Community Highlights: Meet Deanna Smith of Idaho Springs RV Resort & Campground

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deanna Smith.

Hi Deanna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2018, after attending a family wedding in Montana, we passed through Idaho Springs on our way back to Kansas and instantly knew we’d found our future. The mountains, the history, and the close-knit community, we love it all. We began dreaming of building a place where travelers could experience the beauty of Clear Creek County.

A year later, we purchased 12 acres along I-70 and invested everything we had — our savings, retirement, and even our home — into creating what would become the Idaho Springs RV Resort & Campground. We believed wholeheartedly in the American Dream, but what followed was a journey that tested every ounce of our strength and perseverance.

The challenges came quickly. Rezoning the land from mining to commercial use took 18 months and nearly $400,000. Early on, a contractor — taking advantage of our excitement and inexperience — stole $130,000 of our savings and left us with nothing but fake permits. When we finally broke ground, the new construction company went under, abandoning the project and putting us at risk of foreclosure. Meanwhile, material costs skyrocketed, and the permitting and regulatory process proved relentless — filled with strict requirements that seemed built for large developers rather than small family entrepreneurs like us.

The mountainous terrain only added to the difficulty, with costs and complications far exceeding anything our worst-case scenario predicted. Then, the local sewer district required us to install a main-line from our property all the way to their plant — a two-million-dollar expense we could have never anticipated.

To keep costs down, we lived in a camper on-site through freezing Rocky Mountain winters, hauling water and relying on an outhouse when our toilet broke. Every setback pushed us closer to the edge, yet every time, my husband Jason found a way forward. Each new hurdle drove us deeper into debt, but we never lost sight of our vision.

Through it all, our family pulled together. Our oldest son, Clay, moved back in 2024 to help finish construction — working long days in the cold before leaving for the Colorado School of Mines. Our younger son, River, now in seventh grade, has grown into a such a kind and hardworking little man — always quick with a “yes ma’am” or “sir” and a smile for anyone passing by.

By the fall of 2024 — after five years of hardship, perseverance, and countless tears — we finally opened our doors. Today, our park features 39 full-hookup RV sites open year-round, 8 tent sites, an electric-only car camping lot, private shower suites, and a camp store and gift shop. What stands here is more than an RV park — it’s a testament to determination and family strength.

And the dream doesn’t stop there. To help recover from the financial strain and continue growing, we plan to expand up the mountain with more RV sites, a wilderness glamping village, and eventually an event center. But for now, we’re simply grateful to be here, to share this place with others, and to see travelers from all walks of life discover the same magic in Idaho Springs that first captured our hearts.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been anything but smooth. In addition to the challenges already mentioned, there were many issues. Because we did not have deep pockets, we had to stick with “affordable” General Contractors (GC). Our third and final GC turned out to be deeply dishonest. We discovered, after the fact, that he had written several checks to subcontractors, received the funds for those checks from the SBA loan, then voided them — never paying the subcontractors or accounting for the money. Because of the way state law is written, we were legally responsible for those unpaid subcontractors, not the GC, meaning we had to pay those amounts twice. We later learned that this was the third time this GC had done this to a client with zero repercussions.

The bank that held our SBA loan — the same bank that was supposed to protect us from this type of fraud — told us that it wasn’t their problem. They said they wouldn’t take action against the contractor unless we defaulted and they were forced to foreclose. When we consulted an attorney, we were told that pursuing the contractor in court would take years and cost far more in legal fees than simply repaying the subcontractors ourselves. Additionally, going the legal route would have stalled our opening date even further and we were already a year behind. With having massive loans coming due monthly, we folded and just paid the sub contractors again.

If you recall from the “Our Story” section, we were defrauded by our first general contractor at the very beginning of the project — a loss of $130,000. The fraud was so blatant that the case was taken up by the District Attorney. Yet, five years later, there still hasn’t been a single hearing. Unfortunately, the legal system offers very little protection for property owners in cases like this; the laws overwhelmingly favor contractors instead of the clients they harm.

Working with the bank that held our SBA loan was a nightmare in itself. They had approved our loan during COVID, when interest rates were low, and the loan was 95% federally insured. In their eyes, continuing to fund our project wasn’t worth it — they could make more money by foreclosing and reinvesting the funds elsewhere. They looked for every opportunity to pull the loan, even blocking us from seeking additional funding for project costs not covered by the SBA loan. Fortunately, due to an oversight with our second GC, the bank was exposed to significant liability and ultimately allowed us to continue but, they remained rigid and uncooperative throughout the process.

Our original SBA loan covered barely half the total project cost, forcing us to seek private lending to survive. That private loan came with an 18% interest rate and hundreds of thousands in upfront fees. We’re now working toward refinancing, but the contract doesn’t allow for it until February 2026.

We’ve been impressed with Idaho Springs RV Resort & Campground, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Idaho Springs RV Resort & Campground, we’ve created more than just a place to park an RV — we’ve built a true mountain basecamp. Our family-run resort sits between Idaho Springs and Georgetown along I-70, offering full-hookup RV sites open year-round, tent sites, and electric-only car camping, along with private showers, laundry, and a cozy camp store.

We specialize in providing travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and seasonal workers with a clean, safe, and scenic place to stay while they explore Colorado’s Front Range and the Rockies. What sets us apart is the heart behind it — this resort was built from the ground up by our family through years of perseverance, and it shows in every personal touch, from our “Fairy Forest” and chipmunk “Nut Bar” to our local Discovery Pass that connects guests to small businesses across Clear Creek County. We currently hold a 4.8 Google review rating which is extraordinary.

We’re most proud of creating a space that reflects Colorado’s spirit — resilient, welcoming, and full of adventure — while staying family-owned and community-driven.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
At first, investing everything we had to build the RV resort didn’t seem risky. The demand for RV sites in the Rockies far outweighs the supply, and our goal was simple — to create something small and meaningful for our family. But once we passed the point of no return, the challenges began. Every new expense meant choosing between taking on more debt or losing everything we’d built. At 45 and 50, starting over wasn’t an option.

I’m not a risk-taker by nature, but my husband, Jason, is — and I’ve always trusted his courage. He has a gift for finding a way forward, no matter how difficult, and that faith in him is what’s carried us through.

Pricing:

• We have nightly rates that vary. Full hookup RV site rates will fall somewhere between $40 and $111 depending on the season, holiday, etc.
• We offer weekly rates
• We offer monthly rates
• “Car Camping” is $30/night or $40 with electric
• Tent camping sites start at $40/night

Contact Info:

• Website: https://idahospringsrvresort.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idaho_springs_rv_resort/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562035092846
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IdahoSpringsRVResortCampgr-k6c

Image Credits
The 3 drone photos were taken by Blake Hill @BlakeHillDrones. The bike riding photo and the nighttime camper (lit up) photo is Ryane Smith @Roamingwiththesmiths. The remaining photos were taken by Jason or me so no credit needed.