We camped at the Red Mountain Motel and RV Park in Silverton, Colorado in our Airstream. Read on for our review of the the RV park.
We also rented an ATV and drove the full Alpine Loop in the San Juan mountains which was amazing!
Red Mountain Motel and RV Park
The Red Mountain Motel and RV Park in Silverton, CO is one of three RV parks and campgrounds (as of August 2020) in downtown Silverton, Colorado.
(The other two RV parks in Silverton are the Silver Summit RV Park and Silverton Lakes RV Resort.)
All three offer full hookups, with water, sewer, and electricity available at individual campsites.
We stayed at the Red Mountain Motel and RV Park as we had friends staying in one of the cabins at the campground.
Usually we would choose to boondock in the mountains as there is plenty of free camping available in the area with gorgeous views.
Of course, you don’t have the luxury of full hookups when you boondock, but the scenery can usually make that worthwhile. (More details on how to find dispersed camping locations in the US National Forest.)
The RV park offers individual rooms and cabins if you’re traveling with friends without an RV and want to stay close to each other.
This worked out well for our purposes since our friends were staying in one of the rooms offered in the motel area.
The RV park is very popular with off-road vehicle riders, so there were a lot of off-road vehicles parked next to their owners’ RVs.
Check-In
The RV park is open seasonally from June to October each year.
It is easy to find as it’s the first one you’ll see in Silverton on the main road when you arrive into town from the Durango area.
The owners request that you get there before sunset so that they can check you in.
However, they don’t have this listed anywhere on their website.
We phoned ahead and said we’d be getting there right at sunset and they weren’t too happy about it. So plan accordingly to get there before it gets dark.
The RV park requires that the hosts will lead you to your campsite and help you back in as the campsites are very close together.
Despite being close together, the individual campsites are long and can easily fit big rigs, including fifth wheels and large class A motorhomes.
Did we mention how close the campsites are together?
Don’t expect any privacy here.
On the bright note, all of our neighboring campers were incredibly friendly and respectful of one another.
Amenities at the Red Mountain Motel and RV Park
Each of the RV sites has full hookups.
There are also bathhouses available throughout the campground in trailers that are each set up with individual stalls with a shower, toilet, and sink.
This is a nice setup that offers privacy to campers. They were kept very clean during our stay.
We didn’t attempt to use the campground wi-fi, but we were able to use our AT&T phones without any difficulties.
The RV park also has laundry facilities and ice available for purchase.
Guests can also use one of several BBQ grills on the property.
There’s also a hot tub, although we didn’t use it while there.
(Several surrounding towns have natural hot springs, if you’re interested. Check out Ouray or Durango for some options. Or take a short hike near Pagosa Springs to the natural Piedra River Hot Springs located along the Piedra River in between Durango and Pagosa Springs.)
The campground also offers designated parking areas for off-road vehicles and other vehicles as needed. There’s plenty of space.
For visitors to Silverton not staying at the campground, the Red Mountain RV Park offers use of their dump station for $15, water fill for $15, and use of their showers for $15 per person.
Location of the RV Park
The RV park is situated below the motel rooms and cabins.
A storage facility divides the two.
The RV park is adjacent to the train tracks for the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge railroad train.
Unfortunately, the train wasn’t running to Silverton during our stay, or we would have been able to see the historic train ferrying passengers between Durango and Silverton using vintage steam locomotives.
Behind the train tracks is the Animas River.
It’s located not far from the campground, so makes a great place to stretch your legs or walk your dog.
Directly next door to the Red Mountain RV Park is the Silver Summit RV Park.
The two campgrounds seem to share an area, with the Silver Summit RV Park located on the northern end of a gravel area and Red Mountain RV Park located on the southern end.
If you didn’t know, you’d think they were the same campground, so if one is full, check the other for availability.
RV Parking in Silverton
Once you leave the RV park, you will find that Silverton is an RV friendly area, with plenty of RV parking available on side streets and in a designated free parking area for RVs.
Follow the signs in town to the RV parking area or find an area on a side street.
We were able to easily find parking for our Airstream on a side street, once we’d checked out of the RV park and went to tour the town on foot.
We also came across this interesting vintage Avion truck camper parked in Silverton.
Final Words
We enjoyed our stay at the Red Mountain Motel and RV Park in Silverton, Colorado.
If you’re looking for a spot with full hook-ups at the sacrifice of privacy, it’s a solid option in the area. It was clean and well-maintained and a good spot to serve as a base as you explore the surrounding San Juan mountains.
