Colorado Springs KOA Campground Review
The Colorado Springs KOA campground has enough amenities to keep families busy for days!
While we enjoyed how close this campground was to everything in Colorado Springs and how many options they had for outdoor family fun, we also felt that the campground could improve in several key areas to make this property truly memorable.
In the review below, you’ll find my honest opinions on everything from the pool facilities to our check-in experience and everything in between.
I’ve also included photos from throughout the campground in order to help you determine if this campground would be a good fit for your family’s next visit to Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The water park at the Colorado Springs KOA is a huge draw for kids!
This post contains affiliates. If you purchase through the links below, I will receive a commission at no charge to you.
Camping in Colorado Springs: What to Consider
Any campground in Colorado Springs is going to be surrounded by other buildings, street noise, and everything else that comes with urban camping.
We knew that going into this situation as we wanted to make the most of our time here, and we traded a quieter, more remote camping experience for the convenience of being able to run around to everything on our itinerary, like Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, and the Flying W Chuckwagon Dinner.
Even for activities outside of the city, like our day trip to Victor, Colorado, to see Rita the Rock Planter troll, we were an easy drive from the mountains.
Colorado Springs is rapidly growing like much of Colorado, and there’s really no way to avoid being close to the tangle of streetlights, interstates, and restaurants if you’re staying anywhere close to downtown.
Explore all that Colorado Springs has to offer!
Other Camping Options nearby
PIN ME!
The Colorado Springs KOA is located just south of the city, and it is technically in Fountain, Colorado. It was close enough to everything in Colorado Springs that the address felt like a technicality!
The KOA is the only camping option south of the city, and most of the other options are northwest of downtown near Manitou Springs.
Peak RV Resort is located the closest to downtown near the Peterson Air Force Base. I considered this campground for its wide, level lots, but ultimately chose the KOA because of the lack of pool, playground, or other kid-centric amenities. I knew we were staying in Colorado Springs for several days and wanted more to do at the campground. If we’d just been passing through, this would be a great option!
The other place that I considered was the Pikes Peak RV Park near Manitou Springs, but ultimately rejected it after reading reviews on how tight the sites were. I did like that the campground had a pool and lawn games available, and it has direct access to the Manitou Springs walking trail. Plus, the location is excellent: you’re only 5 minutes from Garden of the Gods, one of the best family adventures in Colorado.
Colorado Springs KOA Campground: A Complete Review
The office and entrance to the camp store
Before I dive into all of my thoughts on this campground, I want you to know that I like to be as objective as possible.
As with everything in life, few campgrounds are completely awful or completely incredible: there’s always something the good campgrounds can improve, and there’s always something good that even the worst campgrounds provide.
You’ll see that as a theme in the following review. There were parts of the Colorado Springs KOA that my kids and I really liked. But there were also some things that didn’t live up to expectations.
We’ve stayed at many, many KOAs over the years, as tent campers, renters in the cabins, and most recently as RV campers, and you can find many of those campgrounds reviewed over on my U.S. campgrounds reviews page.
I’ve also worked retail before, and I know that sometimes you just have an off day, which can affect the customer experience. But, in the multiple days we were at this campground, we noticed several things that just didn’t seem to be a one-off because someone was having a bad day.
Here’s the good and the bad of our stay at the Colorado Springs KOA.
Check-in Process
The entrance area with the office to the right
Our uneven experience at this campground started at check-in. When we arrived, there were already 2 other campers parked in the check-in lane. The lane here at the entrance was much shorter than others we’ve seen, so our travel trailer was nearly in the frontage road.
When I went inside to check in, one of the campers’ owners was nowhere to be seen, and the other owner wanted to buy a soft drink from the convenience store but couldn’t get any of her credit cards to work.
While this can happen, it seemed as if this particular customer might’ve reached her credit limit or overdrafted her account because every single one wasn’t working, despite the cashier checking the machine multiple times.
Rather than asking the woman to step aside for a moment, the employee let me and the other 2 people behind me wait for more than 20 minutes until the woman finally gave up and left without her drink.
When it was my turn, the employee barely talked to me other than to hand me a map and tell me that someone was waiting for me outside to take me to my site.
When I returned to the camper, a second KOA employee was already there on his golf cart. He told me that we were going to have to back up the driveway and onto the frontage road, and then go back in a secondary entrance further up the road. This was all necessary because of some road construction between the office and camping sites.
I had to get my dad, who is a former bus driver and a whiz at all things driving, to back up the camper into the frontage road. It was stressful to say the least, and I was expecting to see some major issues with the internal campground road when we checked on it later that day.
Nope. There was a small divet across the road from where they’d had to regravel over something, but it wasn’t anything that our truck and camper couldn’t have handled. I don’t know if there was a miscommunication between the KOA employee and the people doing the road work, or if the KOA employee was just being way overcautious, but the detour was not necessary.
Plus, even if it WAS necessary to keep campers from this part of the road—an area that literally every person would need to drive over using the main entrance—don’t you think there would be some kind of sign warning you of the road construction before you drove into the check-in area?
Anyway, it just seemed all disjointed and as if no one really knew what was going on.
Individual Campsite Review
Our Winnebago Micro Minnie travel trailer in our site at the campground
We stayed in site 120, which was in an area of the campground close to the office, games area, and KOA Kitchen. We had a pull through space, so our lot was long and skinny.
The site included full hook-ups and 30 amp electric. Everything worked perfectly and hooking into water, sewer and shore power was a breeze.
I know that most private campgrounds aren’t known for their spacious lots, but this KOA felt tighter than most. Our lot was so close to the ones next to us that our neighbor’s leashed dog could walk up to me while I was checking the water hook-up on our camper.
Thankfully, the campers around us were very quiet, so the closeness between sites wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.
There also wasn’t much shade in the area of the campground that we were in, but the weather was so nice for the majority our stay that we didn’t really need the extra shade.
The lot was paved and was very level. Once we were past the strange detour at check-in, finding our lot and getting into it was a breeze.
Despite our site being just 3 rows away from the frontage road (which, in turn, was right next to Interstate 25), we had very little road noise during our stay. There is a large solid fence that lines the property, and I imagine that helps a lot.
Campground Layout
My son at the picnic table on our site with other sites and the maintenance shed beyond
This KOA is very large with 239 campsites. It caters mostly to larger RVs, though we saw smaller travel trailers, Class B motorhomes, and tent campers scattered throughout.
There are a variety of campsites available with both 30 and 50 amp hookups, including ones with private patios, sites with a creek front location, or sites with dedicated dog pens.
At the main entrance, you’ll find the water park and pool to the right, along with the seasonal grill, jumping pillow, and game room.
If you turn to the left, you’ll enter the camping area. The RV sites make up the majority of this part of the property, with about 8 long rows across 2 loops. There is a line of cabins at the back of the campground, conveniently located near the KOA Kamping Kitchen.
Along the very back of the campground is Fountain Creek. You can walk down to the overview to see the waterfall. However, there is no swimming in this area.
Cabins and Tent Camping
If you’d like to visit but don’t have an RV, you can opt for one of the tent sites or cabins. There are 3 tent sites near the KOA Kitchen at the back of the campground, and another 2 that butt up against the frontage road.
If you’d like a basic cabin without a kitchenette or bathroom inside, you can find 7 near the tent sites, and another 15 along the frontage road fence.
This KOA also has upgraded deluxe cabins with bathrooms and kitchenettes in them. These 7 deluxe cabins are closest to the office next to the frontage road fence.
Propane
If you find that you need extra propane while you’re onsite, you fill up your propane tanks in the area next to the maintenance shop.
Check with the office to see when the propane area is open, but they’re generally available for fill-ups during business hours.
Golf cart rentals
If you are staying in the sites at the northern end of the campground (sites 210-239), you’re quite a ways from the office and pool.
Either bring a bike or scooter to get you and your kids there, or rent a golf cart onsite.
You can see the available golf carts lined up next to the playground in front of Great Escapes Hall, and then speak with someone in the main office when you’re ready to book.
On-site Food Options
We visited in late spring and were just too early in the season for either of the on-site food options. During the summer, you can get sweet treats like snow cones from the small cabana next to the pool, or a full meal from the Campfire Cafe, located right across from the pool.
The Campfire Cafe has a covered pavilion with picnic tables so you can linger here when you get your food, or you can take it back to your campsite. It serves up breakfast until 10 AM, and then opens again for dinner from 5-10 PM.
Political Flags
One thing that I did notice as we got into our stay here is that the Colorado Springs KOA does NOT care if you fly political flags, which is one of the quickest ways for me to feel like I’m anywhere but on vacation.
Look, I know people have a wide range of views, and I don’t have to agree with you on any of them to have a good conversation or have you as a neighbor in a campground. I just don’t need to see a massive flag with your political candidate, favorite political slogan, or the like at a campground.
And it wasn’t just one person. There were at least a dozen different campers with various political flags flying during our stay, large flags, too, that were attached to long poles on the camper roofs.
Plus, there was one guy staying there at the same time as we were who had his truck covered in political statements and stickers. Many of these had profanity on them, and he would drive around during the day with his windows rolled down, cruising slowly up and down each street. Also not very family friendly.
At the vast majority of other campgrounds we’ve stayed at, there are policies in place to keep people’s campers free of anything but your basic flags and decor, like an American or state flag, a college flag, or a flag with your military branch on it. The Colorado Springs KOA seemed to encourage the political statements by allowing campers to put up all sorts of flags.
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just getting more annoyed in my old age, but the last thing I want to think about while camping with my kids is who my campground neighbor thinks needs to win the next election. If it comes up in conversation, then let’s chat! But that feels more organic and genuine than needing to advertise your own political leanings constantly.
Campground Amenities
The campground amenities here are incredible, and, honestly, if the KOA staff could manage the cleanliness of the bathrooms, the check-in process, and the whole political flags situation a bit more, this place could be one of the greatest KOAs out there.
The amenities are where this campground shines, so much so that my kids asked me multiple times if this is what an actual summer camp is like!
Paved roads
Paved roads are perfect for scooters!
It’s always nice where there are paved roads in a campground since they make for a smoother journey with the camper.
Plus, my kids love paved roads since they are able to use their bikes and scooters more easily.
Water park
My son having fun at the KOA water park
This was what made me book the site initially as my kids LOVE a good water feature when we’re camping. We are usually happy to find a place with a pool or lake swimming area, but my kids were delighted to hear that they had an entire water park at their disposal here.
Sadly, I received an email just as we were leaving the Goodland KOA and heading towards the Colorado Springs KOA that the water park had a broken water main and was closed until further notice. My kids were super disappointed, and I was, too, since the Colorado Springs KOA was more expensive than the other camping options in the area because of their amenities.
I will note that the staff worked consistently throughout our stay to ensure the water park was up and running as soon as possible!
They had it fixed by the morning we had to leave, and my kids were able to get a couple of hours of play in before we loaded up the camper and headed over to the Alamosa KOA near Great Sand Dunes National Park.
If you’re also headed to that area of Colorado, check out my post on how to spend 1 day in Great Sand Dunes National Park to help you organize your time!
Pool and hot tub
While the water park was being fixed, we were still able to use the pool and hot tub. It’s not a pool with a lot of bells and whistles, but it was clean and large enough for a dozen kids to get into a once and not feel overly crowded.
The pool was clean and had plenty of seating around it.
I also appreciated that the pool had plenty of pool chairs to relax on, both out in the sun and under the lanai at the back of the pool area. There were also tables in the lanai area, so you could bring a picnic and truly have a day at the pool.
The hot tub is located near the pool, but it is divided by a chain linked fence. This is to prevent kids in the hot tub, but that didn’t really deter them while we were there, as everyone ran back and forth between the hot tub and pool.
Bounce pillow
This is one of the amenities that we’re always excited to see at a campground. We first encountered these at the Cherokee KOA in North Carolina, and it was hard to get my kids off of it.
The bounce pillow is located in front of the pool and next to the game room. It’s free for anyone to use whenever the pillow is blown up.
Even parents can have a turn on the bounce pillow, which is so much fun—and a great workout!
Game room
On a rainy day, this game room (also called the Great Escapes Hall) is THE place to be at the campground.
There are free activities like a movie area, where a family friendly film is usually playing.
You can also find free coloring sheets and crayons, which are great for a mid-day break when kids are worn out from sightseeing or playing in the pool.
If you want a bit more of a challenge, there are paid activities, too, like pottery painting and tie-dye shirts.
There are usually specific times to complete the paid activities, so check that day’s activities in the KOA app. You can also stop by to talk to the staff member on duty inside the game room to see when events are taking place. They were very helpful!
There is an additional games area between Fountain Creek and the cabins at the back of the campground. Here, you can find a gaga ball pit, basketball court, volleyball court, and tetherball.
Train ride
This is a free activity that anyone can participate in, and it’s particularly fun for little campers.
You can wait outside of the game room to hop on the train, and then cruise around the campground.
We waited for the train, and it arrived at the time stated, but the driver left the train (and everyone waiting) as soon as he pulled up.
We waited around for a bit, but gave up as we had some other things to do that day. We did see the train going around the campground as we were heading out to see Rita the Rock Planter in Victor, CO [link], so I’m not sure what the delay was.
The train driver could’ve said, “Hey, I’m going to be back in 10 minutes” or something to let us know what was going on, but he didn’t communicate at all.
Camp store
The area were you check in also houses a camp store.
It’s one of the larger camp store we’ve seen at a KOA, with dozens of t-shirt options, snacks, cold drinks, toys, s’mores kits and much more.
Its position within the campground puts it within easy walking distance of the pool and game room, so that you’re never far from a snack stop.
KOA Kitchen
The outdoor kitchen area with grills, sinks, and prep stations
This is a feature that we’ve seen in several KOAs around the country, including the Holbrook KOA near Petrified Forest National Park.
It’s a covered outdoor kitchen area, usually with several grilling and griddle stations so that multiple families can use this kitchen at once.
Most of the time, the tent and cabin campers are the ones using it, but they’re also great for RV campers who want more room to cook or who don’t want a smelly dish lingering.
The one at the Colorado Springs KOA is located near the cabins and tent camping areas, so the visitors staying in those have easy access.
Laundry room
The laundry room is available in the bath house closest to the game room. It’s nothing fancy, but it does have about half a dozen washer and dryers.
We didn’t have to do laundry while we were here, so I’m not sure how busy it gets at peak times, but it didn’t look as if anyone was using any of the machines at the times I poked my head in.
Bath houses
In short, these were absolutely gross. We stayed here for 4 nights in late May, and it did not appear that the bath houses—either of them—was cleaned during our entire stay.
On the first day, I went into the women’s restroom nearest the office, and saw that there were several water bottles on the floor and counter, wet toilet paper on the floor, and nearly full trash cans.
I didn’t think much of it as the campground was very busy during our stay, and thought that the cleaning service just hadn’t caught up with the bathroom usage that day.
Yet, my dad then went to the men’s bath house to shower later that night, and came back almost immediately.
He said it was one of the grossest bath houses he’d been in, and that he’d rather shower in the incredibly tiny shower in our camper than in the provided showers. The toilets were overflowing with waste, and there was pee on the floor.
The next day, we tried out the other bath houses on the other end of the campground, and they were worse.
My dad mentioned the state of the bath houses to one of the employees riding around on the golf carts, but nothing came of it.
There was no noticeable uptick in cleanliness in either of the bath houses during our stay, so if someone was actually cleaning it regularly, they were leaving behind trash on the floor, not wiping the counters, and not cleaning the toilets.
We are not picky people, and my entire family has had to use some questionable bath houses over the years in state parks, private campgrounds, and at rental properties. I can deal with old, rickety showers, but I do expect a level of cleanliness that was missing here.
Even more Colorado family adventures:
Final Thoughts on the Colorado Springs KOA
The camping area as seen from the main road through the campground
While the sheer number of amenities made my kids feel like they were at summer camp and gave us plenty to to do while we where on property, the uncleanliness of the bathrooms, the number of political signs, and employee interactions were enough to leave us wishing our stay was more impressive.
With more organization from their employees and more attention to their public areas, this campground really could be something special.
As is, it feels less polished than the many other KOA campgrounds we’ve stayed at across the U.S. with less than stellar customer service. If you book here, be aware that your experience may be uneven, though the vast number of activities might make up for the rest.
