Camping in Rocky Mountain National Park is a truly unique experience. Breathe in the fresh alpine air flavored with a hint of pine, and if you’re lucky, you may be joined by some friends…from the local elk herd, that is.
Sweeping views of the majestic rocky mountains and a night sky full of sparkling stars will be there to greet you from your tent flap.
Each campground in the park sits at an elevation higher than 8,000 feet above sea level, providing a real mountain adventure! Usually, camping at that elevation requires a hike in, but at Rocky Mountain, you can experience the high life with the convenience of car camping. Plan for brisk, cold nights and maybe a thunderstorm or two — as well as some of the best mountain scenery you can drive to.
What You Need to Know About Camping in Rocky Mountain
- Season dates may vary by year. Be sure to check the website for information on opening and closing dates while you are planning your trip.
- If you want to make a reservation for the summer, be sure to do it early in the year. Campgrounds that accept reservations often fill many months in advance.
- There is a 7-day stay limit parkwide during the summer months, and Senior/Access Pass holders can get 50% off of the camping fee (this does NOT include the Annual America the Beautiful Pass)
- First-come, first-served sites should be claimed first thing in the morning during the summer months! Plan your trip so that you can get to the campsite early before it fills.
- Each standard campsite only accommodates eight people. If you have a larger group, you will need to book two campsites or look for a campground that offers double or group campsites.
- Rocky Mountain is bear country! Locate a nearby bear box to store your food and other scented items in, or place all scented items in a locked car. Be sure to educate yourself on proper food storage practices before you go.
- To prevent the spread of the mountain pine beetle, you should only purchase firewood from the campgrounds within Rocky Mountain National Park. The devastating effects of the beetle can especially be seen in the Timber Creek and Glacier Basin campgrounds, where many of the trees have been removed.
This article contains information on the frontcountry camping experiences that are available within Rocky Mountain National Park. In other words, it covers places you can get to with your car! If you’re interested in hike-in backcountry camping options, click here.
Getting to the Campgrounds in Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain National Park has five campgrounds within its borders. Take a look at the park map for help in selecting the location of the perfect campground for your trip.
How to Get a Campsite in Rocky Mountain
Most campgrounds in the park accept reservations. If you’re hoping to reserve something, click over to Recreation.gov to find a site. Reservations open up six months before the first day of your reservation. You’ll want to sign in and pick out your site in advance so that you can be ready to hit reserve as soon as the clock strikes 10 a.m. EST.
Some sites in the Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, Moraine Park, and Timber Creek Campgrounds are released 2 weeks in advance, so if you need to make a last-minute reservation, you may be able to snatch something up there!
The Longs Peak Campground is the only first-come, first-served option in the park, and it fills by early afternoon.
If the registration kiosk is not staffed when you arrive, grab an envelope and then proceed into the campground to find an available site. The available sites will not have a tag on the post, and you’ll want to choose one of those. If you see an empty campsite that still has a paper stub on the post, it is likely paid for and occupied by someone else…so don’t set up there!
After finding a suitable site, immediately fill out the envelope and insert payment, put the stub on the post for your site, and drop the envelope in the slot at the registration kiosk.
To choose your ideal campground, take a look at the in-park options below:
Moraine Park Campground
Moraine Park is the largest campground in Rocky Mountain and is centrally located for easy access to Trail Ridge Road and Bear Lake Road. Many of the sites provide beautiful mountain views, and most are located in the trees.
Open Season: Year Round
Elevation: 8160 feet
Max RV Length: 40 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Allowed except in Loop D. Generator hours are 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes, from May to September. Click here to check availability.
Fee: $35
Number of Sites: 244 in summer, 77 in winter
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Rocky Mountain’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets and running water during the summer in all loops except B Loop
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes
Glacier Basin Campground
The Glacier Basin Campground has sweeping views of the rocky mountains and is located on Bear Lake Road, which is the hub of activity in the park. Many of the trees have been removed because of the mountain pine beetle infestation. Loops A and B are still partially shaded, but loops C and D, and the group sites are all out in the open.
Open Season: End of May to the Beginning of September
Elevation: 8500 feet
Max RV Length: 35 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Allowed, except in some C Loop sites. Generator hours are 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes. Click here to check availability.
Fee: $35
Number of Sites: 150
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Rocky Mountain’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets and running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes
Aspenglen Campground
The Aspenglen Campground is ideally situated in a stunning pine forest next to the beautiful Fall River. This is a great area for wildlife viewing and is within walking distance of the Fall River Visitor Center.
Open Season: January to September
Elevation: 8200 feet
Max RV Length: 30 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: No
Generators: Allowed only in Loop C. Generator hours are 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes, from end of May to September. Click here to check availability.
Fee: $30
Number of Sites: 52
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Rocky Mountain’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes
Planning a trip to Rocky Mountain can be overwhelming.
How do you make a solid plan if you’ve never been to the park before? How do you keep everyone in your group excited and engaged?
You can spend hours on the internet searching for things to do, but you still won’t find the insider tips and first-hand knowledge that I’ve gained from working as a park ranger.
If you’re hoping to see the best sights without getting stuck in traffic, circling parking lots, or being surrounded by people, check out this Rocky Mountain Itinerary.
You will see all of the can’t-miss spots, plus get lodging and dining guides, driving directions, and insider tips!
Timber Creek Campground
The Timber Creek Campground is the only place to camp on Rocky Mountain’s west side. It is situated along the Colorado River but, unfortunately, does not have any shade due to the mountain pine beetle outbreak.
Open Season: End of May to the Beginning of November
Elevation: 8900 feet
Max RV Length: 30 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Allowed. Generator hours are 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Reservations Required: Yes, click here to check availability.
Fee: $35
Number of Sites: 98
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Rocky Mountain’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes
Longs Peak Campground
Located in a gorgeous pine forest, the Longs Peak Campground makes a great base camp if you are planning on hiking to the top of Longs Peak. Otherwise, it is a little out-of-the-way for the main can’t-miss activities in Rocky. This campground is for tents only and is more primitive, private, and peaceful than the other campgrounds in the park.
Open Season: July to the Beginning of November
Elevation: 9500 feet
Max RV Length: No RVs allowed
Hookups: No
Dump Station: No
Generators: No
Reservations Required: No. All sites are first-come, first-served
Fee: $30
Number of Sites: 26
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Rocky Mountain’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Vault toilets only. There is no running water in this campground
Wheelchair Accessibility: No
Now that you’ve seen your options for camping in Rocky Mountain, are you ready to ensure you don’t miss any of the best sights in the park?
Click NEXT to see the 12 things you can’t miss on your first visit!
More Rocky Mountain Trip Planning Information
Rocky Mountain Itinerary — a detailed hour-by-hour sightseeing schedule.
How to Get to Rocky Mountain — the best airports and roads in the area.
How Many Days Should I Spend in Rocky? — itinerary ideas.
The Best Time to Visit — what to expect during each month of the year.
Weather, Hours, and Closures — important weather info and common closures.
Where Should I Stay? — the best options in and around the park.
12 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Visit to Rocky — the top 12 spots.
The Best Easy Hikes — the perfect trails for kids, wheelchairs, and beginners.
Best Things to Do — activities for every type of adventurer.
The Ultimate Rocky Mountain Trip Planning Guide — everything you need to know.
This post may contain affiliate links. Dirt In My Shoes gets paid a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you purchase from these links. Thanks for your support!
Hi – I am looking for recommendations for camping on the Grand Lake side of the park. I will be traveling with three under 6 years old so we are looking fro drive up camping (I also know I am late to the game for booking :). Do you have any recommendations? Or for short fun hikes on that side – I am just starting to look into it now.
Timber Creek is the only campground in the park on that side, but there are some other options in Grand Lake. I’ve stayed in the Green Ridge CG and that was a good choice for the area. You’ll also find some private RV parks as well.
Hi, I was perusing recreation.gov a couple of weeks before I need to make a reservation for August 4-9. It looks like 6am is when the reservation needs to be completed. I am pacific time. All the sites at aspenglen were taken by 6:10. Do you have any tips to actually score a site let alone two(which is my hope). If I select one and then go back for another might I actually lose the first one? Any tips would help. This is our first time camping. My mom is 80 years old. Is it possible to perhaps get her a handicapped if the others are not available.
Thanks
Lori
You’ll need to have everything completely ready to hit the submit button right when the clock strikes 6 :) And if you’re trying to get 2 sites, you’ll have the best luck if you can get someone else who is going with you to make an account and try to book the second site at the same time. Good luck!