rocky mountain National Park

We stayed at Moraine Park which is a good location for the trails. We have stayed at others and they are all good. Go to recreation.gov and all the info will be there regarding generator use, length of sites, etc. They usually have restricted hours.

Since you're willing to camp in the park and have a generator, I highly recommend Moraine Park. Centrally located to a lot the east side has to offer and gorgeous views, maybe not from your specific campsite but within an easy evening stroll. Hiking in the nearby Bear Lake area is some of the best hiking in the parks for families. Not too strenuous but you get right into the heart of some great glacially carved terrain.

You may already find it is very difficult to find an unreserved spot in July, esp. if you have a larger rig. When it comes to campsites around the popular NP's, these sites often sell out in few hours or few days after the reservation window opens. You might try limiting your stay to a Sunday through Thursday night to increase you chance of snagging a spot. RMNP is so close to the Denver area and environs, the locals snap up all the spots for the summer weekends pretty quickly.

The west side of the park used to be something I also recommended for those looking for the less crowded experience. The town of Grand Lake is something like Estes Park was 40 or 50 years ago. But alas, the beetle kill around Grand Lake, Granby Reservoir, etc. has really impacted the views and overall feel of this area. Definitely worth a drive over Trail Ridge Road for a day trip, though.

Lauren wrote:
x2 on what Thunder Mountain says except for one thing - hit Safeway at 5am! They used to be open then and I thought, at one time, they were open 24 / 7 - basically the only grocery store in town.

Oh, and head to Bear Lake or Trail Ridge (Old Fall River is closed for 2014) I would head out at daybreak or even a little before and catch the sunrise.

+1 on Bear Lake and Trail Ridge Rd! The Old Fall River Rd was significantly destroyed by the flooding last September, and won't reopen this year at all, and maybe not in 2015. Lots of reconstruction needed. Fortunately, that was pretty much the only major damage done in the park.

I was just up there last week, the good news is the Bear Lake Rd construction is complete, and some of the parking areas have been expanded to accommodate more cars. I'd still suggest taking the shuttle there though, much less of a hassle getting in/out. It's busy pretty much all season, slightly less during the week, but still very popular for hiking. Shuttles can be picked up in town, at some of the campgrounds, as well as at the main visitor center at the Beaver Meadows entrance; I frequently park there and catch the shuttle

Good suggestions from folks above. A lot depends on which way you are coming in, and your willingness to go up and over Trail Ridge Rd, with whatever you're driving/towing.

On the west side, the "quiet" side, there's the Winding River Resort that was mentioned, with amenities, and within RMNP itself is the Timber Creek CG; dry camping in an area that was devastated by the beetle kill, with many trees cut down, and only stumps left in the CG. Around Lake Grandby, south of Grand Lake, there's 4 USFS CG around the lake, notably Arapaho Bay on the south end.

On the east side, in and around Estes Park, there's been some good suggestions; within the park, there's Morraine and Aspenglen CGs. If you're willing to travel a bit, south of town along CO7 and 72, there's Peaceful Valley, Olive Ridge, Camp Dick, and even further south, Brainerd Lake. These are all USFS and dry camping; they fill up very quick during the summer, so if you're interested, look into reservations now.

Estes Park at the East Portal is nice, but it's tight, depending on what you have. The back end is great for popups and the like, not so much for trailers or MH; these are best along the front end of the park. There's also Estes Park at Mary's Lake, which is much easier to get in to, and have spots ranging from full hookups to electric only, and a separate tent camping area. It's a County owned park (as is the East Portal) and the rates are more reasonable than the commercial parks.

For commercial parks, there's Paradise on the River, Spruce Lake, KOA, and Elk Meadows in town, and just outside is Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park. They are all going to be more expensive, and they also can fill up fast on the weekends.

Hope you enjoy your stay here!

x2 on what Thunder Mountain says except for one thing - hit Safeway at 5am! They used to be open then and I thought, at one time, they were open 24 / 7 - basically the only grocery store in town.

Oh, and head to Bear Lake or Trail Ridge (Old Fall River is closed for 2014) I would head out at daybreak or even a little before and catch the sunrise.

kgarrett9999 wrote:
Estes Park Campground at East Portal Reservoir

Beautiful campground that borders Rocky Mountain National Park. Deer wandering through the campground. You can hike less than 200 yards to get to the park.

At the very end of the road so very little traffic, but still only 5-10 minutes from downtown Estes Park.

I also love Hermit Park, but no hookups.

I lived just down the road from this campground. It is very beautiful, secluded and private. There are only a handful of sites to take a larger TT or fiver and I do mean a handful. Mostly small TT and tents. Be sure and check it out thoroughly before making reservations. However, it is not 5-10 minutes from downtown in July. At peak times, like on Sunday afternoon it is double that.

Just be prepared. Estes Park is a zoo that time of year. Hit Safeway around 7 am. Try not to arrive or depart EP on Sunday afternoon. If you are going to Bear Lake or over Trail Ridge be rolling by 7:30 or 8:00. Restaurants will be packed with at least 1 hour waits.

Estes Park Campground at East Portal Reservoir

Beautiful campground that borders Rocky Mountain National Park. Deer wandering through the campground. You can hike less than 200 yards to get to the park.

At the very end of the road so very little traffic, but still only 5-10 minutes from downtown Estes Park.

I also love Hermit Park, but no hookups.

Personally I would stay at a commercial/private park with full hook-ups.

Since this will be the end of a 6.5 week trip, I would utilize someone elses "dump" and thoroughly clean out my tanks, use someone elses electric to thoroughly charge my batteries, use someones elses facilities to "quick" clean the exterior of my coach and maybe slight maintenance.

You will be paying for your stay anywhere to camp so why not pay just a little more for your money. Also, IMHO you will have better luck getting reservations on such a busy national park.

GGeorge

Stay at Moraine or Glacier Basin inside the park. Beautiful views and short drive into Estes.

July is a busy time there. Nearly all of the activities are on the east side (Estes Park side). Do Search on here as Thunder Mountain said. I also lived there for several years but not as long as T M.