Jack Fletcher| Campground | Miles from Estes Park | Managed by | Sites | Fee per night | Booking | Max RV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground | 5.3 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 150 | $35-70 | Recreation.gov | 35 ft |
| Rocky Mountain National Park Moraine Park Campground | 6.7 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 236 | $30-55 | Recreation.gov | 40 ft |
| Rocky Mountain National Park Longs Peak Campground | 7.2 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 26 | $30 | Recreation.gov | - |
| Rocky Mountain National Park Aspenglen Campground | 8.8 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 49 | $35 | Recreation.gov | 2 ft |
| Meeker Park Overflow Campground | 10.4 | Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG | - | - | First come | - |
| Meeker Park Overflow Campground | 10.5 | Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG | 28 | $16 | Recreation.gov | - |
| Olive Ridge | 14.2 | Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG | 53 | $29-58 | Recreation.gov | 50 ft |
Sources: Recreation.gov, National Park Service, state and county park pages. "-" means the operator does not publish it.
Rocky Mountain National Park Camp Choices
You should choose the park campgrounds when Bear Lake Road or in-park mornings shape your trip. Glacier Basin sits 5 miles from Estes Park on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park at 8,500 ft. Recreation.gov lists 150 campsites, and your fee runs $35 to $70 per site.
Moraine Park suits your RV or tent trip when you want the largest in-park campground on the Estes Park side. Recreation.gov lists 236 campsites, and your fee runs $30 to $55 per site. You get 49 electric hookup sites, though the campground has no water or sewer hookups.
Longs Peak suits your stripped down summer plan south of town. It sits 7 miles from Estes Park at 9,500 ft. Recreation.gov lists 26 campsites, and each site costs $30. Aspenglen sits 9 miles from Estes Park. Recreation.gov lists 49 campsites at $35 per site, and your campsite has a picnic table, fire ring with grate, and tent pad.
Highway 7 Forest Alternatives
You get a more basic public campground choice along Colorado Highway 7 under Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests management. Meeker Park Overflow sits 10 miles from Estes Park. Recreation.gov lists 28 reservable campsites at $16 per site. It also offers 29 first come Scan & Pay campsites.
Olive Ridge suits your trip when you want a forest campground near the southeastern corner of Rocky Mountain National Park. It sits 14 miles from Estes Park at 8,350 ft. Recreation.gov lists 53 campsites, and your fee runs $29 to $58 per site. You get vault toilets, trash service, and firewood for sale, but the campground skips utility hookups, dump stations, and showers.
Rig Size and Site Rules
You should match your rig before you pay, because each public campground sets its own fit. Moraine Park takes RVs or trailers up to 40 feet, and Glacier Basin takes vehicles up to 35 feet. Olive Ridge takes vehicles up to 50 feet, and Longs Peak stays tents only. Choose Aspenglen only after you confirm your vehicle fit.
Your standard park site caps the party at eight persons and one camping unit plus one additional tent. Glacier Basin and Aspenglen allow two vehicles per site, while Longs Peak gives your site one parking spot. Forest single sites generally cap your group at eight people, but Olive Ridge sites #26 and #39 allow 10 people at an additional fee. Meeker Park Overflow and Olive Ridge include one vehicle with your reservation and charge $8.00 per extra vehicle per night.
Estes Park Cold Night Calendar
You sleep high in Estes Park at 8,214 ft, so cold nights shape your packing even after warm afternoons. July has an average high of 80°F and an average low of 48°F. August has an average high of 78°F and an average low of 46°F.
June gives your trip an average high of 74°F and an average low of 43°F. September still asks for warm sleep gear, with an average high of 70°F and an average low of 39°F. October drops your average low to 30°F while the average high reaches 57°F.
January brings an average high of 37°F and an average low of 16°F. May still runs cool at night, with an average low of 35°F and an average high of 61°F. Your shoulder season kit should handle real cold after sunset.
Average daily high and low, °F, NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Estes Park 3 Sse station.
Booking Windows by Agency
You reserve Glacier Basin, Moraine Park, Aspenglen, Meeker Park Overflow, and Olive Ridge through Recreation.gov. Rocky Mountain National Park opens summer reservations at Moraine Park, Glacier Basin, and Aspenglen 6 months ahead. Glacier Basin and Aspenglen also release some sites 2 weeks or 1 week before your date. Glacier Basin group campsites open 1 year ahead.
Your Longs Peak plan uses first come camping during its typical season from early July to early September. From October 19 to mid-May, Moraine Park handles winter camping inside Rocky Mountain National Park on a first come basis. The park caps your summer stay at 7 nights.
Your check-in inside Rocky Mountain National Park begins at 1 p.m., and you must leave your campsite by 12 p.m. Your Moraine Park or Aspenglen reservation includes Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road. Longs Peak camping does not grant park entrance, and you pay a park entrance fee unless your annual or lifetime pass covers it.
Gear That Earns Its Space at Estes Park
A water filterYour water filter helps because Longs Peak has no water.
An insulated sleeping padYour sleeping pad helps when March average low reaches 21°F.
A tent heaterYour tent heater plan matters when February average low reaches 16°F.Estes Park Camping, Answered
Where can you camp around Estes Park?
You can camp inside Rocky Mountain National Park at Glacier Basin, Moraine Park, Aspenglen, or Longs Peak. You can also choose Meeker Park Overflow or Olive Ridge along Colorado Highway 7.
Do you need reservations for campgrounds near Estes Park?
You need advance summer reservations at Moraine Park, Glacier Basin, and Aspenglen inside Rocky Mountain National Park. You use Recreation.gov for those bookings, while your Longs Peak plan uses first come camping in its typical summer season.
Which campground around Estes Park works for RVs?
You should check your rig length before you reserve. Moraine Park takes RVs or trailers up to 40 feet, Glacier Basin takes vehicles up to 35 feet, and Olive Ridge takes vehicles up to 50 feet.
Can you camp around Estes Park in winter?
You can camp in winter at Moraine Park inside Rocky Mountain National Park from October 19 to mid-May. You should plan for first come sites during that winter season.
How cold does camping around Estes Park get?
You should expect cold nights because Estes Park sits at 8,214 ft. July averages an 80°F high and a 48°F low. January averages a 37°F high and a 16°F low.
Where Else to Camp in Colorado
Sources
- Recreation.gov: Rocky Mountain National Park Glacier Basin Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Rocky Mountain National Park Moraine Park Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Rocky Mountain National Park Longs Peak Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Rocky Mountain National Park Aspenglen Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Meeker Park Overflow Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Meeker Park Overflow Campground: sites, fees, vehicle length
- Recreation.gov: Olive Ridge: sites, fees, vehicle length
- nps.gov: camping: official page
- NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020: monthly temperatures
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service: elevation
- OpenStreetMap: roads and rivers