When CampLife first shared Ben VanderWerf’s story, he was breathing life into a forgotten campground on the Colorado plains. His dream was to create an affordable RV and tiny house community where people could live simply and feel at home.
Now, that dream has taken root—and is growing faster than ever.
“Our RV park is full for what looks like the next seven or eight months,” Ben said. “And I’ve got a waiting list for about 30 to 35 more people.”
That kind of demand says a lot about where the camping industry is headed. More RVers are choosing to stay long-term, and Ben is meeting that shift head-on.
“Right now, Big Ben’s has 32 RV sites and 6 tiny house sites,” Ben shared. “Pretty much all of them, except for 3, are filled with monthly folks. We do try to keep a couple of nightly and weekly sites open for transient folks.”
Even with every site spoken for, Ben isn’t slowing down. His focus has shifted from rebuilding to refining, making the property better for those who now call it home.
“Today, I’m working on getting the pavilion up and going,” he said. “I’m spreading out rock for our playground area. We’ve got a new dog park going in. Our family has moved over to the tiny house community as of this year. And we’re making sure all our residents are being taken care of.”
Those improvements, along with plans for a future clubhouse, show how much the park has grown in both purpose and popularity. And interest in Big Ben’s tiny house community is reaching far beyond Colorado, which means people are responding to the sense of belonging Ben set out to create.
“We have a lady who found us through an interview I did,” Ben recalled. “She was in southern Mississippi. She contacted our park and said, ‘I’m actually going to be coming up, and I want to live in your tiny house community, but I’m coming in my RV now. We’re going to live in the park for three years, and then we’ll have you build a tiny house and move right into the community. She’s enjoying everything out here and loving it.”
The town has noticed, too. Arriba has rallied around the park’s progress and the new energy it’s brought to the area.
“They’re excited about what’s going on,” Ben said. “We just got a coffee shop that the folks who come here visit. They go to Taco Tuesday every Tuesday night. They are supporting the local community because of it. That’s what I had a vision to do: not only growing the micro community here in the RV park, but also the greater community of the town of Arriba.”
Campgrounds everywhere are seeing a rise in guests who want to stay for months at a time, and Big Ben’s RV is no exception. Ben sees this growing interest in extended stays as part of a larger housing shift.
“I would say housing prices, especially in Colorado, are driving this increase in long-term stays,” Ben explained. “You see new developments going up, and houses start from the high 300s and low 500s. In other areas, prices start at a million dollars in some subdivisions.”
He believes many people are ready for something simpler and more sustainable.
“As soon as folks realize they don’t need the big house, and if they have an alternative accommodation, such as a tiny house in a nice community, where they are spending less than $1,000 for their bills, they’re going to be able to travel and go see family in other places,” Ben said. “They’re going to be able to afford some nicer things. In my mind, if somebody had a better living situation and realized they don’t need all the stuff, then I don’t think this would be a trend so much as a shift in mentality.”
As more guests began staying for months at a time, Ben learned that the park’s atmosphere depends on two things: layout and leadership.
“When we opened, my very first nightly guest told me that when transient people come in, they don’t really like to stay next to people who live in the park long term,” Ben remembered. “So I made a partition for the sites that I designated right off the bat for long-term folks. It’s set apart in the back section of the park. They’re tucked in there, and they enjoy their space.”
That setup gives long-term guests room to settle in without changing the experience for short-term visitors.
“I’ve been blessed because the folks I have as residents are overjoyed to be in the space that we have here,” he said. “Some are more social than others. They go around and check on everyone else. I like to go around and talk with everybody. I think that sets the vibe in the park.”
Ben believes that atmosphere starts at the top.
“The park owner, in my estimation, is the one who sets the vibe and feel for everything,” Ben shared. “If you don’t listen to the folks that are coming in, if it’s just a faceless company, it really does dissuade a lot of people from wanting to stay. I am who I am. I enjoy talking to people. If you’re not that person who wants to set the upbeat tone, you may want to find somebody who can.”
No matter how much has changed at Big Ben’s, family remains at the center of their story.
“My wife’s parents have retired and moved out here with us,” Ben said. “We are tight-knit. I have a whole nine acres to tend to, but I know home is right there. I can come back anytime I want and play with my kids and enjoy the company of my in-laws. My father-in-law can dig in with me and do a project or two. We’re a community. I try to include everyone and make everyone feel as comfortable as they can. We’re out in the middle of nowhere, but everyone has a place here.”
That same sense of connection has caught the attention of others who see Big Ben’s as a model for what small-town growth can look like.
“I had the opportunity to give a success story for the state of Colorado’s Economic Development Corporation,” Ben said. “Two county commissioners from two different counties approached me and said, ‘We love this tiny house community. When you’re ready, here’s my business card. Contact us. We need these everywhere over here.’ ”
The idea of multiple Big Ben’s communities across Colorado is moving from vision to reality as Ben looks ahead to what’s next.
“I’d love to get a manager in here so I can work on more development,” Ben admitted. “I see half a dozen to 10 Big Ben’s RV Parks up in the mountains of Colorado, and I see half a dozen to a dozen Big Ben’s communities around where folks can come and live how they want to live.”
At CampLife, we love to see park owners dream big, and we’re proud to support them every step of the way.
Ben continues to use CampLife to manage his growing park, and he doesn’t hesitate to share his experience with others.
“I still sing CampLife’s praises,” he said. “Anytime somebody is looking for a reservation system, I shout out CampLife.”
Whether you’re expanding your park, adding long-term sites, or building a sense of community like Big Ben’s, CampLife gives you the tools to grow with confidence. See how CampLife can help your park thrive. Reach out today!
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