lake is perhaps used as a reservoir for drinking water, yet a local rancher brought his herd of cattle to the marshy areas around the lake for a few hours in the mornings (and cattle leave a lot of manure behind, so it is probably best that people not swim in the lake!) It was a total treat for me and my children to see the 2 trained shepherd dogs working with 4 cowboys on horseback to shuttle the cattle from the lake, past the Pioneeer campsite, to a nearby holding pen on private property. There is no cell/internet service anywhere in the area (either good or bad, depending on whether you have teenagers you're trying to keep off the grid), yet we were able somehow to get contraband/bootleg Wi-Fi at the Visitor's Center, which was well-maintained and staffed with very friendly people. I would have liked to have spent more time at the Visitor's Center because it had a lot of local history and included a "wildlife sightings" board on which you could indicate what you saw: two bears were listed in the past year. Unless you have a CO State Parks pass before you arrive, you'll need to buy a day pass with CASH ONLY from the ranger at the entrance -- $10 a day, good until noon the next day -- or you can pay with a credit card at the visitors center. The nearest ATM is 12 miles away in Collbran and it charges at least a $3 service fee. (By the way, the "Creamery" advertised on a huge sign off Main Street in Collbran is just that -- the owner converted it to a house and just left the sign up. But you can get excellent soft-serve ice cream at the Cafe on Main street.) This is one of the quietest campsites I've ever stayed at -- OHV's (ATV's?) and power boats are heavily restricted, so when we went to bed at night, the only things we heard were birds. There are no ambient sounds at night expect the rustling of leaves and perhaps the flaps of your tent (and, yes, some planes flying high overhead). In the morning, you may hear the cows/cattle lowing off the the distance. If the skies are clear, you'll get an amazing view of the Milky Way stars in a stripe across the sky. We were treated to a beautiful sunrise. You can drive the 10 or so miles around the Lake, but there is unfortunately not an accompanying foot path/trail around the entire perimeter. I would go back to visit Vega again if only the showers...

First off, I needed 5 camp spots for a mini family reunion. Naturally I went online to book them, went to check out and there is a $10 per site reservation fee ($50 total for 5 spots). So in addition to the overpriced camp spots you have to pay $10 to reserve it. Keep in mind this is not calling and talking to someone that they have to pay, this is totally online with no human interaction. So the whole family shows up and we were ALL disappointed with what THEY call a campsite (A slightly widened road to park on with a small patch of dirt for a tent). The one site that could actually be called a camp spot was advertised as a pull thru that could take a 40 foot camper. Not only was it NOT a pull thru It barely would fit our 29 foot camper. To make matters worse a ranger came around and asked where our daily parking pass was. I nicely let him know that we had pre paid online for camping. He then says that is only for the camp spot, to actually enter the campground it is an additional $7 per vehicle. I asked is one vehicle not included in the camping pass? The other frustrating thing is that they count the day permit from noon to midnight. So if you show up at 10am and plan on staying till 5pm the same day, you have to pay for two days.

I camp on average about 30 weekends a year. This by far was the worst priced and least amenities place I have stayed. The average price per night with all the fees is $29. Almost every campground I have paid that much for had complete hookups.

Stay away form this park. Was not that impressed with it if it was free, add in the $290 in fees for 5 very crappy camp spots and DAILY fees and this is a place I will...

The camping was “hike in” with a wheeled bin provided. There was a water spigot and a primitive pit type toilet at the parking lot. There was no one there when I arrived. People came the next night and decided they were going to party. They played loud music and were drinking but I was thankful they shut down the party at 10. The campsites are somewhat private but can hear every tiny noise from adjacent campsites. There are bear boxes for food and toiletries. Overall, it was a clean campsite for a good price. It has no cell service. The night skies are incredible with the Milky Way visible with naked eye and starfield that is very deep. There are also lots of hummingbirds. There is a lodge not far away if you want to sleep in a bed. It also has a restaurant and SUP rentals. Must pay state park entry fee or have a pass in addition to nightly campsite rental. There is free camping on BLM about an hour away but when traveling alone I think it’s good to register places so if something bad were to happen there is a record that you were there. There is also a fire ring at campsite. Gathering of firewood was prohibited but a short walk up the FS access road yielded plenty of burnable wood for...