Glacier Basin Campground
150 reservation-only sites up Bear Lake Road, across from the Park and Ride
- (970) 586-1206
- recreation.gov
- Highway 36 West, Estes Park
- Hours not confirmed
About
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.
That location is the point. The shuttle up Bear Lake Road leaves from across the road, so the car can stay parked for days, and a camping reservation doubles as the timed entry for Bear Lake Road. Rangers are visible and helpful, elk are regulars, and hiking trails start close by.
Sites have fire rings, picnic tables, tent pads and bear boxes. There are flush toilets and drinking water but no showers. Family and group tent sites share the grounds with RV sites that have no hookups, and Bear Lake Road sites are booked through Recreation.gov in rolling windows, from a year out for groups to a week out for some sites. Summer stays cap at seven nights across all Park campgrounds. Leashed dogs are allowed.
