For those who are new-ish to camping and prefer car camping, Moraine is an easy-to-get-to campground, at just inside the park from the south entrance in Estes Park. This is a popular site, so prepare for neighbors. I highly recommend selecting a site in one of the loops. If you're on the stretch right after entering the campground, you'll have to deal with cars coming and going during your stay. We were in B loop, site 206.

Something else to pay attention to: tent sites and recreation travel trailer sites are mixed. If you prefer to be around tents only, make sure to check out the site map via https://www.recreation.gov/ to book your primo spot. It's not fun when you're trying to enjoy your campfire with a 25-footer bearing it's headlights down on you while trying to back up in the dark, beeping all the way. If you're bringing multiples cars, you'll also want to pay attention to the parking allotments. A lot of sites only allow one car. The map also shows where water, restrooms, and bear lockers are located.

The campground is equipped with bear lockers for your food, and wood ($5 p/bundle) and kindling ($1.50 p/bundle) is for sale from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Bring cash. If you don't, you'll get this spiel: "This is the boonies. This isn't the big city." (Never mind you can pay with your card to get into the park not three miles away.)

Moraine campground is a mile or so walking distance (depending on your site) from Cub Lake and Fern Lake trailheads, and a short drive to many others. Make note: in peak seasons, you'll want to get to Bear Lake, and Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lake trailheads early, or else you'll have to shuttle it in.

The campgrounds are well maintained, bathrooms clean, and the views relaxing. We went last week in the midst of elk rutting season. If you haven't spent your nights listening to the sex calls of mammals, you aren't truly living. Oddly enough, it didn't bother any of us, and it was even peaceful. A couple gangs of elk made their way through the grounds. We were also visited by a couple of owls, and a pack of coyotes made their way through. We had the luck of a full moon. Coming over the mountaintops and peeking through the ponderosas is hauntingly beautiful.