A Solo Campervan Trip to Mueller State Park in Colorado with Kerri Cox from Travels with Birdy

Ponderosa pines, Rocky Mountain peaks, gorgeous campsites…Colorado’s Mueller State Park just might be one of the nation’s prettiest campgrounds. It is classic camping at its best. Our longtime correspondent Kerri Cox is with us to share a campground review of Mueller State Park, which has become a favorite home away from home for her over the years. And, she selected this familiar favorite for her very first solo van trip.

Here’s a guest post from Kerri. To hear our full conversation, including Kerri’s top campsite picks, click play on the media player above or look for The RV Atlas on your favorite podcast app.

Though I don’t live in Colorado, it’s become my favorite place to visit due to the easy drive to the mountains from my home in Missouri. You might have heard me talk about it again and again and again on the podcast over the years. I first fell in love with Mueller State Park nearly 10 years ago and have returned five or six times as a place to enjoy nature and relaxation. I consider it my annual “reset” before the school year begins.

Since Russell and I didn’t have a good chance for a getaway together this summer, when he was heading off to a game convention in Indianapolis, I decided it would be the perfect time for my first solo van trip in my beloved Class B van, AKA “Birdy.” It was a familiar place to practice the unfamiliar experience of a big solo drive and full setup. Since I booked late, I ended up with a different campsite for each night, giving me even more of an opportunity to explore the park.

First, here are 5 things make Mueller State Park especially special: 

1. 1. Amazing panoramic views of Pikes Peak and surrounding mountains
   2. Elevation is truly IN the mountains
   3. Large campsites with some privacy
   4. Surrounded by pines, aspens, and wildlife
   5. True classic camping experience!

Where is Mueller State Park?

Some campgrounds work best as basecamps you use to explore other destinations, but Mueller State Park is a campground I go to just to stay in the campground. It encompasses all of the mountain vibes without requiring driving on mountainous roadway (when coming in from Colorado Springs).

Mueller State Park is located approximately 45 minutes west of Colorado Springs, making it close enough for a day trip but a little too far away to drive in and grab a meal. The drive “up” Highway 24 from Colorado Springs is pretty interesting, passing by some of the city’s iconic red rocks and a few small mountain towns.

The main reason I go to Mueller State Park has less to do with its geographic location and more to do with its elevation. The park is located at app. 9,500 feet in elevation (pro tip: it’s not advisable to go directly to the park from the flatlands if you aren’t used to elevation; consider a stay in Colorado Springs for a night before continuing on).

Because of the elevation, the weather is much cooler in the summer, with highs in the 70s and low 80s. Monsoon rains hit daily in July and August but rarely wash out an entire day. Mueller is a great spot to experience Colorado’s golden aspens in the fall (with trees changing in September), and it offers camping and activities even in the snowy winter.

What Amenities Does Mueller State Park Offer?

• The Visitor Center shares details about the local wildlife, geology, and park amenties
• A large camper services station offers a playground, a laundry room, and showers. All are well maintained. There are picnic tables inside and out, providing a nice place to rest while waiting, and the outside seats offer good views of the park.
• 2 important things to note about the comfort stations:
  • You may have to walk quite a ways uphill to reach them if you aren’t driving
  • The showers require quarters!

• The park has nearly 50 miles of trails with varying degrees of difficulty (this website has good trail details with personal descriptions and lots of photos). The trails are mostly open to mountain biking and horseback riding but not to dogs.
• My favorite is Grouse Mountain Trail, which is a mile out and back and takes you up to an overlook where you feel like you are at a mountain peak, with panoramic views of a swath of evergreens, Pikes Peak, and the Sangre de Cristo mountains.
• Other activities include fishing (kids’ pond and backcountry fishing), lots of wildlife watching, snowshoeing, sledding, and more.
• Note about phone and data signals: No public wifi is available. Due to the trees and mountains, cell signals, especially for data, can be very spotty. Sites that open toward meadows and have higher elevations have better signal. If you can’t get a signal at your site, go to the visitor center or camper services building for your best chance. 

Camping in Mueller State Park

Important details about the campsites:

• 136 campsites, including spots for RVs, tents, and groups
• Walk-in tent sites are especially nice, with pushcarts for hauling your supplies.
• Cabins and a background yurt are also available
• Basic or Electric campsites only (no full hookups)
• Potable water spigots and a dump station available
• Sites are very spacious, with concrete parking pads, large gravel patios, a picnic table and a fire ring. Additional space is usually available for a tent

Tips for booking at Mueller State Park:

• It is open year round, though you will need to be mindful of roadways during the snowy winters
• Booking well in advance is advised, especially if you’ll want to stay on a weekend and don’t have flexible plans
• Bookable 6 months in advance
• Later bookings are possible if you split your stay across sites, don’t stay on the weekend, or sign up for alerts about cancellations (pro tip: if you book on a computer instead of a phone, you can click on a calendar icon to see every site’s availability per night, allowing you to patch together different sites if you can easily move)
• RV sites are $36 a night, but you must also pay $10 Colorado State Park entry fee per day per car upon arrival 
• For an excellent drive-through of the park’s campsite, check out this video.

Camping loops at Mueller State Park:

1. Peak View –  This is one of my favorite loops. It is the smallest and has back-in sites with views of Pikes Peak from front of site. There is a trailhead here and a nice meadow with a pond.
2. Revenues Ridge – This includes mostly pull-through sites on the sides of the main road. These are not traditional pull-throughs and are shaped like the letter D, with pull-offs from the road and a curved driveway. These have the most road noise, but I like that the front of your campsite faces the trees instead of the road, giving you a lot more privacy than you would expect.
3. Conifer Ridge – This loop offers a mix of sites facing Pikes Peak and woodlands.
4. Grouse Mountain – This loop has the highest elevation, and similar views to Conifer Ridge in some spots. It has a mix of sites, including some with big boulders.

If you want to hear the full campground review of Mueller State Park, including some favorite campsites and some to avoid, click play on the media player above or look for The RV Atlas on your podcast app.

Venturing Outside of Mueller State Park

While you can totally stay inside Mueller and relax and cook your own food, I enjoy driving around and doing some simple exploration.

• Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area (not to be confused with Eleven Mile State Park): This spot has all the beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park without the crowds. You can go fishing, play in the water, or just sightsee along the beautiful drive. 
• The towns of Cascade and Green Mountain are between Mueller and Colorado Springs. Cascade is home to my favorite restaurant, Wines of Colorado, which has a lovely patio along a creek and excellent food. Stop in Green Mountain to check out the cool, colorful “Skynet” art installation suspended above a pond.

• Since it is just 15-20 minutes away, Woodland Park is great for dining, shopping, and exploring while staying at Mueller State Park. It’s probably what Estes Park was like 30 years ago or more.
  • Cafe Leo: Cute coffee shop with not-to-be-missed Norwegian Sweet Buns
  • Woodland Social: Cute dining spot along the main street
• Divide is just 10 minutes from the park and has a small grocery store, a handful of local restaurants, and some other essentials. Two restaurants I’ve enjoyed here are McGinty’s Wood Oven Pub and Russ’s Place.
• Though a bit of a further drive, Cripple Creek and Victor make for a fun day trip. They showcase mining history, roaming burros, and a giant troll statue by artist Thomas Dambo. Rita the Rock Planter is so cool to visit!

Final Thoughts

I hope this campground review of Mueller State Park helped inspire you to visit…although, I may regret sharing this special under-the-radar campground. Ultimately, I consider Mueller State Park “old reliable.” I know what to expect, and I love what I know! It was the perfect spot for my first solo van trip.