Sweetwater River Resort — Hotel in Cañon City

We stayed 3 nights and 3 days at one of the tent sites across the river. While the site was adequate (as long as you don't need shade, privacy or a flat surface to sleep on) and views were gorgeous, the rest of the campground was a bit lacking. Even though we were across the river from the road, the truck noise was still louder than the river. The restrooms were tiny, outdated and only semi-clean. I went 3 days without a shower rather than try to fit in the showers they had, and I am not a big person. The suspension bridge, while my kids loved it, was definitely not the safest thing. It is held together by what looks like erosion control netting and zip ties, and the cables holding the whole thing together are frayed and downright sharp (don't try to hold on as you are walking across - your hands will get torn up). Not to mention the 15-20 stairs you have to bring everything down once you get across, rendering the "cart" pretty much useless. After all of that is said and done, we really had a mostly enjoyable time. Everyone was super friendly - except for the owner on the last day. The first night we got there, we got stuck in traffic and had to set up camp in the dark and rain. By the time we had finished setting up, the office was closed (around 8:30 pm) but the employees were hanging out in front of the door. We asked them if they knew where to get firewood, and they replied "we will bring you some and put it by the bridge" Awesome, right? Fast forward to me checking out - they tell me I have an unpaid balance of $9.40. What?!? For that little tub of firewood that didn't even last us the first night? "Why didn't you say that when you gave it to me?" I asked, only to be laughed at and ridiculed by the owner "What do you think we are, stupid? he says, "We have to make money somehow, and everyone else on your side of the river paid it" "That may be true sir, but you didn't tell me you were charging me when you gave it to me, don't you think that is a little unethical?" I asked. His response:"If you had asked for free firewood, I would have pointed you to the beaver pile of driftwood in the river and charged you to clean up the mess you made chopping it up." Wow, and to think I was going to try to get a huge group together to come back next year. I will never go back here again - my money, and yours are much better spent at the cleaner, nicer, friendlier KOA...

We love Sweetwater! We were just there this weekend for the second time and have had amazing experiences every time. The owners, Dave and Joanie are great people and you can tell they love their business. They go above and beyond and are very attentive. Dave always helps our group unload our canoes and even helps us prep them for the day, then load them up at the end of the day. He has even joined us on a few floats down the river. We stayed for three nights this time and on the second night I had asked for the wifi password (that right, this place has wifi in the middle of nowhere!!). They have direct tv also. The third night we came back and Dave had taped new passwords to our door while we were gone. Talk about attentive! One day we locked ourselves out of our room and he gladly unlocked it. The next morning he also provided me silverware so I could eat my breakfast. Dave always gladly takes group photos for us both on his waterfront and up front in the parking lot. They have beautiful rustic facilities. We always stay in the motels at the front. I wouldn't describe them as luxury hotels, but they are exactly what my husband and I need at the end of a long day, toiletries included. They have a beautiful and goofy dog named Ursa that is a blast to play with. All in all this place is great. It has everything you need as long as you aren't wanting a luxury hotel (if you are the deluxe cabins may be calling your name). If you go, make sure to chat with Dave and his wife a bit. They are great people and they will quickly dispel any terrible reviews you may have previously read from difficult customers.

P.S.: make sure to check out their awesome bridge while...

We were, to say the least, disappointed upon arrival. We do extensive research before choosing where to stay, and this location had incredible reviews—so we were genuinely confused when we got there. We had booked a tent site.

To start, all guests must carry their gear up and down approximately 20 fairly steep stairs. This wasn’t a problem for us, but a heads-up beforehand would have been appreciated. None of the campsites were clearly marked, which made things very confusing upon arrival.

More concerning was the amount of animal waste scattered throughout the area. While we understand it’s nature, it was difficult to find a clean spot to pitch our tent in our spot—something that should really be addressed. The picnic tables were also in poor condition and falling apart. The women’s restroom was closed during our stay, leaving us to use the men’s facilities.

We typically stay at National Parks, so that's the standard we’re used to. Had all the sites been occupied, campers would have been placed very close to each other, which might feel uncomfortable for those seeking a bit more privacy.

On the positive side, the views are absolutely breathtaking, and the staff member we spoke with was very kind and accommodating. We had originally planned to stay the entire week but ended up leaving after the first night and booking a room at the Holiday Inn in Cañon City. Fortunately, we received a full refund—but the experience was still disappointing.

That said, I would genuinely love to give this place another try in five years, after some updates and improvements have been made. I’m hopeful we just caught it...