BLACK CANYON JELLYSTONE PARK CAMP-RESORT IS A CONVENIENT GETAWAY FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ALIKE
MONTROSE, Colo., Aug. 2, 2011 – When Shawnie and Oliver McMichael took a weekend camping trip with their five kids and other family members a few weeks ago, they didn’t have far to go.
They camped at the Black Canyon Jellystone Park Camp-Resort – just a few minutes away from their home in Montrose.
“My husband wasn’t convinced it was going to feel like camping because it was so close to home,” Shawnie McMichael said. “But he actually liked it.”
In fact, their kids, ages 8 to 17, had so much fun there with swimming, crafts and other activities that the McMichaels plan to make a return trip.
“I think our family will definitely go back,” Shawnie McMichael said. “The pool was very cool and clean and refreshing. The kids loved being able to hop in and run back to the campsite.”
While the campground has RV and tent sites, it also has lodge rooms that families can rent if they don’t have an RV or tent or if they need overflow space for large groups.
The park, in fact, has had many improvements in recent years.
Formerly known as Country Village RV Resort, it was acquired three years ago by John Barber and a group of investors bought the park out of bankruptcy court.
“It was in pretty rough shape,” Barber said of the then mostly vacant 140-site park, located at 22045 South Highway 550.
But after investing roughly half a million dollars in improvements, including a new swimming pool, a new septic system and new paint and carpeting for the park’s buildings, Barber and his investor group are now targeting the family vacation market by joining the Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts chain.
“We’re officially a Jellystone Park now,” Barber said, adding his park is the third in Colorado to join the national franchise chain, which is famous for offering fun, family activities throughout the camping season.
Barber is already developing an activities schedule that will include ice cream socials, indoor movies and scavenger hunts. He’s also planning several themed weekends, including a murder mystery weekend and a chocolate themed weekend later in summer. Halloween themed weekends are also being planned for the first two weekends of October. Of course, all these activities now have an extra element of fun with Yogi Bear participating. Yogi is on site daily to greet campers, pose for photo ops and take part in events.
Barber is also continuing to make improvements to his park, including expanding the campground store.
The park is located about 9 miles south of Montrose, 70 miles south of Grand Junction and is about 25 minutes from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Other Colorado Jellystone Parks are located in Estes Park and Larkspur.
About Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resorts
Launched in 1969, the Jellystone Park system now boasts over 75 campgrounds with more than 15,000 campsites in 30 states and three Canadian provinces. Its Camp-Resorts are among the best campgrounds in the industry with a quality reputation for being fun, friendly, clean and customer service-oriented parks. Additionally, each Jellystone Park is themed with Yogi Bear elements providing instant recognition and consumer appeal. It is truly a place “Where You Camp With Friends.”®
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts are franchised through Leisure Systems, Inc. (LSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Park River Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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