Royal Gorge Camping offers new way to enjoy scenery, create memories

By Carie Canterbury       The Daily Record

 

Camping no longer has to include sleeping on a cold, hard ground, pitching a tent and being completely severed from the social media pipeline.

New this season, Royal Gorge Camping offers glamping — or glamour camping — tents and luxury cabins complete with modern amenities, outdoor fireplaces, cable TV and unlimited Wi-Fi and more.

Andy Neinas, owner and operator of Echo Canyon River Expeditions and 8 Mile Bar & Grill, is set to open Royal Gorge Camping at 45044 W. U.S. 50 on Monday.

There are nine, one- and two-bedroom luxury cabins and four glamping tents with expansive views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains and private outdoor space. The cabins have pass-through fireplaces that may be enjoyed from the indoor living room and the outdoor, private patio area, and later this summer, some of the cabins will have private, outdoor hot tubs. The cabins also feature fully-equipped kitchens, private parking and contemporary furnishings.

“The glamping tents are unbelievably popular,” Neinas said. “It is a tent with full linen service and amenities.”

The glamping tents are 14 by 16 feet with a six-foot deck off the front, as well as an outdoor space and private firepit.

The double cabins are 800-square feet, with 400-square feet of outdoor living space, and the singles are 600-square feet with 400-square feet exterior living space.

The resort provides a home base for exploring regional adventures, such as the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park and Royal Gorge Route Railroad. Neinas is working with other local adventure companies to offer guests door-to-door service between their places of business and the resort, including rafting, fishing, jeep tours and more.

“We’re a great place to stay,” he said. “We are trying to be more than just a day trip from Colorado Springs, and we’ve got a lot to offer. We’ve lived here a lifetime and we’re still not running out of things to do — I am pretty sure people can spend two or three nights.”

Royal Gorge Camping also offers a honeymoon cabin that is tucked away from the other cabins, and Neinas is working to implement an outdoor wedding venue with an open-air pavilion and a private firepit area.

Echo Canyon River Expeditions has been named one of the top adventure resorts in the country in a U.S. News & World Report story.

Albuquerque travel writer Steve Larese noted in the story increasing numbers of travelers are seeking “boundary-pushing experiences that forge lasting memories.”

The cabins will be available for rent beginning Monday, and the glamping tents will be ready by Memorial Day. For prices and reservation information, visit http://www.royalgorgecabins.com/or call 800-748-2953.

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