It’s high time we gave a heartfelt shout-out to state parks.

On this year’s tour of the West, state parks have offered universally excellent experiences, whether it was in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico or Arizona. And we’re not done yet -- we’ll be hitting more state parks in California this month.

We’re volunteers for the Washington State Parks system, so it’s interesting to see what other states have to offer. We love the good vibes of these beautiful places, where volunteers like ourselves keep the parks going and visitors are there to experience a true camping experience.

Here’s a rundown of some recent stays. Most of them are places that were new to us, but we’ll be back.

Catalina State Park (Arizona)

We snagged a night at this popular state park in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains near Tucson and were blown away. What a place: Incredible hiking trails climb high into the mountains, and you’re only 15 minutes from downtown Tucson. We can’t think of another state park so ideally situated near a major city with hookups, to boot. Reservations are taken a year in advance.

Homolovi State Park (Arizona)

This was a nice find. We were traveling from Albuquerque, on our way to Sedona, and decided to check out Homolovi, just off Interstate 40 near Winslow, Ariz. The high-desert sites were immaculate, and we toured the Ancestral Pueblo ruins near camp. We also rode our bikes the five miles into Winslow -- to, of course, take photos of ourselves standing on a corner, a la Jackson Browne. We also had a fun tour of the historic La Posada Hotel and grabbed breakfast there the day we headed down the road.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park (Arizona)

We’ve been coming to Dead Horse Ranch since we first started RVing in 2018, thanks to a reader who tipped us off about this fantastic spot in Cottonwood. The hiking and mountain biking is great, it’s just 20 minutes down the road from Sedona, and five minutes from Old Town Cottonwood, a cute tourist town in the Verde Valley. Plus, Tuzigoot National Monument is nearby and a must-see.

Bluewater Lake State Park (New Mexico)

Bluewater Lake is a few miles off I-40, smack dab on the Continental Divide in western New Mexico. The beautiful campground is a much better option than staying in RV parks that are situated along the freeway in this part of New Mexico, and electric hookups go for the bargain price of $10. The park offers excellent fishing and hiking opportunities.

Ridgway State Park (Colorado)

We had two nights in this beautiful state park in the foothills of the San Juan Mountains near Ouray, Colo. We hiked, checked out the funky town of Ridgway and soaked in the beauty of the Southern Colorado Rockies.

Green River State Park (Utah)

As we traveled through Utah, we were looking for a quick one-and-done stay and found a gem near the town of Green River just off Interstate 70. We had no time to really explore the area, arriving late and leaving early the next morning, but our camping spot was beautiful, nestled among the tall trees along the big river.

Any state park faves?

We’d love to hear about some of your favorite state parks in the West. Write to us at goingmobile@spokesman.com and we’ll include your recommendations in the next column.

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