Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets

In this one-hour musical variety special, John Denver invites the Muppets along for a relaxed summer camping trip in the Rocky Mountains. The program stitches together songs, short sketches and outdoor gags as Denver, Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest swap campfire tunes, tell jokes and bungle simple camping tasks. Musicians and Muppet characters appear in a series of set pieces that move between lakeside performances and forest scenes, giving the special a breezy, informal feel. Iconic Muppet personalities surface in familiar roles, played by their regular performers, and the piece keeps a loose structure so musical moments and comic bits have room to breathe. It aims squarely at family audiences who like music and light humor.

Directed by Jim Henson and created by Jon Stone and Joseph A. Bailey, Rocky Mountain Holiday aired on ABC on May 12, 1983. It paired John Denver's folk songs with the Muppets, performed by Henson, Frank Oz and regular puppeteers.

The special did not receive major industry awards, and it wasn't campaigned as an awards contender. Over time it has been remembered more for its warm atmosphere and fan appeal than for trophies. For viewers who grew up with Denver and the Muppets, it remains a pleasant television memory.

The pairing of John Denver and the Muppets highlighted the crossover between popular folk music and family variety television. It strengthened Denver's mainstream, family-friendly profile, and added lighthearted material to the Muppet canon. Fans still cite musical set pieces from the special when recalling the peak of Muppet television collaborations.

Contemporary reviews treated the show as pleasant family entertainment, and modern viewer ratings are modestly favorable, the title holding a vote average of 6.75/10 from a small sample of ratings. The special emphasizes nature appreciation, communal music-making, friendship among characters, and light comic mishaps that suit a family audience.