Camping satisfies many lifestyles

By Stephen Hlawaty
Outdoors Columnist

Camping has a bittersweet relationship among humans. Take the bitter: Dave Barry defines camping in his "Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need" as "nature's way of promoting the motel industry." Now the sweet, myself included, who tend to side with Garrison Keillor's point that "even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle people." Unless, of course, there are fire restrictions in place, in which case you might have to squint to catch a glimmer of those gentle souls, but they are out there.

With summer upon us, there are many gentle campers who look forward to resting their bones beside a tree, a rock, a river--whatever--as long as it is some kind of out there. I say some kind because camping takes all kinds.

Camping doesn't discriminate. There are those who cut the handles off their toothbrushes to save weight while tent camping in Colorado's most untamed wilderness areas. Still others who appreciate sleeping in the bed of a truck with a favorite book, beverage and bathroom close at hand. And there are those who pull or drive their recreational vehicle to RV parks equipped with utility hook-ups, pools, playgrounds and other comforts of home, if not vacation. Like heaven, camping receives all gentle souls, those who take only photos and leave only footprints.

At one time in my life or another, I have played the part of each kind of camper described above. I used to snub my nose at campers who wouldn't don their rucksacks and hike into the mountains. Anything else wasn't camping. I swore off car camping and never considered camping in a camper or--dare I say it--an RV.

Then I started working for a living, and short on time, decided to drive to and park at the most remote campsites I could find. Having a tailgate to prepare my meals on or a rearview mirror to negotiate placing a flimsy contact lens in my eyeball were luxuries never before experienced.

Then came Ethan and Benjamin. Two children and two adults were simply no match for a single tent, so my wife, Amanda, and I opted to compromise and buy a pop-up camper. Since turning to that kind of camping, we have come to appreciate the king-sized bed the camper includes. And the kids enjoy playing board games and the like on a table when it rains. Aside from such comforts, we have also known hot showers and oven-cooked dinners when my brother- and sister-in-law, Jason and Amy, share their campsite and RV with us.

In short, I have evolved into a far more open-minded member of the camper race and am better for it. Luckily, northern Colorado offers vast opportunities for any camper type. Roosevelt National Forest, Comanche Peak Wilderness, Colorado State Forest and the Rawah Wilderness offer over a million acres of camping terrain. And one of the most immediate thoroughfares to these areas is the Poudre Canyon, which provides a varied assortment of tent and RV camping opportunities, some of which are nestled comfortably close to the Poudre River.

The wilderness areas provide low-impact backpackers with potentially the best camping experience. Since wilderness areas prohibit mechanized vehicles of any type, these areas provide an insular kind of camping for those who want to get as far away as possible. The national forest is perhaps the best bang for your buck by providing remote campsites reserved exclusively for tent campers, as well as roadside campsites equipped with restrooms for the car camping variety. And the state forest includes a KOA Campground with hookups and other amenities.

In the end, northern Colorado aims to please its camper crowd, and it does so very well. The task is yours to identify what type of camper you are and seek out your own suitable site. Indeed, knowing the type of camping you hope to enjoy will also go a long way in determining what to bring--or more importantly, what not to bring.

For more information on area campsites, visit the Colorado Vacation Directory at http://www.coloradodirectory.com or any of the aforementioned areas' web sites. There you will find information on campsite locations, reservations, restrictions, services, and other helpful resources.

In the end, there is a kind of camping for anyone. For me, I take it any way I can get it, be it at your campfire or mine.