Camping in the valley means cold nights and a season that ends early. Of the 51 listings, 50 are in the valley and one is on the Front Range side. They split between private campgrounds along the river and the national park campgrounds up Bear Lake Road and near the Fall River Entrance.
The dog and I have slept in plenty of campgrounds, and the lesson is to bring a warmer bag than you think and a backup plan. Book the park sites early, call the private ones, and do not trust a summer forecast in the mountains.
Many campgrounds here run on seasonal calendars, so confirm dates and reservation rules before you drive up.
Downtown
Parking once and leaving the car is the draw of Black Bear Cottage, on Virginia Drive about two tenths of a mile from the corner of Elkhorn and Moraine and about the same from Bond Park. Nothing more about the cottage is published, so check beds, kitchen, parking and stay rules directly with the owner before booking.
Around the valley
Clean bathrooms are what campers remember first about this KOA on Big Thompson Avenue, which says plenty about how most campgrounds go. Cabins are the other big draw, deluxe cabins included, alongside tent sites and RV sites with water, electric and sewer hookups.
Golf carts are how families get around this campground, and renting one is half the fun for the kids. Out on US 36 more than five miles from downtown, in national forest, Jellystone has RV sites with full hookups, tent sites, clean, simple cabins and glamping.
Off Marys Lake Road, a couple of miles from downtown with a fishing lake across the road, this is a plain campground that does the basics well. Tent sites and gravel RV sites with full hookups, a camp store, a pool, fire pits, and bear boxes and food lockers that earn their keep.
Elk walk through camp here, and bears are around often enough that the bear boxes earn their keep. Moraine Park is a National Park Service campground inside Rocky Mountain National Park, under a mile from the Beaver Meadows entrance, with tent pads, toilets, running water, an amphitheater and the Park shuttle.
All 150 sites at Glacier Basin are reservation only, and getting one means planning well ahead. The campground sits about five miles up Bear Lake Road inside Rocky Mountain National Park, around 8,500 feet, with its entrance across from the Park and Ride lot.
Out on Tunnel Road, four and a half miles from downtown and past Mary's Lake, this campground sits in quiet forest with deer wandering between the sites. The bathrooms and hot showers are clean, which is the first thing campers point out, and the camp hosts get a lot of credit for how the place runs.
A hundred and ten full-hookup sites fill this long-running RV park on Riverside Drive, a mile and a half from downtown, and the Big Thompson River runs straight through it. The river is what people remember: creekside sites, the sound of water, elk walking through.
Four miles west of downtown and a few minutes from the Fall River entrance, Aspenglen is a Rocky Mountain National Park campground for tents and RVs. Every site gets a picnic table, fire ring and tent pad, and a handful of walk-in tent sites sit away from the parking spurs for more quiet.
No hookups, vault toilets and bear lockers set the tone here: this is real camping, about three and a half miles from downtown. RVs are allowed, there are cabins for anyone who'd rather not pitch a tent, and a pavilion can be rented for a group.
Out on Marys Lake Road, about a mile and a half from downtown, Spruce Lake is an RV park built around its pond. The fishing pond and the mini golf course are what people bring up first, followed by the mountain views and a hot tub for the end of the day.
Two miles from downtown on Highway 66, Elk Meadow takes RVs with full hookups and has tent sites too. The things people remember are practical: level sites, clean bathrooms and a dog park, which matters because pets are welcome.
Up Hermit Park Road, about three and a half miles from downtown, Hermits Hollow is a wooded campground where the sites are spread out and private. Each has a bear box, the vault toilets are kept clean, and there's room for tents or RVs.
Clean bathrooms, drinkable water and quiet nights: the basics are done well at this campground about three and a half miles out of downtown. Sites are spread out, some properly secluded, with RV water hookups, dumpsters, and dogs welcome.
A short walk from Mary's Lake, on Lakewood Court a little under three miles from downtown, there's a big Alpine-style house that used to run as a bed and breakfast. It now rents by the suite.
Out Highway 7 and up Longs Peak Road, a little over seven miles from downtown, this Rocky Mountain National Park campground is tent-only with no electric hookups. There's no water in summer, so haul in what you need.
Three miles east of town on US-34, a couple of miles past Lake Estes, Elk Crossing Cabins is a set of camping cabins where the river is the main event. The views of the water come up more than anything else, followed by private patios, comfortable beds and the chance to walk down and fish.
Two miles out of town on Highway 66, Elk Meadow RV Park is a place to park the rig and still be a short drive from downtown, Bond Park and Mary's Lake. Dogs are welcome.
Family Lane, among the YMCA of the Rockies cabins, is where Holdmore Cabin sits, next to Horizon, Tyndal and Longs Peak cabins. The Beaver Meadows entrance is a little over two miles off and downtown about four.
Down in Drake, on US 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon about six miles below town, Seven Pines Campground takes campers and their pets. It is a canyon stay rather than a town one, roughly five miles from Lake Estes, so groceries and gas are worth handling in Estes on the way down.
A mile from Bond Park and the Riverwalk, The Den is one of the cabins at Brynwood on the River, with a river or mountain view. Little else is listed, so confirm size, kitchen and minimum stay with Brynwood when booking.
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Two kinds of campground share this page. Private ones, such as the KOA, Jellystone Park, Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake and Manor RV Park, offer RV and tent sites, and some add pools, stores or playgrounds. National park campgrounds, such as Moraine Park, Glacier Basin and Aspenglen, are inside Rocky Mountain National Park. Glacier Basin and Aspenglen are listed as reservation only, and Moraine Park requires advance reservations in summer.
Seasons differ a lot. Jellystone Park's themed weekends run from May to early October, and its dry camping before and after keeps only a handful of RV sites with electric and sewer hookups, with no water at the sites. Manor RV Park is described as seasonal, while Moraine Park lists winter camping. Bring warmer layers than seem reasonable for the date.
For RVs, ask about hookups before you commit. Manor RV Park lists 110 full-hookup sites between downtown and the Park, and rents by the night, week, month or summer. Elk wander through town and the camping areas alike, so ask each campground about food storage. Aspenglen lists food lockers on the grounds.
Often, yes. Glacier Basin and Aspenglen are listed as reservation only, and Moraine Park requires advance reservations in summer. Park rules and booking windows can change, so check the National Park Service before you drive up rather than counting on a walk-up site.
Many are. Twenty of the 51 are marked pet-friendly, including the KOA, Jellystone Park, Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake and Estes Park Campground at East Portal. Ask the specific campground about leash rules and any limits before you bring a dog.
Manor RV Park lists 110 full-hookup sites on the Big Thompson, between downtown and the Park. Jellystone Park keeps a handful of RV sites with electric and sewer hookups outside its main season, with no water at the sites. Call to confirm availability for your dates.
Some places stay open, though options shrink. Moraine Park lists winter camping, and Jellystone Park offers dry camping after its season ends in early October. Winters are long and cold here, so confirm what is open and what services are running.
