Estes Park Campgrounds

[Mtrain]

Hello,

We are planning on going to Rocky Mountain National Park next summer, with only our motorhome. Wondering where we should stay to make it easiest to tour the park. It seems like there are a variety of shuttles. Should we stay in the park or in Estes Park? Thanks.

[rjsurfer]

Do they allow dogs on the shuttles?

Ron W

[2gypsies1]

I agree, stay at either Moraine or Glacier Basin in the park. (We volunteered at Glacier Basin)

You said you only have a week.. I hope that's at least a week to do your three planned parks and not a week to and from home. If so..you're not going to make it.

Truthfully, for 7 days between the 3 parks, I'd eliminate either Great Sand Dunes or Black Canyon or just plan one night in each. They are small parks and you can really see the focus in a 1/2 - 1 day. There are short nature-type trails but the major ones are very strenuous.

Rocky Mtn. will have a lot more interest for you.

In re-reading your post it seems you are only going to have your motorhome and no towed vehicle. You are going to be very limited in what you'll be able to see. For instance at Black Canyon a highlight is to drive down a steep road to the bottom of the canyon. You won't be able to do that. It's hard to really see and explore a park without a towed vehicle.

[Mtrain]

Thanks for the advice. We're planning on going to Great Sand Dunes NP, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, and Mesa Verde NP as well. It's difficult to decide how many nights each. We only have a week total.

[Thom02099]

Mtrain wrote:
Thanks. Our RV is 30 feet. What loop will get us closest to the shuttle ? And would you recommend 2 or 3 nights ?

At 30 feet, you'll fit in a lot of sites. My trailer is 25 feet/open to 30 feet and I've not had any problems. Loop B is closest to the entrance, which is where the shuttle pick up is. If it was me, I'd go for 3 (or more!) nights.

[Mtrain]

Thanks. Our RV is 30 feet. What loop will get us closest to the shuttle ? And would you recommend 2 or 3 nights ?

[Thom02099]

Mtrain wrote:
It sounds like it's best to stay in the park for sure. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

You'll love Moraine Park! There are 4 loops there. When you make reservations, look for Loop B, for sites that are on the outside, or right side as you go around the loop (it's counter clockwise one way). Those are going to be the ones that will fit your MH. Also look for Loop C, and in that loop, look at sites that are again on the outside, but this time left as you go around (clockwise). Sites near the amphitheatre have spectacular views and are also better suited for a large MH. Loops A and D are primarily for smaller units, trailers/pop ups/and LOTS of tent campers, especially in Loop D.

[Mtrain]

It sounds like it's best to stay in the park for sure. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

[Thom02099]

Mtrain wrote:
Thanks for the quick reply. Happy to dry camp at Moraine. How long does it take to get a shuttle into town? We may want to go out for dinner, shopping etc.

If we stay in Estes Park, how long does the shuttle take to the various trailheads?

Thanks.

During the summer, the shuttles from Moraine Park to Bear Lake run frequently, like every 15-20 minutes, during the prime times of mornings and afternoons...the equivalent of "rush hour"! Shuttles also go into town to the Visitors Center by Lake Estes, however, I don't know how frequently they go that direction, since I rarely go into town during tourist season.

H E R E is a link to information on the shuttles in Estes Park. Hope this information helps!

Also, going from Moraine Park to Bear Lake, it takes about 30 minutes or so to get there. There are stops along the way up there and back, so the bus goes through each of the stops and park n rides along the way. You can get off any place you want, there's trailheads that you may want to access other than at Bear Lake, and you can get off and when you're done hiking, pick the bus back up at the same point, or at Bear Lake, depending on where you end your hiking.

[Mtrain]

Thanks for the quick reply. Happy to dry camp at Moraine. How long does it take to get a shuttle into town? We may want to go out for dinner, shopping etc.

If we stay in Estes Park, how long does the shuttle take to the various trailheads?

Thanks.

[Lauren]

Thom02099 will most likely reply to this and his info will be current, honest and accurate.

I moved from Estes in 2003 and been back a couple of times - RV parks have gone way downhill in quality and way uphill in price.

On edit ----- Thom musta been typing same time as me!

[Thom02099]

Mtrain wrote:
Hello,

We are planning on going to Rocky Mountain National Park next summer, with only our motorhome. Wondering where we should stay to make it easiest to tour the park. It seems like there are a variety of shuttles. Should we stay in the park or in Estes Park? Thanks.

If you can boondock, I would strongly recommend staying in the park at either Glacier Basin or Moraine Park CGs. Moraine Park is very popular, so make your reservations 6 months out; that's the reservation window, and they go fast. Glacier Basin is not quite as popular, but also will fill quickly. Again, make reservations 6 months out. Glacier Basin also is at a higher elevation, so it's season is a bit shorter than Moraine Park.

Both of them offer shuttle service from the CG to Bear Lake area, which is a very popular destination for hikers and back country campers. Shuttles run frequently, and you can even take the shuttles into town, if you want to.

For going up on Trail Ridge Road, as an alternative to taking your MH up there, you can use one of the commercial tour companies that have tour service up there with modified jeeps and other type vehicles that have open air or semi-enclosed tour vehicles. Usually seats from 6-12 people depending on how big the vehicle is.

The commercial campgrounds in and around Estes Park are way overpriced, for what you get. However, if you need full hookups, consider the Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake, which is the most affordable in the area, for $47/night FHU.

H E R E is a link to a prior thread that has some information that you might find useful, regarding the other places in Estes Park to stay.

ETA: Also, depending on when next summer you're planning to visit, access to Estes Park will be impacted by construction work on US 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon, which was severely impacted by flooding in 2013. CDOT built a temporary roadway after the flood, and has started reconstruction this month, which will carry on into 2017, with final construction slated to end in late 2018 or 2019. There will be some complete shut downs of the roadway (which is already occurring), and use of pilot cars to get vehicles through when it is available. Suggested alternative route is US 36 from Lyons to Estes Park. Lyons can be accessed by CO 66 from Longmont right off I-25.