{"id":21088,"date":"2017-05-04T13:20:58","date_gmt":"2017-05-04T20:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=21088"},"modified":"2025-01-13T12:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T20:25:13","slug":"rocky-mountain-national-park-visitor-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/rocky-mountain-national-park-visitor-guide","title":{"rendered":"Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rising high in the Front Range of the Rockies is an alpine paradise called Rocky Mountain National Park. It has five glaciers and more than 100 mountain peaks reaching over 11,000 ft., with Longs Peak towering above them all at 14,249 ft. Located in north central Colorado, the park has 355 miles of trails winding through forests of ponderosa and lodgepole pines, past waterfalls and high alpine lakes, and across meadows colored with\u00a0wildflowers<\/a>\u00a0in season. The park is also home to\u00a0wildlife<\/a>\u00a0such as moose, elk, mountain lions, bighorn sheep and black bears.<\/p>\n

The Continental Divide runs the length of Rocky, from north to south, and splits the park\u2019s 415 square miles into somewhat different climates, with more moisture giving the western side lusher forests. The park also contains three distinct ecosystems. From 5,600\u20139,500 ft., the meadows, rivers and ponderosa pine forests of the\u00a0Montane<\/a>\u00a0have the richest diversity of plant and animal life in the park. Between 9,000\u201311,000 ft., the\u00a0Subalpine<\/a> level has crystal clear lakes and forests of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir and lodgepole pine. Beyond treeline is the\u00a0Alpine Tundra<\/a>\u00a0(above 11,000 ft.). It\u2019s a harsh climate where strong, frequent winds and cold temperatures limit wildlife to the hardiest animals, including ptarmigan and elk, and plants like the deep-blue alpine forget-me-not.<\/p>\n

If you plan on visiting Rocky, check our suggestions for getting the most out of your trip. The National Park Service is also a good resource for information on\u00a0camping<\/a>,\u00a0day hiking<\/a>, backpacking,\u00a0rock climbing<\/a>,\u00a0biking<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0wildflower viewing<\/a>\u00a0in the park<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Camping in Rocky Mountain National Park<\/h2>\n

Rocky has a total of five National Park Service (NPS)\u00a0campgrounds<\/a>. All are on a first-come, first-served basis. Aspenglen, Glacier Basin and Moraine Park have sites that can be reserved up to six months in advance. Call 877-444-6777, or visit\u00a0www.reserveamerica.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0www.recreation.gov<\/a>. All sites at Longs Peak and group sites at Glacier Basin are tent only.<\/p>\n

In recent years, an outbreak of native pine beetles has caused the park service to remove dead trees in or around some campgrounds. Timber Creek and Glacier Basin have been especially hard hit, and both look very different than in the past.<\/p>\n

All campgrounds are above 8,000 ft. (Longs Peak is the highest at 9,405 ft.) and are open late May\u2013late September. Moraine Park is the only campground that\u2019s open year-round. The camping fee is $26\/night per site. Rocky campgrounds are in bear country, so the park service has placed\u00a0food storage lockers<\/a>\u00a0at each campsite.<\/p>\n

Here are a few of our favorite campgrounds in the park:<\/p>\n

Morain Park Campground\u00a0(244 summer sites, 77 winter sites; reservable in summer):\u00a0<\/strong>Just a six-mile drive from Estes Park,\u00a0Moraine Park<\/a>\u00a0is busy in summer. The good news: it\u2019s set in a ponderosa pine forest above the meadows of Moraine Park and has many tent-only sites. Some are walk-in, so you can get some privacy. Views are gorgeous, and elk, coyotes and mule deer often wander through the meadow. There are lots of trails nearby, and a free shuttle bus to other trailheads.<\/p>\n

Aspenglen Campground\u00a0(52 sites; reservable):\u00a0<\/strong>Situated in a pine forest and walking distance to Fall River Visitor Center,\u00a0Aspenglen<\/a>\u00a0is one of the quieter campgrounds in Rocky. It has well-spaced sites, some with amazing mountain views, and five walk-in sites that give you a little piece of alpine heaven. Sites here go fast, so reserve early.<\/p>\n

Longs Peak Campground\u00a0(26 sites; tents only; non-reservable):\u00a0<\/strong>The tent-only\u00a0Longs Peak Campground<\/a>\u00a0is located in a lodgepole pine forest at 9,405 ft. Because of the elevation, expect it to be cooler, especially at night. Nearby is the trailhead to Longs Peak, so many people camping here are hikers who get up at 3am to climb the mountain. In summer, arrive early to bag a site.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Backpacking and Hiking in\u00a0Rocky Mountain National Park<\/b><\/h2>\n

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