Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake, near Estes Park, Colorado, is a solid choice for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors with a few comforts. This campground offers a mix of tent sites, RV spots, and even glamping options, making it accessible for various camping styles.

You'll find clean facilities here, including well-maintained bathrooms and showers, which visitors appreciate. The camp store is stocked with essentials like firewood and ice, and there's a small pool for the kids to splash around in. As one camper noted, “Amazing staff and incredibly well run RV park with a big campground for tents as well.”

The location is a big draw, with easy access to Rocky Mountain National Park and downtown Estes Park. Many campers have enjoyed spotting elk wandering right into the campground, adding a touch of wildlife magic to your stay. Just keep in mind that while the sites are spacious, some can feel a bit close together, especially for larger rigs.

If you're looking for a family-friendly spot with a friendly vibe, this campground fits the bill. With its combination of amenities and proximity to stunning natural beauty, it’s a great base for your Colorado adventures.

This campground with 89 RV sites and 28 tent sites is the perfect destination for all types of camping enthusiasts from retired big riggers to families who enjoy the simple comforts of tent camping.

Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake

Estes Park is the gateway to Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Expect long entrance lines heading through Estes Park into Rocky Mountain but know that your campsites will be worth it.

Obviously, the best camping near Estes Park is in Rocky Mountain National Park. RV and tent camping spots go quickly in Rocky Mountain, especially in peak season, so get your reservations well in advance. If you can’t get a spot in one of the park’s campgrounds, you can utilize ample Forest Service land on the other side of Estes Park. If you’re looking for something a bit less trafficked, head towards Pinewood Springs, CO, and climb any of the numerous mountains on the way.

Estes Park

Estes Park, CO is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Estes Park campgrounds just for you. Discover great camping spots near Estes Park, reviewed by campers like you.

The Best Camping Near Estes Park, Colorado

Stayed at site M85.  Very private site - best in the campground!  Gravel tent pad tucked into the trees, but very close to the bathroom facilities.  A doe and 2 fawns were our guests for the entire evening.  Campground had nice bear canisters to store food so we didn’t have to worry about how to store it.

Great camping option near Estes Park, CO

Super friendly staff, pool is small but nice, campground is very well keept and clean, bathroom's are super clean! You do have to pay $2 for a shower but there's excellent water pressure and it was HOT! Campground is handy cap accessible!  Playground was newer and well maintained Will definitely stay there again!

Awesome !!!

It was a nice campground within a short distance of Estes Park but sites were really crammed in there.  We were right on top of our neighbors.  It was clean and well maintained.  

Nice location but a little cramped

Very nice campground, but jam packed on a holiday weekend. The staff were so very nice and helpful. The shower facilities were very clean and maintained. This camp is close to Longs Peak and the Twin Sisters trailhead a, only about 5 or so miles away from this campground. 

close to Longs Peak

The campground itself is too busy for my liking but it is well run and clean.  Seems like they tried to cram too many sites into the amount of land they have.

It is however fairly centralized to a lot of neat areas.  Great as a basecamp to work out of.

Even though it is often crowded, there is a lot of wildlife to be found nearby.  Moose everywhere!

Convenient location

Fond memories from childhood, lots of amenities but lacks wildness. Rocky Mountain National Park is amazing though. Pictures are from a snowy day last winter.

Crowded and Not Very Wild

We visited Rocky Mountain National Park with friends over Memorial Day Weekend, so we knew we’d need advanced reservations and plenty of space. Since there was construction going on at the national park campgrounds and none were available, we found Mary’s Lake to be a great alternative to take our chances at camping in the park.

Camping in Estes Park gave us the best of both worlds -- we had access to great restaurants and amenities, but were just a quick drive from the national park.

Even though we had reservations, we were able to select our campsites upon arrival. There were two sites located up and away from the rest that were perfect for our group of eight. We felt like we were separated from the other cramped sites, enough to drink and play games around the campfire and not feel like we were bothering other campers.

During our time in Rocky Mountain, even though we visited in snowy May, we were able to hike in the Bear Lake area, drive the Trail Ridge Road, and hike in the Wild Basin area to the south.

You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: [Switchback Kids (Rocky Mountain)](http://switchbackkids.com/rocky-mountain/)

Good alternative to national park camping

This campground was perfect for our family of six! The site was kept very clean and was very accessible to trails.

Clean and quiet

Perfect spot for easy access to Rocky Mountain and close to town to take advantage of shops, bars, and restaurants. Bring quarters for the showers and laundry.

Great spot

It is across from the lake but worked good for us when we could not get into Estes Staye Park because it was full.

We loved the hidden campsite we had.  Could see no one else.

Very nice campground. Great starting point for visiting Rocky Mountain national park. 

There’s a pool

Great place for kids and pets. Playground , pool, and nicely stocked camp store. Not a ton of shade so, it gets hot at 2:00 p.m.  It is right off the road so some traffic noise. Great staff on hand as well! 

Amenities Amenities 

Great staff and great people!! Big area and right across the road from the Lake so easy walk. Has super clean bathroom showers and facilities. Cute very well stocked store with anything you might need from tons of camping gear to OTC medicines, clean laundry room, clean outdoor pool, free outdoor large hot water sink areas to wash dishes and such. Nice safe playground and relaxing pool. No WI-FI signal at all but some cell services (Verizon). Staff quickly Clean open camp sites scooping fire pits, washed down picnic tables and even picked up teeny tiny trash in the grass and bushes! Many sites have little to no shade so really hot during daytime. Site #135 is nice with good shade. It is a busy place so you must make reservations in advance!!

Mary's Lake Estes Park, CO

The staff at the campground are the best around. The sites seem somewhat level but I was not so lucky. Needed alot of leveled to get the stability in the camper. All of the spots are very close to your neighbors. Parking is not the best either as we had to move our camper into a tight spot while navigating around someone's truck as it was partially in out spot. Water service is great. Cell service is iffy but its camping. They have a game delivery service where they will deliver corn hole boards to your site free of charge. Firewood delivery and the price reasonable. Crystal clear pool although its filled with kids. Very close to town and RMNP. No more than a 10 minute drive.

Great Location Nestled in Estes Park 

We had planned a two-night stay at Mary's Lake, but for various reasons we cut it to one night. Here's the story...

EP Campground at Mary's Lake is in a good spot, just far enough from the taffy shops and tourist traps of Estes Park. The staff were nice and welcoming, but the park itself just doesn't measure up.

It's pretty much just a big gravel parking lot, with sites packed in along various loops and paths. There are hardly any trees where we were, so we were completely exposed to the wicked winds. The picnic table at our site was a nice thought, but when your view is of a gravel parking lot, sitting at the table just doesn't hold much appeal.

The bathrooms are nice and clean, but the showers are coin-operated. Now, I don't mind paying for a good shower, but when you're already paying forty-five bucks a night, throwing eight quarters into a machine for six minutes (if that) of hot water seems a bit like robbery. There's a sign that says you can add a quarter for 30 additional seconds but you have to do it before the six minutes is up. um, I don't wear a watch in the shower.

If all you're looking for is a parking lot with hookups to stow your RV while you explore the park, this place might work for you. But when we're done hiking for the day, we like a place that has some amount of charm, and sadly Mary's Lake doesn't deliver.

Booked two nights, only stayed one

RMNP was all full so we ended up here. Great spot close to town and the park entrance. Showers and bathrooms are super clean and the staff is very nice. It is a bit open in spots, but there are some nice site options. If you are just tenting it, I highly recommend site 135. A little pricy though, so 4 stars instead of 5.

If you can’t stay in RMNP this is a great option

This campground was pretty ok. If you don’t have a mattress pad watch out though because some of the sites have very rocky tent pads. Some sites have raise platforms with a sand pit in the center, which is obviously way more comfortable. The showers are clean and fine. The camp store has everything you need.

The campsite doesn’t give you the feeling of being “camping” it has more of an RV park feel but it did the trick if you’re looking to stay near the national park but not in a hotel

Nice place

Packed with rv’s and campers and large groups of people

Very busy

There is no shade here.
It would probably be ok in fall or spring, but in July it’s hot!
The shower/bathroom facilities are clean.
The sites are level.
And it is close to Rocky Mountain NP.
There is a small store.
Plus, there are Mountain Views.

No shade 

This was a very nice, clean campground with lots of amenities. We stayed in a tent site and all tent sites have a fire ring, table and bear box. The bathrooms and showers were very clean and well maintained. Our site was on the very edge of the campground so we had some great views and saw plenty of deer and an elk. 

  

The one criticism is their very strict 2 tent max policy. We had a group of 5 people (under the 6 person max) and set up our three 2-person tents but were told to take one down. We didn't understand why we couldn't have three tents since we were under the 6-person maximum. There were sites with a single tent that was much larger than our three small tents combined!

Nice family campground with strict rules

The views are beautiful, the facilities were very clean. Frequent wildlife visits. There’s access to a small playground for kids. The pool looked nice, the lake is right across the road. Overall a good campsite. The location is nice but there is still highway traffic and also some houses around, not completely “away from it all” but still very beautiful views of the mountains with great amenities. I’d visit again.

Great family camping 

Very nice campground and clean facilities (note: you must pay to shower)! Woke up to elk outside of the tent! Such a cool experience. The campsite is close to town, which is very nice too! 

Awesome Campground!

Close to town and RMNP. Beautiful views. Elk in the area. Clean showers/bathrooms, though have to pay for showers. Propane fill on site. Small store. Have stayed there twice. 

Close to RMNP

The campgrounds are well maintained and the staff are all helpful and friendly.  The restrooms were clean, well maintained and showers were also available.  The campgrounds are pricey and we ended up paying $50/night with a one car restriction.  Due to the location, strong winds frequent the area.  

Beautiful but expensive

We’ve stayed here 5 times because of the great view and competitive rates. $67 including all taxes and fees. Sites are much further apart than the other 4 parks in Estes. 

Bereua of Reclamation owned

Sites are a bit close together but provide a decent space. Full hookups and tent camping available. Sites are level on gravel and there is a fire ring and picnic table on concrete slab. Must be bear aware and there will be dear and possibly elk walking across the campground. Breathtaking views and sunrises. Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park all there! 

Exceptional Camping in an exceptional place!

Perfect 

This was a great campground! RV and tent options. Bear boxes are provided. Water. Trash. Great bathhouse with showers and toilets and sinks and countertops. A dishes sink in the back was a plus, too. Sites are roomy enough for a popular city near the crazy popular Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). Considering the location and the amenities and well-kept grounds, I think it was fairly priced. We had site 91. We saw mule deer walk through right in front of our site early in the morning. We also saw a rough-legged-hawk swoop down and snatch up a shrew for breakfast right behind our site! Check out Mary’s Lake across the street from the campground and make time to drive further into Estes Park to enjoy some awesome dining, shopping, etc. We enjoyed a 3.75 walk around Estes Lake. It’s a beautiful loop that circles the entire lake, it’s paved and marked with distance markers and various info signs. You can see the famous Stanley Hotel on the hillside from the walk around Estes Lake (The famous hotel from the movie The Shining.) If you plan to go to the RMNP, reserve an entry time slot in advance! We missed that Covid19-impacted detail and couldn’t get into the park. Consider taking a drive on the Peak to Peak scenic byway. It was lovely with lots of stops if you have time... there’s a little shop at the campground main office with tons of gear and touristy stuff to buy. They also offered propane refills. The store even had masks if you forget one during the mask mandate. Fires were not currently allowed due to a statewide fire ban. 

Great campground and location!

First come, first serve. Got there around 6 and we found a great spot (site M74) that was not super close to anyone else and had beautiful views of the mountains. Very well maintained campground 7 minutes to the Rocky Mountains, but basically in the city.

Beautiful views

So this isn’t a campsite.....when I booked this after out long trip we thought it was a full on campsite, but it wasn’t. It was a rv park. There’s not a hiking trail or anything you would think of when thinking “campsite”. I don’t want to make it sound like it was awful, it wasn’t that. We camped in site 112 and it was nice cause it was more spaced out and we were on top of everyone. We were also next to a horseshoe pit so I could teach my kids. :) We also had some visitors. 

Nice but not what we thought 

Very clean and well maintained campground. Price is good compared to other campgrounds near by.  A couple down falls, no shade trees for Rv full hookup sites and lower sites are alittle crowded when filled up. 

Excellent Location close to Estes Park 

Well organized and run camp.   Clean facilities including heated pool.  Relatively quiet with low road noise.   We're we stayed was in rv pull though spot that were lined up with no trees,  but there were well spaced tents spots as well.  

Clean well organized and quiet. But bring shade

While some of the spaces are really close together, it still doesn’t feel cramped. The store is excellent, there is a trail right at the far side of the campground. The bathhouses are nicer than my bathroom at home and you’re so close to RMNP you can practically hear the moose bellow. 

The best campground I’ve seen 

With no traffic, it’s only about 6 minutes from the park entrance. There certainly is a lot to do here and I appreciate the bear boxes at each site. Very well maintained. My only complaint would be the cost (which I’m sure is the going rate around here) and the $2 coin operated showers. They have a coin exchanger on-site, but it certainly seems like a way to nickel &amp; dime you, quite literally. But I have enjoyed my stay and my time at Rocky Mountain National Park!

Pricy But Great Spot!

We Boon dockers, the site in the area were totally full. We had to get an auto part and was told of this campsite. I drove here and asked. Jerry was very nice and gave us a place for two nights. We were in the park where there are no hook up. We have solar and water so no big deal. Great views, staff was more than helpful. Recommended.

Close to park with opening available 

Great place to camp and enjoy Estes Park and RMNP. Very clean. Well laid out and views of the surrounding peaks. Not roughing it but quiet convenient and worth a visit.

We spent two nights here right before the 4th of July. The campground is very family friendly and my kids enjoyed the playground and the pool. This is not a good choice if you are looking to get out into nature though as you are camping basically right next to a fairly busy road. It was great for us though as we are still new to camping with kids and its nice to have everything you need right at the campsite.

Great camping spot for family's but not very private

First of all, I was greeted by 4 mule deer as soon as I pulled into my campsite, so that was cool. I’ve been traveling solo with my dog, and this place was just the peace and quiet that I was looking for. Friendly hosts, bear boxes for storage, clean bathrooms, enough space between tents, and beautiful views of the Rockies all around. My site was very close to the road which I briefly worried about, but everything was totally silent at night. For a solo female traveler, I think this place was worth the money. I hope to visit again! 

Peaceful!

Really nice place. Pay showers which are very clean. Spots are a decent size

Great 

Amazing staff and incredibly well run RV park with a big campground for tents as well. A one stop shop for all. 
Laundry, full hook ups, and elk in campground.
We saw over 100 elk in RMNP.
Lake Mary itself is not amazing, but since RMNP is just 15 minutes away, all is well.
Estes has everything- lots of tourists and shops for tourists. Tons of fishing in and out of the park.
Biggest grocery is a Safeway with best gas prices as well.
$60 a night for full hook ups


Known for the cleanest bathrooms in town

We enjoyed the easy access to the Rocky Mountain National Park and downtown Estes from Eastes Park at Mary's Lake. We even shared a quick walking tour in one of our videos: https://youtu.be/M-oUxILIC3k?t=832  
  
Clean, propane and firewood available, and a nice little pool. The highlight was seeing Elk walk right into camp!   
  
Affordible for the area we would stay again.

Affordable for the area and easy access to RMNP!

We had a terrible experience with this campsite. We have been camping for last 10 years, this place has been the worst so far. From the first day we camped till the last day, our camping experience was ruined. I understand there are policies and rules but the staff did not want to hear any of our genuine reasons. No matter how much we tried from our end, they would always cite the littlest thing that we were doing that was violating their policies. Not a great set of memory to take back- I do hope they are better and more open/welcoming to other guests and respectful of their experiences. As for me and my group, we will definitely not camp here again!!

Terrible experience

Friendly hosts, clean bathrooms with hot pay showers which are $2 for 6 minutes. Some trees with partial shade. Nice spacing between sites unless you are a big rig and those are closer together. Well stocked camp store with ice, wood, laundry and all the essentials, and pool for the kids. It gets windy in the afternoon so might want to skip the awning/canopy. It is close to a road but never heard it at night. 

Clean, quiet and peaceful   

Clinging to the side of the mountain, each well appointed site fits the camper's needs, from basic tent pads up to full water and electric connections for RVs.
Common bathroom, shower, dish and clothes washing facilities centrally located, clean and well maintained.
Sites are spread out a bit if also a little small. Every day I had mule deer visiters.
I would definitely stay here again.

Photos of Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake

Real photos from real campers