Back from another trip up to Estes Park. Two items of interest to anyone coming up late in the season:
If you're planning to come up to RMNP in the next two weeks for the elk bugling/fall colour change, you'll NOT be able to stay in Moraine Park CG. The campground closed yesterday (Sept 29) for a paving project and the entire campground is closed, including "B" loop which is usually open all year. Presumably they are paving/repaving some of the access roads inside the campground. Folks that were there were being told to move over to Aspenglen Campground, which has become first come/first served. Presumably, they will keep Aspenglen open for a bit longer than normal. Glacier Basin has already closed for the season.
The future of Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake is up in the air. Because of the above closing at Moraine Park, where we had planned to stay, we went to Mary's Lake instead. It was wide open for sites available! But, in talking with the staff there, the planned closing for the season is October 12. The staff didn't know what the future would be for NEXT SEASON.
Apparently, the Estes Park Recreation District is the owner of the property and has leased it for years to the Larimer County Parks Department. The lease to Larimer County is up at the end of this season and is not being renewed. The current staff, employed by Larimer County, didn't know what their future would be for next year. They told me that Estes Park Rec District has hired a person to oversee Mary's Lake, but that the person had no experience in campground management. They didn't know what would happen next year for the camping season, only that it was planning to open. It's unknown who will staff the facility, what company (if any) will manage reservations, what the rates would be for next season, if any improvements will be made to the campground, and who will provide law enforcement there (it's currently outside Estes Park city limits and is covered by the Larimer County Sheriff's Office). It's also unknown if this also applies to the Portal Campground at the end of Hwy 66, which was also managed by Larimer County Parks.
As a sidebar to this, the bugling and colours were magnificent!!!! Elk were everywhere in Moraine Park, in the Beaver Meadows area, and even in downtown Estes Park by the golf course. The Aspens were the most brilliant I've seen in years, up on Trail Ridge.
Took a loop down US 36 to Lyons, then back up CO 7 to Estes Park. US 36 is completely restored, with only a bit of construction going on by the entrance to Big Elk Meadows area near Pinewood Springs. It should be primed and ready to go for the 2015 season! CO 7/the South St Vrain was in OK shape lower down, and there had obviously been some reconstruction as far up as Raymond. Roadway itself, especially from Allenspark to Estes Park can sure use some work, though. Needs to be repaved desperately. Can't really recommend this route for RV/Trailer travel since it's so rough.
One more trip planned to Estes before I call it a season! Looking to head back up there after Moraine Park re-opens in two weeks for one last gasp camping trip!
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