Camping is a great way to connect with nature, especially in our beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There is excellent camping nearly everywhere in Colorado, with some of the best campsites to be seen. Colorado has a good mix of paid developed campgrounds and also underdeveloped primitive sites that are free. Some are good for tent-only camping while others are great for full-sized travel trailers or fifth-wheels. 

Some of my favorite camping sites to go to are at the beautiful Colorado state parks, those being Lathrop State Park, Lake Pueblo State Park and North Sterling State Park.

My overall favorite campsite in the beautifil Colorado mountains is Blue Mesa Reservoir, which happens to be Colorado's biggest lake. Blue Mesa is just a beautiful place with awesome campsites that make you feel like you're in your own private little world – and the lake is beyond gorgeous. I love to kayak on it and take in the beauty of the surrounding scenery. The sunsets are incredible out on the lake. 

To help you with the who, what, when, where and how's of camping, consider these titles from Anythink's catalog: 

• Colorado Camping by Joshua Berman
• Colorado: Your Car-camping Guide to Scenic Beauty, the Sounds of Nature, and an Escape from Civilization by Kim Lipker 
• Camping and Woodcraft: A Handbook for Vacation Campers and Travelers in the Wilderness by Horace Kephart

Once you're ready to hit the road, don't forget that Colorado State Parks passes and fishing pole kits are available for check-out at Anythink. Happy camping!