Camping is one of the best ways to experience Rocky Mountain National Park. In this guide, I’ll show you the park’s best campgrounds and how to reserve a great campsite.
Rocky Mountain National Park has five campgrounds. Three (Glacier Basin, Moraine Park, Aspenglen) require advance reservations during peak season, and they are often booked months in advance. Try to reserve a campsite as soon as possible. Camping reservations are available up to six months in advance. The park’s two remaining campgrounds, Longs Peak and Timber Creek, are first-come, first-served. None of the park’s campgrounds have showers.
Camping limits: from May 1 through October 15, you can camp a maximum of seven nights total in Rocky Mountain National Park. From November 1 through April 30, you can camp an additional 14 nights in the park.
For the most up-to-date Rocky Mountain National Park camping info, visit the park’s website.
Don’t worry if all of the park’s campgrounds are full. There are still plenty of great campgrounds near Rocky Mountain National Park.
The Best Campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park
In my opinion, the best campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park are:
- Glacier Basin
- Moraine Park
- Aspenglen
- Timber Creek
- Longs Peak Campground
Rocky Mountain National Park Camping
Glacier Basin Campground
Open: Late May – Mid-September
Cost: $30 per night
Elevation: 8,500 feet
Campsites: 153
Reservations: Available at recreation.gov
The best thing about Glacier Basin Campground: the views—a parade of rugged Front Range peaks marching across the Continental Divide. The second best thing about Glacier Basin Campground: its proximity to Bear Lake, which means easy access to some of the park’s most popular hikes. When you have a reservation at Glacier Basin Campground, you have permission to drive along Bear Lake Corridor, which otherwise requires a separate permit during peak season. In addition, free park shuttles make regular stops at the campground in season. For all of these reasons, Glacier Basin Campground is my favorite campground in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Moraine Park Campground
Open: Year-round
Cost: $30 per night
Elevation: 8,160 feet
Campsites: 244
Reservations: recreation.gov (first-come, first-served in winter)
Located just north of Moraine Park, this is the park’s largest campground with 244 campsites. Like Glacier Basin Campground, Moraine Park Campground is located inside the Bear Lake Corridor. So if you have a camping reservation at Moraine Park you’re free to drive along Bear Lake Corridor, which otherwise requires a permit during peak season. In addition, free park shuttles make regular stops at the campground in season. Moraine Park Campground is particularly dramatic in autumn, when you can enjoy the haunting sounds of elk bugling in nearby Moraine Park.
Aspenglen Campground
Open: Late May – late September
Cost: $30 per night
Elevation: 8,200 feet
Campsites: 52
Reservations: Available at recreation.gov
Located near Fall River Entrance, Aspenglen is the closest campground to Horseshoe Park and Old Fall River Road. With just 52 campsites, it’s much smaller than Glacier Basin or Moraine Park, so it feels slightly less congested. Although Aspenglen is not served by the park’s shuttle system, it enjoys a beautiful location along the banks of Fall River.
Longs Peak Campground
Open: Late June – Early September
Cost: $30 per night
Elevation: 9,500 feet
Campsites: 26
No reservations, first-come, first-served
With just 26 campsites, this is the smallest campground in Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s also the highest campground in the park with an elevation 9,500 feet above sea level. Its main attraction is its proximity to Longs Peak Trailhead. Longs Peak is one of the most demanding adventures in the park, and those who climb it often start around 2 am. Be aware that Longs Peak is one of the most popular fourteeners in Colorado, so finding a campsite at this first-come, first-served campground is often a challenge. This is a tent-only campground with no RVs.
Timber Creek Campground
Open: late May – early September
Cost: $30 per night
Elevation: 8,900 feet
Campsites: 98
No reservations, first-come, first-served
Nestled in the lush Kawuneeche Valley along the banks of the Colorado River, this is the only Rocky Mountain National Park campground west of the Continental Divide. It boasts a gorgeous location close to lots of great hiking trails. The only downside: a beetle infestation killed most of the surrounding trees, so there’s no shade at the campsites.
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