This is the kind of place our young family likes. A very pretty property along rural road with minimal traffic. It felt very safe. A clean heated pool, two sets of clean bathrooms/showers. A small office/store with sundries. Tent sites are on the office side of the creek, below the "pavilion", just before crossing the bridge over the creek. Tent sites didn't seem to fill up; just a few bicyclists when we were there. Some of the tent sites looked very small, but unless crowded that's not a problem. The creek is lovely, very shady, and the kids had fun playing in it. We had a larger site (T4) along the creek, very shady. Tent pad is rock/gravel at this particular site, but we had tarp underneath and mattress, so no problem. Communal grills. Picnic table could use a coat of paint. Very quiet at night. RV sites on other side looked very good. And many seemed to enjoy the cabins offered here and there. Children came out in evening riding bikes around the campground, paved on the RV side. The playground and basketball court got some use, A pet park was popular. A Friday "ice cream social" we missed. They are strict about checkout time and will nudge you and at 11 sharp there was a busy flow of those leaving. Expect to pay extra for over two people and a creek site. Good mix of outdoors and comfort. They leave nature alone where they can and that gives it a sense of wildness; otherwise grounds well maintained and clean.

We have stayed at United several times, and it may be helpful to compare as in many ways they are similar (clean bathrooms and showers, store, pool). I think we are likely to go to Lightner again as it may have the edge.

United: on other side of Durango, probably just a bit closer into town, can catch trolley into town, the narrow gauge train track runs through middle, on the way to mountain resort, nice soft grassy lawn to pitch tents on and for kids to play on.

Lightner: on the way to Mancos and Mesa Verde, only about 5-10 minute drive to downtown, the stream runs through the middle, more shade and more privacy (unless you're in a site just below the pavilion when the tent sites are filled).

This is a very nice campground about ten miles west of downtown Durango on Hwy 160. It's relatively small, and will only accommodate a few big rigs. Plenty of space for smaller rigs (under 30 ft), pop-ups, trailers, and tents. There are some very nice tent sites along the creek. The creek itself it small but fun for kids to explore. There are no hiking trails off the campground, however, as it is surrounded by either private land or very steep terrain. Biking from the campground would be difficult too, as the road is fairly narrow with some turns that could keep cars from seeing you. So forget biking to town. So unless you drive somewhere, once here you're staying here. Hence the four stars for Lightner Creek. The campground itself is very well maintained. Bushes are trimmed, fences are newly painted, the cabins (forgot to mention the nice cabins) look well-maintained. The bathrooms were very clean. The cleanliness is due to the small army of campground hosts. I have never seen so many campground hosts... Maybe a dozen? They all whiz around in golf carts all day, busy fixing things, cleaning things, and enforcing rules. They are very nice and polite, but there is a lot of them! The campground has a clean pool and a small but nice playground with a swing set, and there is a fenced dog play area with obstacle course items and doggy pick up bags. RV spots vary in size of course, and in how tighly you are packed in. Not every spot is lined up like a parking lot, so when you make your reservation, ask for a more private spot. They have an ice cream social Tuesdays and Fridays, but no breakfast or dinner get-togethers. Their shop is very small, so come with your own food and materials. So in summary, a nice, clean, quiet pretty campground with limited transportation/recreation options. We like it and will be back.

Camped here for a week in a tent trailer. Being avid "boondockers" the idea of campground camping was not much of a thrill for us. But, with the wife pregnant, it was the only way to get her out. I have to say, I have found my new site in Durango. This campground is fantastic. We stayed in site number 12, which has the hookups on the incorrect side. I found it kind of weird, but I just hooked my trailer up to the front hitch and turned the trailer sideways in the site. This created a more private "front yard" for us, next time I am here I will ask for the same site and do it again. The sites are spread out a good distance on this side of the grounds. The big Class A and fifth wheel side is not so much, however, those guys are used to being closer together.

Joe and Cheryl go way out of their way to make sure that their guests have a good time. When the Lightner Fire started I got cold feet and emailed Cheryl. She emailed daily updates on the status up until we made the 700 mile trip up. Joe provided some insight on 4x4 trails in the area which had some fantastic views and really hit the mark with what we were looking for. All in all, our stay here could not have been better. We have a couple more nights here and are dreading the day we hook up and head back to Phoenix. If you are in the Durango area camping, regardless of your rig, this is a great place to stay. Don't waste your time looking around for an alternative, this IS the place to be in Durango!