Timber Creek Campground, near Grand Lake, Colorado, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of [Rocky Mountain National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/colorado/near/rocky-mountain-national-park). With its stunning views and proximity to nature, it’s a great base for exploring the park’s trails and wildlife.

This campground allows campfires and welcomes pets, making it a cozy choice for families and friends. Visitors have spotted moose right in the campground and enjoyed the sounds of elk calling at night, adding a unique touch to the camping experience. One camper shared, “Wonderful place. Moose in campground, and elk calling at night.”

While the sites are modestly separated, young pines are starting to provide some privacy, and the flat terrain makes it easy to set up camp. The rustic restrooms are functional, and there’s a dishwashing sink available, which campers appreciate. As one reviewer noted, “The bathrooms were in great shape.”

For those who enjoy hiking, Timber Creek is conveniently located near trails that lead to breathtaking views and wildlife sightings. Just a short walk from the campground, you can find the Colorado River, perfect for a leisurely stroll. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Timber Creek Campground offers a peaceful retreat in the heart of the Rockies.

## Overview

 Timber Creek Campground is currently closed for the winter 2024/2025 season. This is only campground located on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Timber Creek Campground will open for the summer 2025 camping season at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 22. The campground will close at noon on Monday, October 6. All campsites are available by reservation only and reservations must be made online at www.recreation.gov, through the Recreation.gov Mobile App, or by calling 1-877-444-6777. For some campsites, reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance of a desired camping date. Timber Creek Campground is located inside Rocky Mountain National Park and accessed via Trail Ridge Road/U.S. Highway 34. The campground is eight miles (13 km) north of the park's Grand Lake Entrance. It is located at an elevation of of 8,900 feet (3000 m). Camping in a Trailer or RV? Please be advised, this campground has a total vehicle length limit of 30 feet (9 m). RVs and combined vehicles and trailers that exceed this limit cannot stay in Timber Creek Campground. Things to Know When Looking At Campsite Availability: Any sites that are open are listed as \"A\" for available. Any campsite listed as \_ NR \_ has Not Yet Released; this means that those campsites are not yet available to be reserved. A number of campsites are available to be reserved up to 6-months in advance on a rolling window. Some campsites are available to be reserved 2-weeks prior to your desired camping date. Some campsites are available to be reserved 1-week prior to your desired camping date. Is a Timed Entry Reservation Included with my Camping Reservation? Yes. Campers with reservations for Timber Creek Campground have a \"Timed Entry (does not include access to Bear Lake Road)\" reservation included with your campground reservation. Your campground reservation will serve as your vehicle timed entry reservation. Campers can enter RMNP via the Grand Lake, Beaver Meadows or Fall River Entrances beginning at 1 p.m. on the first day of your camping reservation. Remember to print and bring a copy of your campground reservation with you and keep this in your vehicle. You will be asked to show your campground reservation confirmation at the park's entrance station upon arrival. Planning to visit destinations along the Bear Lake Road Corridor? Campers staying at Timber Creek Campground will also need to make a \"Timed Entry+ Bear Lake Road\" reservation or they will need to enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor during a time of day when reservations are not required. For details, visit the [park's timed entry webpage][1] . When Can I Check into My Campsite? Check In begins at 1 p.m. for all campsites in Rocky Mountain National Park. What Time is Check Out? All campers must check out of their campsites in Rocky Mountain National Park by noon. How Many Nights Can I Stay at Timber Creek Campground? In Rocky Mountain National Park, there is a 7-night limit for all campgrounds during the summer season. This means that campers can stay a total of 7 nights inside the park. This limit includes overnight stays at all campgrounds. For instance, a camper could spend 7 nights at Timber Creek Campground or they could stay 4 nights at Timber Creek Campground and 3 at Glacier Basin Campground. 
## Recreation

 Rocky Mountain National Park has over 350 miles (563 km) of hiking trails. There are many wonderful trails to explore on the west side of the park, including the Colorado River Trail, Coyote Valley Trail, Green Mountain Trail, and more. Enjoy fishing along the banks of the Colorado River. The park also offers some unforgettable scenic driving routes, including Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road. Enjoy the scenic views in the land above trees while exploring the alpine tundra or visit Alpine Visitor Center. Are you interested in history? Take a step back in time and explore the Holzwarth Historic Site, just down the road from Timber Creek Campground. 
## Natural Features

 Timber Creek Campground has been impacted by both mountain pine beetle infestation, which killed many of the trees, but also by wildfire. This results in almost no shade in the campground, but it provides for an opportunity to see forest regrowth. Wildflowers can fill surrounding meadows and a mix of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and ponderosa pine are all around as you explore the park. Wildlife is plentiful in Rocky Mountain National Park. Mule deer and the majestic Rocky Mountain elk are commonly seen. Black bear, coyote, bighorn sheep and moose also inhabit the area, but are less common to see. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The town of Grand Lake lies just 10 miles south of the campground (2 miles outside the park's west entrance). Dining, shopping, and other recreational activities can be found there. 
## Charges & Cancellations



[1]: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm

Timber Creek Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Grand Lake, CO has a lot to offer. Grand Lake is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Grand Lake, CO. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.

Grand Lake

The Best Camping Near Grand Lake, Colorado

After staying a night at another campground and checking out this campground, we switched up where we were staying in Rocky Mt. National Park.  The beauty of this campground captivated us.  It just had a 'good vibe' that we wanted to be part of.  The sites are nicely spaced out, even though there is not much between sites for privacy.  It was not super busy when we visited which was nice.  Lots of wildlife around. Nice facilities and nice picnic tables at each site.  This will be the campground we choose if we return to Rocky Mt National Park.

seemed to be the ideal place to camp in the park

This is a great introduction to Rocky Mountain National Park.  The campground is adjacent to the Colorado River, close to the Kauwuneeche Visitor Center and Grand Lake!  There are plenty of bathrooms, and they have running water with sinks and toilets.  The trails behind the campground follow the mighty Colorado, with plenty of sandy beaches to listen to her wonderful rips and riffles.  Enjoy this busy campground as an intro to the area, and if you like something with less people, you can easily find something more rustic nearby.  FIRST COME FIRST SERVE, means get in early and you can likely find a spot as people leave, but will fill up around 1pm. This part of the park is closed during winter.  Enjoy!  Additional Highlights nearby : Don't miss Grand Lake - Colorado's largest natural lake!  

Glamping in ROMO!

We got there just in time to pitch our tent and head into Grandby for some supplies. The only park that wasn't reservable during Labor Day weekend we lucked out and got the BEST SPOT! SW side of the campground. 

The wildlife never failed us. Every morning and most evening s of our 6 night stay there were elk, deer, or moose on the grounds!

The view of the mountains outside the park made for phenomenal pictures with the sunrise and the sunset. Low laying fog covering the marsh and a bright sky lighting up the mountains were dreamy. 

The Rangers were fantastic and made sure that all our questions were answered. There was plenty of space in the bear boxes. Clean bathrooms. 

Beautiful views!!

Spent 2 nights here, great Campground overall. It is first come first serve so it helps to get there around 1pm which is checkin. Dogs ARE allowed in the Campground but because the Campground is in RMNP dogs ARE NOT allowed on any of the trails or hikes near the Campground. Elk frequent the Campground!  It is a busy/good sized camp but if you get a spot on the edge you'll feel secluded. Has bathhouse and firepits. 

Timber Creek in RMNP 

My hubby and I LOVE it here. You aren't too close to your neighbors and you are surrounded by the beautiful mountains. There's always a great chance to see wildlife too. We have stayed here on two separate occasions and want to come back every year. We have seen moose and elk just yards away from our tent. When the sun goes down you can see millions of stars. Everything about this site is perfect. 

Dream Campsite

This is one of two campgrounds in Rocky Mountain National Park that does not take reservations. It’s not open in winter. If you’re coming from Denver this is a very long drive (especially if you’re stopping to look around a bit) and you will most likely not get a walk-up spot in summer. There are more moose here than at the other campgrounds in the park. We’ve stayed in the C and D loops and both are amazing especially with bright yellow Aspen in the fall.

West side 

First come first serve campground in Rocky Mountain National Park. Has ampitheater that had a movie playing the weekend we stayed. No showers. Sites have a picnic table and fire ring. Can't bring your own firewood but there is a hut with firewood available to buy.

Beatiful campground.  

Along with Longs Peak, Timber Creek are the only two first come/first served campgrounds in RMNP. Which means that there was a pretty steady flow of traffic late morning to early evening through the campground. Based on other reviews, I was excited to camp here for the first time, but was a little disappointed after a week.

There are four loops in the campground (A,B, C, D), we stayed in Loop D (sites 76-100). Loop D had two water faucets and trash/recycling available, but no restrooms (have to go to Loop C which isn't too far). The restrooms have sinks and flush toilets. Firewood could be purchased from the shed at the campground entrance. Here's a [map](http://npmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/rocky-mountain-timber-creek-campground-map.gif) of the campground. The sites in Loop D are very close together, as if they just wanted to add 25 more sites in a limited area. On the plus side, it appeared that each campsite now has its own bear bin for storage.

The proximity of sites to one another wouldn't have been so bad, but the pine beetle infestation has left the campground with virtually no mature trees, so noise carries easily and there's no privacy. Also, the way some sites were situated in our loop meant that often times people walked through your site to get to their site avoiding the multitude of tree stumps all around.

Basically, no trees meant no shade, wind breaks, hammock, or privacy and a fair amount of noise especially since the campground is down the ridge from Hwy 34.

However, the lack of trees did provide some really nice views as well as good stargazing opportunities at night.

There were usually some elk in/around the campground and our second morning we awoke to over three dozen cow/calves moving through our loop and up the ridge towards the highway, but we saw at least one every day near our site. The Colorado River flows just west of the campground and some times moose can be seen in the area.

I'll be anxious to camp here in a few years once the seedlings have grown some, but our next trip to RMNP I'll be planning ahead to make reservations for Moraine Park or Aspenglen.

Nice views, but overrated!

**Campground Review**

Located in Rocky Mountain National Park, Timber Creek Campground is a first come first serve campground located 8 miles from the Kawuneeche Visitor Center. Timber Creek sites are $26 per night, which is on par with most National Parks that I have visited. It seemed like there were a ton of sites when I was there, some walk-in tent sites, some back in trailer sites, and a few pull through spots for small campers like the [SylvanSport GO](https://www.sylvansport.com). Since this campsite is located in bear country, you need to store your food properly in the shared bear proof lockers provided by the NPS. Each site does include its own table and fire ring though. If I remember correctly, each loop had its own bathroom building with a sink on the outside for doing dishes and what not.

**Product Review**

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. At Timber Creek I tested the [Brokk Shirt](https://beyondclothing.com/collections/clearance/products/a5-brokk-shirt?variant=35024781645) from Beyond Clothing. I give this shirt a 5/5 because this thing rocks. (PS, it’s also on clearance right now, so I’d go snag one if I were you!)

Here’s what makes it so great:

1.  It fits great. It has a nice athletic cut to it which makes it perfect for hiking and other outdoor activities.
2.  Its breathable. It has a ton of breathability. The pits, sides, and a large portion of the back are mesh, so you can keep it on as a mid day layer to protect you from the sun.
3.  Its waterproof. The parts that aren’t mesh repel water better than anything I’ve ever seen. This makes it great for water sports. Or when it starts raining suddenly and you don’t have your rain gear.
4.  Drawstring. It has a drawstring on the bottom to tighten around your waist. This keeps it from rising up on you and keeps water out if you are using it for water sports.
5.  Its light. I don’t know the exact weight, but for what it is, its pretty darn light.
6.  Pockets. Chest pocket and back pocket. Both zippered. Who doesn’t like pockets.
7.  Made in the USA. Nuff said.

Ranger Review: Beyond Clothing Brokk Shirt at Timber Creek Campground, RMNP

We went to RMNP for the weekend to Camp. We stayed on the West Side of the park which we have never been. It was a first come first serve campground and we were able to get a spot! The first night we could hear the elk bugling and saw tons of mule deer and cow elk. the first morning my husband and kiddos saw a bull moose in the campground. There are tons of trails near and around where we camped and the campground was located right next to the Colorado River so easy access for fishing. we saw several more moose throughout the weekend. we will definitely go back and camp at this Campground. only drawback is that there are no showers available at the Campground. they do have running water and a place to wash your Camp dishes and flushing toilets. the camp ground for my understanding is open year-round but only 10 spots during off-season. there was a recent Beetle problem so all the trees have been cut down so very little shade is available for the majority of the campground.

Wildlife Everywhere 

This campground on the west side of Rocky Mountain NP is a great base for touring the entire park. And you'll most likely see a herd of elk behind the campground because the Colorado headwaters are right out back. Elk wandered through the campground in the early evening. The west side of RMNP is less crowded and has many opportunities for close views of wildlife. You still need to get up early...for wildlife and to beat the crowds.

Our site 30 was nothing special but there weren't many sites available at 8 am. Getting there early is good, but sometimes too early works against you because you're not sure who's leaving. I don't like to bother people by looking at the permit on their post unless there aren't any open sites or if they look like they're packing.

Campsite observations

- No reservations so checking in early is a necessity in July.

- The walkin tent only clusters are what I liked most although I'm not tent canping anymore.

- Most sites are back in, but there are some pull through. Some back ins are very short and seem to be designed for a vehicle with a tent. A few double wide back ins accommodate a vehicle and trailer.

- Scattered food storage lockers are more prevalent in clustered tent areas.

One of the best and fairly close attractions on the west side of RMNP is the hike to Cascade Falls in Grand Lake. It's just under 7 miles roundtrip and not difficult. We saw moose 4 times. Two bulls were in a meadow less than one mile in, but you should go all the way to the falls. It's beautiful! There are lots of great hikes with wildlife potential on the west side. The Kauweneeche Trail Guide that's available at the Visitor Center has more info than the standard RMNP brochure and newspaper you get when you enter the park.

If you need a shower, Elk View RV in Grand Lake offers extremely clean, private shower rooms with a dressing area from 1 to 3 pm for $7. The people in the office were so nice, and they let us in outside of those hours.

Stay on the less crowded side of RMNP, but get up early for wildlife and  

A small first come first serve campground, but not very busy. There were many spots open around 10 am in late May. There isn’t many trees though to provide shade. Nice clean bathrooms as well.

Great small campground!

Great views! Basic sites. No electricity. Nice sized pads for tents. Marked disabled sites, which is nice for those that need easy access to bathrooms.

Nothing fancy.  Basic amenities

No electricity. Nice sand pads for tents. Marked disabled sites.

Nothing fancy.  Nice views

When I was a teenager, my family came here every year. The trout fishing was always great, wildlife viewing fantastic, and stargazing doesn't get much better. The beetles damaged many trees, causing a safty issue: no one wants a tree falling on their tent or camper at 4 a.m., so all of the mature trees in the campgroud were taken out a few years ago. Bathrooms are available within easy walking distance of each camping area. Showers are not available here, but there is a place in nearby Grand Lake that offers pay showers (always clean in my experience, as well as other reviews I have read) Bear-proof lockers are available. It is highly recommended you use them. Make sure you take the trail out the back of the campground to the nearby Holzwarth Ranch (Also known as Never Summer Ranch) If you're lazy, you can drive, it isn't far. Lots of great hiking trails, and it is quite near Grand Lake if you need to replenish supplies.

It has been years...

Spacious, friendly staff, friendly visitors, beautiful sites from your tent area, beautiful drive to get there, just all around the most perfect camp site I’ve been too. (A bit cold at night so bring blankets!)

Perfect!

This is an awesome campground after finishing trail ridge road. 
There were lots of elk near our campsite. 
Fires are allowed &amp; pets are also welcome. The bathrooms were super clean &amp; there are washing sinks outside of the bathrooms for dishes, etc. 

Awesome campground. 

One of the most amazing campgrounds I’ve ever been to! Wildlife everywhere! Sites were close together but very well maintained, very nice bathrooms. Will definitely come back here!

STAY HERE!

Timber Creek is set down in the valley just off of Trail Ridge Road near Grand Lake, CO. The smell of campfire smoke fills the air. Campsites are very well maintained and all have fire rings.

Great laid back campground

It’s amazing because you’re in RMNP but the campground itself is nothing special.  It’s efficient, easy to find, right off HWY 34, bathrooms not a far walk.  The views are great of course because, again, it’s in RMNP.  If it weren’t in RMNP it probably would get at least 1 or 2 less stars.  It’s not a campground to go and stay at but one to go and sleep at in between adventures in RMNP.  I will say it’s right by the headwaters of the Colorado River, which is more like a large stream at that point, and there were people going fly fishing so that me another reason to camp at this campground. 

It’ll do

Overall this was my favorite campground of the trip. Herds of elk passed right through the campground. Also had blacktail deer and a moose. If you’re looking for a PEACEFUL quiet campground, the west side of the park is the way to go. Also right along a river!

lots of wildlife

Basic restrooms and facilities but the views make this place 10 stars! At night there were elk everywhere.

Beautiful location!

Great location, great sites, but a little cramped. However the generators were loud and took away from the experience of being in nature. Loved seeing the elk that came into the campground early mornings.

Amazing. 

Very near for a really nice walk along the Colorado River. 

Amazing Site. 

Beautiful campground on the west Rockies. We even saw two moose! No showers, but clean bathrooms. 

Great west Rockies campground

The pros seem to be that it’s on the back side of the park so not as many people or traffic. Gorgeous views. Bathrooms were in great shape.  

My one and only con is that it is close to the road so you hear every single car that drives by regardless of the time. 

Aside from that the campground was just perfect. Plenty of parking for everyone even if you do have to hike (like at most 50 ft) to your actual site. 

Loved this camp site

Has it all. Trails nice staff.  Great views 

Fantastic views 

Grand lake side is so much more sane than the Estes Park side. This campground is no exception. There's a bit of road noise from trail ridge road traffic but we didn't think it was too bad. Views are great. Lots of wildlife sightings including 6 moose! Only concern is that whoever was last  in the campsite right next to us must have spilled something that the elk really liked because there were 3-4 elk in the campsite next us the whole trip at all hours of the day licking the dirt at the campsite. Not even the park rangers could pull them away. The elk never bothered us but it was a bit nerve racking in the moment because elk are still huge wild animals that can ruin your day in a hurry if they wanted to. Fortunately they never did but it put us a little on edge. Amazing campground otherwise

So Much Better Than Estes 

Went for this over some of the more expensive campsites. Wouldn’t have been as bad if we didn’t get covered in about 6 inches of snow during tent setup (late May). That’s our fault but still, it’s a really far drive from any of the main parts of the park and don’t expect any cell service whatsoever.

Get What You Pay For

Not a spectacular campground, but it is in the RMNP and that makes it special. Sites are only modestly separated. Young pines are starting to provide separation between sites. A few more years and this will be very nice. Flat campground. Near US34 so during day there is road noise. All night we heard elk bugling. Nice. Restroom is rustic and functional with dish washing sink. All sites have tent pads. Overall a good place to start or end a trip to the park. 

In the park

My wife and I camped on a 19.7 sprinter van last year. We loved it so much that we are returning this year. 

RV allowed up to 30 feet

Wonderful place. Moose in campground, and elk calling at night.

Great quite place with moose and Elk

Loved this campground in Rocky Mountain NP! Full of new growth pine trees. Elk wondered through on some days. Depending on site, lots of privacy. Not for big rigs, but perfect for vans, tents and smaller trailers. Bathrooms clean, flush toilets. Only drawback to this stay - the dump station was already closed down for the season. Water was available. We found a dump station down the road in Stillwater Recreational area. 

Beautiful campground

$35/night. What a wonderful place to camp under the stars. One of the cleanest NP campgrounds I’ve come across. Closed until May 2025.

Seasonal CG in The Rockies

We're the type of travelers who intentionally seek out underrated places/hidden gems and lesser-visited spots, even in tourist hotspots. That's exactly why we loved Timber Creek CG. It's on the (much) quieter west end, near Grand Lake and a good distance from all of RMNP's most popular sites. In our opinion, that makes for a much nicer, more tranquil camping experience - and evidently the elk agree, because this campground is a hub of elk activity! The video I attached is from the campground just after sunrise, and we saw and heard tons of other elk as well. If you drive this end of Trail Ridge Road at dusk or dawn, you'll see loads of them too (stop and walk around and bit at some of the viewpoints/pullouts). They're supposed to be great for moose, too, but we personally didn't see any.

  

We stayed one night each in sites 50 and 17, and both were great. Facilities are basic but clean and sufficient, and fairly close to every site. This is a very popular national park, so while you won't have any real privacy, we did feel like the sites were positioned thoughtfully, so that everyone sort of faces a slightly different way. Highly recommend!

The quieter side of RMNP

Nice views of the never summer mountains. The bathrooms have lights on all night long and with flush toilets and air dryers it was a bit noisy. Sites close together, was hoping for a bit more space. Road noise, but quoted down by the evening. 

Just okay

Tent campers. We've been here 2 years in a row, both times in June. I gave four stars because to get 5 from me it has to be truly spectacular. Location is good, sites are relatively small but ample. Tent pads are a standard size for NPs I guess, but my son and I have 2 one man tents that just barely fit on it. No BD. Restrooms have running water, so that's a plus. Bear security is a must here. Overall, campground is stocked and generally tidy, staff helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. It's not the parks fault, and I don't count it as part of the review but both visits we have had rain every day around 5-8 PM, temps in mid 40s at night, mornings are stunningly perfect usually (8 nights total experience). 

It's not bad, but...

Beautiful views all around and elk/deer all over. The river is close by and the star viewing was amazing. Quiet campground even being full every night we were there. Campsite and bathrooms were clean and each spot had shared bear lockers for storing food. Bring bug spray, mosquitoes are horrible. 

Photos of Timber Creek Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

Real photos from real campers