Getting ready for a trip that we really haven't planned at all for. Going to go from Michigan and spend 2 weeks in Colorado seeing the sights. We are taking our 30' fifth wheel for the last week of June and first week of July. We plan to spend a chunk of our time in RMNP, but maybe the second week traveling and visiting other areas, like the cliff dwellings.Without any planning, and the very few first come first served sites in the park, I think we are going to have to stay outside the park. Just don't see that we are going to get in the park campgrounds. We'll probably hike and sight see mostly. Any recommendations for campground we may have a chance to get into at this late period? Was thinking Estes Park area would be a decent choice.Also, recommendations for other places to go in Colorado, kind of like the "must see" list?Any help would be appreciated!

There are a number of hikes you can take from very easy to long day o overnight.In no particular order from the east side of the park, take the shuttle to bear lake and either go up to the nymph dream and emerald lakes (all one hike)or go down to bierstead. Protrails has an excellent site on hikeshttp://www.protrails.com/area/8/rocky-mountain-national-park(copy and paste or go to protrails.com)You should check the campgrounds on line, most weekdays you can get in. Shuttle to hikes rather than drive

Cdash wrote:Getting ready for a trip that we really haven't planned at all for. Going to go from Michigan and spend 2 weeks in Colorado seeing the sights. We are taking our 30' fifth wheel for the last week of June and first week of July. We plan to spend a chunk of our time in RMNP, but maybe the second week traveling and visiting other areas, like the cliff dwellings.Without any planning, and the very few first come first served sites in the park, I think we are going to have to stay outside the park. Just don't see that we are going to get in the park campgrounds. We'll probably hike and sight see mostly. Any recommendations for campground we may have a chance to get into at this late period? Was thinking Estes Park area would be a decent choice.Also, recommendations for other places to go in Colorado, kind of like the "must see" list?Any help would be appreciated!From an earlier post COLORADOShould fill the rest of your week.BOL,

West side of the park is less crowded and imho more scenic. Also going north into Wyoming is pretty too.

I'd recommend using a CG directory to locate the CGs closest to RMNP and then start checking them to see if they have space available for your time frame. If not, work your way outward (distance-wise) from there until you find something you like.As for places to visit in CO, I heartily recommend the Colorado National Monument. The state park CG at Fruita James M Robb CO River SP is pleasant and conveniently located just north of the monument. Allow a solid half day to explore this place by driving, and more time if you want to hike some of the trails. The sandstone formations here are beautiful. (If you love this place, then you would also love Arches NP... not much farther west.)Some of my favorite mountain scenery in CO is the area around Telluride, Ouray, and Silverton. You could camp in Ridgway and drive around these areas in the truck, if you want to keep things simple. If you get to Ouray, be sure to drive up the hill to the Amphitheater NF CG and park at the overlook for a splendid view of the town below with peaks rising beyond. If you're ambitious, there's a trail from here that goes to the big waterfall that can be seen E of town.If you don't want to travel that far, you could always head south to the Colorado Springs area. Pike's Peak and Garden of the Gods are worth seeing.

We visited Rocky Mountain National park and were very, very disappointed. The bark beetle has ravaged this area of Colorado and it literally looks like a bomb went off. The lodge pole pines are dying at tremendous rates. We stayed at one campground in RNMP and another next to Steamboat lake. All the trees in both campgrounds had been cut down because they were dead from the beetle. The dead trees were basically shoved to the side and the area looked like a barren waste land. I agree with RexLion - Telluride/Ouray/Silverton - MUCH better area than RNMP. Sunshine campground outside Telluride and Amphitheater campground in Ouray are 2 of our favorites.

Rocky mountain national park and ?? | Good Sam Community

22 Replies

Busskipper
Explorer
Jun 17, 2015
Cdash wrote:
Getting ready for a trip that we really haven't planned at all for. Going to go from Michigan and spend 2 weeks in Colorado seeing the sights. We are taking our 30' fifth wheel for the last week of June and first week of July. We plan to spend a chunk of our time in RMNP, but maybe the second week traveling and visiting other areas, like the cliff dwellings.

Without any planning, and the very few first come first served sites in the park, I think we are going to have to stay outside the park. Just don't see that we are going to get in the park campgrounds. We'll probably hike and sight see mostly.

Any recommendations for campground we may have a chance to get into at this late period? Was thinking Estes Park area would be a decent choice.

Also, recommendations for other places to go in Colorado, kind of like the "must see" list?

Any help would be appreciated!

From an earlier post COLORADO

Should fill the rest of your week.

BOL,
southtexas
Explorer
Jun 17, 2015
There are a number of hikes you can take from very easy to long day o overnight.

In no particular order from the east side of the park, take the shuttle to bear lake and either go up to the nymph dream and emerald lakes (all one hike)or go down to bierstead.

Protrails has an excellent site on hikes

http://www.protrails.com/area/8/rocky-mountain-national-park

(copy and paste or go to protrails.com)

You should check the campgrounds on line, most weekdays you can get in. Shuttle to hikes rather than drive

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Rocky mountain national park and ??

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