Good campsites recommendation in Rocky Mountain National Park (Denver, Aspen: gated, camping)

[kfer]

Hello,

I'm planning a Summer trip (July) to Rocky Mountain National Park. The plan is to camp 5 days, for 2 adults and 2 kids ages 10 and 6. We'll prefer a place where we can park the car nearby; electrical power would be nice but not essential. I've been doing some research and there are a many campsites and loops.

Anyone familiar with that park and the campsites? I'm looking for a stunning view. I'll appreciate your guidance.

[davidv]

Originally Posted by kfer

Hello,

I'm planning a Summer trip (July) to Rocky Mountain National Park. The plan is to camp 5 days, for 2 adults and 2 kids ages 10 and 6. We'll prefer a place where we can park the car nearby; electrical power would be nice but not essential. I've been doing some research and there are a many campsites and loops.

Anyone familiar with that park and the campsites? I'm looking for a stunning view. I'll appreciate your guidance.

Check out the campsites and pictures here.

Rocky Mountain National Park Campgrounds

[Idunn]

The previously referenced Rocky Mountain National Park campground guide provides a wealth of helpful details. A good place to begin.
Campgrounds - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)


You may wish to give particular attention to the Moraine Park Campground. It enjoys a good central location, easy access into nearby Estes Park, and as well close to the popular Fern Lake Trailhead to the west into the higher mountains from that meadow. The campground itself sits in the trees, just above this meadow to its north. While I have not personally investigated possible camping sites there, any with a view of Moraine Park would offer a spectacular backdrop.

As noted in that reference, some campsites are apparently on a first come basis. But reservations—as in doing that now—would be a very good idea. RMNP sees some 3 million visitors annually, the majority in summer. Popular campgrounds (meaning most anything one can drive into, versus backcountry campsites hiked into) tend to remain entirely full all summer. Moraine Park would qualify in that regard, if memory serves, and Aspenglen Campground as well—in being full to the brim most usually.

The Longs Peak Campground will likely not meet your given parameters as removed from the park proper, and principally used by climbers and those interested in hiking up Longs Peak.

While there are campgrounds on the west side of the park, the atmosphere is different. If that side, the town of Grand Lake will serve for civilization, versus Estes Park if a campground on the east side of the Continental Divide. Depending on what you are seeking, one side could prove preferable over the other. But while a drive across the park via Trail Ridge Road is recommended for fantastic scenery, practicality will dictate remaining more on one chosen side than another. The west side of the park has unfortunately suffered the most damage to the forests due the mountain pine beetle (with that the result of our rapidly changing climate). The Timber Creek Campground (on the west side, in the Colorado River Valley, near the base of the pass) is a good case in point. One used to camp within a near forest of lodgepole pine trees. These have since been near decimated by the mpb and RMNP cutting down all but a few sad stragglers.

It is hard to go wrong within the magnificence of RMNP. Nevertheless some attention to proximity of that one most wishes to do and enjoy will provide the happiest returns.

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

Aspenglen is a good campground in the summer. If you want views at Moraine you will need to be on the ridge. If you are tent camping go for D loop as it's quieter.

Unfortunately at this point, you might just have to go with whatever you can get. I booked months ago for a spot in Aspenglen for July. I just booked a few days ago for last weekend in September when we always camp at Moraine, and all the ridge spots were already gone. B Loop there is first come first serve but no views.

I've never camped at Glacier Basin. It was closed there for awhile while they dealt with trees. I think it's back open this summer.

[Snikt]

The good spots are long taken. I booked a lot of my summer campsites in February and a lot were already booked even then, some completely 100% sold out for all weekends in the summer. It's crazy here, there is no more "let's go camping" without a plan months ahead of time unfortunately

[jazzlover]

One of things that I continually find so crazy is that Rocky Mountain National Park is the "be all/end all" place for so many people. Admittedly, the RMNP is very scenic, but no more so than hundreds of other places in Colorado and the rest of the Rocky Mountain West. It just shows the "lemming" mentality of most tourists. Fine with me if everybody wants to crowd into RMNP--it just means that a lot of nicer and quieter places will hopefully stay that way . . .

[Snikt]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

One of things that I continually find so crazy is that Rocky Mountain National Park is the "be all/end all" place for so many people. Admittedly, the RMNP is very scenic, but no more so than hundreds of other places in Colorado and the rest of the Rocky Mountain West. It just shows the "lemming" mentality of most tourists. Fine with me if everybody wants to crowd into RMNP--it just means that a lot of nicer and quieter places will hopefully stay that way . . .

Most people don't know better than the "huge" places. It's also the closest/prettiest alpine scenery to Denver I think, there's plenty to be had in the deep mountains but usually 2-3 hours away at least. Estes Park is also a big tourist town as you know and offers many of the touristy things a lot of people don't know better than to look for.

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

Originally Posted by Snikt

The good spots are long taken. I booked a lot of my summer campsites in February and a lot were already booked even then, some completely 100% sold out for all weekends in the summer. It's crazy here, there is no more "let's go camping" without a plan months ahead of time unfortunately

This is very true. Once all the campgrounds - even with the National Forest service - started allowing online reservations, the "let's go camping" went out the window. Years ago we could just go on a whim. Now we plan out our summer camping in February. When that 6 month advance date hits that they allow for booking, we book or having nothing. Maybe it's different with private campgrounds, but we like the Forest Service stuff.

Originally Posted by jazzlover

One of things that I continually find so crazy is that Rocky Mountain National Park is the "be all/end all" place for so many people. Admittedly, the RMNP is very scenic, but no more so than hundreds of other places in Colorado and the rest of the Rocky Mountain West. It just shows the "lemming" mentality of most tourists. Fine with me if everybody wants to crowd into RMNP--it just means that a lot of nicer and quieter places will hopefully stay that way . . .

I think because it's more accessible to a variety of people as far as what you can see with little to no effort. We go up a couple of times a year to camp because it only takes us a half hour to get up there and it makes for a quick no effort camping trip.

But like I mentioned above, we have about 3 other camping trips planned for the summer to more remote areas in Forest Service campgrounds. I would venture to say those are all probably booked or close to booked at this point.