We spent nearly three weeks at Dakota Ridge, which is situated on the south side of Golden, just off Highways 6 and 70. To tell you the truth, coming here was sort of a let down for us. We had just spent a week in Estes Park and before that two weeks in Golden at Clear Creek RV Park. Both of these other parks boasted great, walkable locations and as we soon found out, Dakota Ridge isn’t really walkable to anything, which is a problem for a one-truck family. However there are some redeeming qualities of Dakota Ridge.

Pros: 

– Extended stay options. The entire reason we chose Dakota Ridge in the first place was because they accepted stays longer than 14 days. In fact, many residents summer here for 3-4 months at a time. 

– Salt water pool. The pool is heated and is well maintained. It goes from 3 to 6 feet in depth. The steps to get in are wide enough for my little guy to play happily. There is also a hot tub that we did not partake in. 

  
– Friendly staff. One lady in particular, Joan, was very helpful. She helped us a lot when we came in with transmission fluid gushing out of our truck, giving us a mechanic recommendation and cleaning up all the fluid in our driveway. She also chased down errant soccer balls that my kids kicked down the street and returned them to us. She is solid gold!

– Nice sites. The sites are a nice size with a yard and picnic table. Most of the sites are pull-through (which they charge $10 extra for per day). Most sites have a tree, but whether the shade will fall in your favor is a crap shoot. Ours did not and we were mostly in full sun. There are cute little bunnies that visit every morning and night. My kids loved them! I did too until the started eating my outdoor plants. 

  

– Europeans. Apparently this park is a hot-spot for Europeans on their way home from their vacations in the American West. We have gleaned tons of stuff from these nice families as they cast off anything that won’t fit in their luggage. So far we’ve scored: a gas grill, fishing pole, soccer balls, and more food than we could eat. So if you are looking to rub elbows with some Euros, look no further!

– Nice showers. We used the bathhouse here frequently. The showers seem more private than most bathhouses I’ve been in. They were always clean and full of hot water. 

– Clubhouse. There is a nice sized clubhouse with its own WiFi connection. Caleb worked here several times and said it was quiet. They have a lending library for DVDs and books. The selection is spotty, but I scored some awesome cassette tape audio books (yes, we still have a tape deck). 

  

Cons:
– Super expensive. In my opinion, Dakota Ridge is overpriced. We paid more per night here than in Estes Park, where you are paying the summer vacation premium. Yeah, it’s nice… but not worth the price. 

– Curbside trash pick-up. Some people would see this as a good thing. Not me. Here’s why:  I like taking my trash out in the evening, ensuring that no bugs come looking for dinner scraps and no day-old diaper smells are allowed to fester. Well, at Dakota Ridge your only option is curbside trash removal from 7am to 10am, otherwise the dumpster is locked and you may not use it. 

– Poor location for walking. This is our biggest con. There is NOTHING to walk to around here. Its in a great location for getting on the highway quickly and heading to Denver or Boulder, but nothing to do nearby. 

– Park WiFi is hit or miss. I got a decent signal in off-peak hours (like before 7am or after midnight). Otherwise, it’s pretty much non-existent, except in the clubhouse. 

We probably won’t be staying here again, mainly because of the price and location. I suppose if you are wanting a long-term stay, have access to a vehicle and are wealthy, this would be a good spot for you. For us, not so much.