It seems like people are saying I should arrive at Meadow Park several days early to get a “good” campsite, but my three day camping pass is for specific days. Are people allowed into the campground early to poach sites even though they aren’t using them until the festival?
I forget the exact time but by Monday Planet Bluegrass has taken over and you can camp before the festival at Meadow Park. I know of folks that have shown up on Sunday.
Meadow Park has a big field in the sun that never fills up so you can always find space.
But the shady spots by the river go quickly on Monday
does Meadow park take reservations for early in the week?
Yup:
http://www.coloradodirectory.com/lyonsmeadowpark/
The non-RV camp spaces that many like are not normally open up for camping so they really aren’t available until PB takes over.
You can start laying down a tarp at Meadow Park on Monday or Tuesday. The coveted riverfront spots go fast, so if you want one, you need to get on it early in the week. A lain tarp (in prime real estate) is well respected, if secretly hated. The ballfield is pretty wide open, even if you come on, like, Friday night. Early in the week, the nights are relatively subdued. Come Wednesday, though, it starts to heat up pretty fierce :cheers. Get there early. Add to the vibe.
I had camped in Meadow Park for several years before moving to on-site. My personal opinion is that you can get there most anytime on Thursday and find plenty of room in the field - just make sure you have some sort of sun shade.
The only reason to try and stake out a spot earlier in the week, is if you are trying for something near the river.
- answerguru
Now I have never done Rocky Grass but I have done 10 years at Telluride BGF and from many of the people I know who have camped at Meadow have said at the end of the festival there was no way for him to get his truck out of there until the Monday after the show. Just be warned that many people stay Sunday night and late into Monday and if you need to get out Sunday night or early Monday it might be best to park your truck someplace else to avoid this issue. He lived 20 minutes away so it was no big deal but could be for others.
This might be true for folks with vehicle or RV passes that are camped in the more crowded spaces by the river, and who are, therefore, hemmed in on all sides, but for the tent campers and most vehicle pass holders, it’s easy to get your car in and load out on Sunday or Monday. If you’re parked in the Meadow Park parking lot (with a valid vehicle pass) or if you’ve parked your car at at Olsen then it’s no problem to load out of Meadow Park pretty much any time. You just have to check with the folks at the gate and let them know you need to get your vehicle in for load out and you’re good from there.
I concur with Beven, you would only be hemmed in if that is what you want. ( to be camping in your vehicle in the back of the campground). If you tell the staff / volunteers that you need to leave Sunday night, they will take care of you. If you have a vehicle pass, you will most likely be parked in the meadow park parking lot with the ability to leave any time you wish. Which brings me to what I learned at my first planet bluegrass festival at Telluride, If you really want to enjoy Sunday, you have to take Monday off. I know not everyone can do this, but if you can, it is really worth it. Yes I ended up blowing off work the following monday and calling in: “ummm I don’t think I’m going to make it into work today, since I’m still 400 miles away.” :evil but it was worth it. 