Spread out over 71,000 acres, State Forest State Park is the place to go if you want to see a moose in the wild (over 600 of the gargantuan beasts call the North Park area home). It's also a great place for hiking, with over 100 miles of trails, most of which are bike friendly. Other activities include birding, fishing, and horseback riding--you can even bring your horse camping with you if you're staying at the Bockman Campground and the Primitive Loop. Accommodation options in the park run the gamut from cozy cabins to backcountry camping, and some options are available year-round.

• Best for getting away from it all: The Crags offers primitive sites that are cut off from the reset of the park by a bumpy, narrow roadway.
• Best for equestrian campers: Bockman features its very own horse corral.
• Best for boaters: North Michigan has a mix of campsites and cabins plus two boat ramps with docks.

1. You can reserve a campsite, yurt, or cabin through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife online reservation system or over the phone.
2. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance and are available up until the day of your arrival. If you can’t get online, you can also show up and see what’s available.
3. Backcountry camping is permitted, but you should check in with park rangers and sign a backcountry log before heading out.
4. If you are struggling to find a site in the park that meets your criteria, you may find something in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest to the north. 

State Forest State Park is open year-round, though like most Colorado state parks, it’s at its busiest between Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, especially for camping. The pleasant temperatures this time of year make the park ideal for hiking and mountain biking. Popular wintertime activities include snowshoeing and snowmobiling. While all but a few campsites close for the winter (usually around the beginning of December), cabins, yurts, and huts are available throughout the year.

• The Moose Visitor Center offers educational displays, fishing gear,  GPS, and snowshoe rentals, plus a gift shop.
• You can pick up food, supplies, and fuel in the town of Walden, a 25-minute drive from the park.
• Dogs are allowed at the park (and in cabins for an additional fee), but must be kept on a leash.
• Bears are common in this area. Food, cooking supplies, and cosmetics should be secured when not in use.
• Swimming is not permitted on the reservoir. Boating is restricted to wakeless speeds.