Where Should I Stay While Visiting Rocky Mountain?

Captivating mountain views, sparkling lakes, and exciting wildlife make Rocky Mountain National Park an incredible vacation spot!

Where should you stay while visiting Rocky Mountain? If you want to be close to the best hikes and spectacular views in the park, try to stay in one of the park’s campgrounds. If you’re looking for something outside of the park, the small towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake offer amazing accommodation options.

My name is Ash, and I’m a former park ranger. I can’t wait to help you decide where to stay while visiting Rocky Mountain, so let’s talk about your options.

Rocky Mountain Map, Entrances, and Nearby Towns

First, let’s get the lay of the land around Rocky Mountain. This park has four official entrances, three on the east side and one on the west, giving you several options for places to stay while visiting Rocky Mountain.

Beaver Meadows Entrance of Rocky Mountain (Estes Park)

The Beaver Meadows Entrance Station is the most popular way into Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s located just west of the town of Estes Park on Highway 36. As you head toward the park from town, you’ll see the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center on your left. This is a great place to go to get more park information and access the park shuttle before you go through the entrance station.

Entering through Beaver Meadows gives you quick access to some of the most popular areas in the park, including the Trail Ridge Road, Fern Lake, and Bear Lake, as well as the Moraine Park and Glacier Basin campgrounds.

Estes Park is located just outside of this entrance and provides tons of amenities. You can go shopping downtown, try out many different restaurants, and even schedule a jeep tour or a whitewater rafting adventure.

Fall River Entrance of Rocky Mountain (Estes Park)

The Fall River Entrance Station is located on the east side of Rocky Mountain along Highway 34. From this entrance, you will have easy access to the Old Fall River Road, Deer Mountain Trail, Sheep Lakes Wildlife Viewing Area, Chasm Falls, and the Endovalley Picnic Area.

This entrance station is also right outside of Estes Park, where you’ll have unlimited dining, shopping, and adventure options in the great outdoors.

Wild Basin Entrance of Rocky Mountain (Estes Park)

The Wild Basin area provides an excellent opportunity to find a little more solitude and avoid major congestion that happens in the more popular areas of the park. This entrance is small and doesn’t connect to the rest of the park, so it’s more suited for a day trip from town rather than making this area your base camp.

If you want to explore the miles of trails in Wild Basin, check out some of my favorites in the area, such as Sandbeach Lake, Finch Lake, Copeland Falls, and Calypso Cascades.

This area is about 19 miles south of Estes Park on Highway 7, so you can still easily stay in Estes and take advantage of all the amenities of a larger town then drive down to Wild Basin for the day. Or, if you’re looking for a quainter location, you can check out lodging options in Allenspark, where you can explore Saint Malo’s Chapel, ride a horse, fish, or go cross-country skiing.

Grand Lake Entrance of Rocky Mountain (Grand Lake)

For a different Rocky Mountain experience, you can enter on the west side of the park through the Grand Lake Entrance Station. This puts you in the Kawuneeche Valley, where you can easily access the Trail Ridge Road, view Adams Falls, or hike the East Inlet Trail.

This station is only two miles north of the town of Grand Lake, where you will find locally owned restaurants, shops, and lodging options such as bed and breakfasts. You can also spend some time on the lake paddle boarding and kayaking.

If you’d like more information on the best airports, including Denver International Airport, and roads around Rocky Mountain, including details about getting to each of these entrances, check out How to Get to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Staying Inside of Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain is a popular park, and entrances can get busy and congested. I recommend staying inside the park if you want to skip the entrance line each morning! This gives you quick access to the trails and fantastic views of the landscape and wildlife.

Hotels and Lodges in Rocky Mountain

There are no lodges or hotels within Rocky Mountain National Park! If you want to stay in a hotel room or a luxurious lodge, you’ll need to stay outside of the park.

Rocky Mountain Campgrounds

Rocky Mountain has five beautiful frontcountry campgrounds that are perfect for staying in the park! Most of these campgrounds are only open during the summer season — usually from about mid-May through early October. Amenities at these campgrounds vary a little, but you can expect to find potable water, toilets of some kind, and food storage lockers. You will also have the option to purchase firewood and ice, but there are no showers.

The Glacier Basin Campground is conveniently located close to Bear Lake, one of the most popular areas in the park. The Moraine Park Campground is a good central location for visiting everything on the park’s east side. The Aspenglen Campground is great for accessing the Trail Ridge Road and the Old Fall River Road. I suggest staying in one of these three campgrounds for the majority of your time at Rocky Mountain.

Timber Creek is the only campground on the less-visited west side of Rocky. The Longs Peak Campground is tent-only and is mostly for those hoping to climb Longs Peak. Both of these campgrounds are nice, but they are further away from the main can’t-miss sights in the park.

Most of these campgrounds require a reservation, and they fill up fast. You can make a reservation up to 6-months in advance, so if you see an available site, go ahead and snag it! The Longs Peak Campground is first-come, first-served, but be aware that it is likely to fill up in the morning hours.

To learn more about your camping options and how to snag a site, read all about camping in Rocky Mountain.

Staying Outside of Rocky Mountain National Park

Because Rocky Mountain is sandwiched between two towns, it’s easy to stay close to the park without actually being in the park. You’ll need to stay outside of the park if you don’t want to camp. I also recommend staying outside of Rocky Mountain if you want nicer amenities, like a hot tub or free breakfast, and more dining and activity options like cross-country skiing or horseback riding.

Staying in Estes Park

Estes Park is a great place to stay for your mountain getaway! Staying here positions you perfectly for accessing three different entrances into Rocky Mountain, so you’ll only be a short drive from adventure at all times. You’ll love the many beautiful hotel options in town and along the river that include everything from a modern mountain lodge to the famous Stanley Hotel, delicious dining options, and trendy downtown shops.

Estes Park is a lovely town with a fabulous ambiance. I love the riverwalk area. I also love that you can see elk right in town! You can also enjoy local events like the Jazz Fest and Autumn Gold.

Estes Park stays exciting and open year-round, so it’s a fabulous option literally minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park. I always spend at least a few nights in the Estes Park area (either camping in the park on the east side or staying in a hotel in town) — it is the most convenient place to stay for getting to all of the main sights and hiking trails in Rocky.

Click here to see lodging options in Estes Park.

Staying in Grand Lake

The scenery in Grand Lake is hard to beat, and adventures are endless here. This town is located just outside of Rocky Mountain on the quieter and less-visited west side.

Grand Lake is a great place to stay if you want a more casual and relaxing Rocky vacation. You can relax by the lake and fish or take on adventurous water sports like boating, paddleboarding, or kayaking.

The west side of Rocky has some fun stops like Adams Falls, the Holzwarth Historic Site, and the Alpine Visitor Center. You can access the whole Trail Ridge Road from here, but you will have to drive further to get to the more popular viewpoints and hikes along this scenic drive. It also takes almost two hours to get to the Bear Lake area of the park from here!

If this is your first trip to Rocky Mountain, it really only makes sense to stay in Grand Lake if you split your time and make a reservation in Estes Park as well. Most of the can’t-miss activities in the park are closer to Estes Park, so you’ll want to be on that side for the majority of your trip. But if you have three or four days to spend in Rocky Mountain, I would definitely stay in Grand Lake for a night or two!

Grand Lake is small and quaint, but there are still a few options for lodging, dining, and shopping. Click here to see lodging options in Grand Lake.

I hope you find a fabulous place to stay for your entire family while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. Enjoy your vacation!

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