COLORADO SPRINGS — It’s hard not to want to spend your days outside right now, and there are safe ways to do it—like camping. But there are a few things to keep in mind before you stake down that tent this year.
The Golden Eagle Campground near Cheyenne Mountain has been in Dylan Fruh’s family for quite a while.
“Five generations down,” Fruh said.
In that time, they’ve seen it through highs and lows.
“2008 it was kind of down because of just, recession and all,” he said.
But this year has definitely been a high.
“It’s been booming a lot this year,” he said. “I think people just want to get out this year.”
Those people include Jyspy Hammons and her family. They’ve been camping at Golden Eagle for over a week.
“It was pretty full when we got here,” Hammons said. “This was like the sixth place we found.”
She, her husband, four kids and family dog made the drive from Illinois.
“14 hours… a little over,” Hammons said.
But the close-quarters during the drive were worth it for her family.
“I just can’t stop taking enough pictures out here,” her son Colton Hammons said. “The mountains over there, the lake over there.”
For their family, it was time to get out after staying at home since COVID-19 set in.
“It just gets boring doing the same thing everyday,” Jypsy Hammons said.
When it comes to camping during COVID-19, there are a few things Colorado Parks and Wildlife want you to keep in mind.
They recommend checking with state and local health departments to see what precautions they recommend before you set out.
The department also says, if you feel sick, you need to stay home. Even though you’re outside, you can still be contagious.
Which is why they also say you need to respect other campers, chances and keep your distance. They recommend sticking with just the group you’re camping with.
At Golden Eagle, they also aren’t taking any chances.
“We’ve hired a new cleaning service this year,” Fruh said. “We have to clean the bathrooms COVID clean with disinfecting and all that about three times a day.”
If you’re still looking to go camping on the Fourth of July, time is running out.
Fruh said at Golden Eagle, they have only a couple spots left for Fourth of July, and they’re going quickly.
