Already thinking about camping in Colorado this spring or summer?

If so, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is urging people to plan their family camping trips early on to ensure that they can reserve a spot at one of Colorado’s highly-popular camp sites.

“Our most popular camping sites fill up six months in advance, so planning now could get vacationers a prime camping spot,” CPW Reservations Coordinator Mercedes Schwall said.

In recent years, camping has become an increasingly-popular activity for American families. About 3 million more people embarked on a camping excursion in 2012 than in 2010. This is especially true for Colorado, one of the best states in the country for experiencing the outdoors.

That’s because camping is one of the best ways for families to spend time around each other without everyday distractions. With a wide variety of things to do outside, from biking to hiking to observing wildlife, there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy as well. Who knows — you or your kids could even end up discovering an outdoor activity that you end up enjoying for life!

Camping might even make you healthier, as one recent study from the University of Colorado at Boulder points out. The study found that individuals who spend a week being exposed only to natural light while camping in the Rocky Mountains saw improved syncing of their circadian clocks, the natural 24-hour rhythm of our sleeping and waking cycle. Artificial lighting, especially light from computer screens and televisions, is notorious for disrupting humans’ circadian clocks.

So to ensure that your family gets to take a camping trip this spring or summer, be sure to plan early — that way, you’ll be certain you have your space reserved rather than hoping for a space to open up.

Want more information on reserving a spot at Colorado’s camp sites? Feel free to ask us anything in the comments below.