Best Tent Camping near Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG, CO

Glen Echo is an exceptional one-stop Poudre Canyon camping experience.   While they do offer large and small cabins, long and short term RV spots, we tent camped for two nights on two different riverside sites - numbers 1 and 6 - and both were awesome!  Both spots offered amazing rushing water views, a nice mixture of sun and shade, picnic tables, and fire rings.  One of the spots - site 1 - had electric hook-up.  Aside from the great tent sites, they have on-site a general store/market, fuel, a liquor store and restaurant/cafe, which made life super convenient because it's located about mid-way through Poudre Canyon and there's not a lot out there.  Also, clean showers, which was a nice surprise.  Cannot recommend this chill camping destination enough!

This Rocky Mountain National Park campground is fantastic. I tent camped with my husband for 3 nights in Loop B. We saw tents and all sizes of campers many with families. Our tent site included a nice tent pad, picnic table, fire ring, and a shared bear box. The fire ban had been lifted and we could buy fire wood each evening-and ice cream! Clean bathrooms with flush toilets. This campground is very close to a number of trails. We hiked the Sprague Lake Trail. It’s 2 miles round trip and pretty easy. Breathtaking views. If you don’t hike, you can drive all the way to the Trail Ridge gift shop and cafe at the top. This park fills up quickly-amost 3 million visitors a year-so plan to get started early. We love RMNP. We will be back this fall!

This was my first time staying at a KOA campground and I was blown away by the amenities offered here. Upon first pulling up to the campground, I was met by a security checkpoint and was directed to the main office to register and obtain a car pass. The attention to detail and security measures were another surprise to me, as I have always been more accustomed to primitive campgrounds. As previously mentioned, I was astounded by the variety of amenities offered to guests including wifi, a pool, mini golf, a massive playground, arcade, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits and more. This all in addition to the usual premium campground amenities such as showers, laundry facilities, RV dump station, camp sinks, an office store with basic goods and snacks, etc. 

This campground is super family friendly and seems to be much more focused on offering RV sites and cabin type lodging. As I am a tent camper, my review will be focused on what is offered for those at a tent site. There are 5 tent sites, which are only available from May 1stto September 30th. The sites are rather close together but in a lovely location right along the lake. The sites cost $45/night on week days and $50/night on weekends for one or two people with a single vehicle, additional guests cost $10/night, additional car $5/night and fire ring rentals are $5/night. Tent sites include a parking spot, a raised and level tent platform, picnic table and grill. Open fires, hammocks and clotheslines are not allowed even at the tent sites. 

Overall, this campground provides a very family oriented environment with luxurious amenities. This campground would be a great option for those wanting a camping experience without having to “rough it” whatsoever. The RV sites and cabin lodging also provide unique options for those not wanting to sleep in a tent. The price for tent camping seemed a bit steep for me, but made sense considering all of the facilities offered. The location just outside of Fort Collins provides easy access to town while still allowing for a more rural experience.

I stayed here in 2016 on a bicycle tour across America. It featured some fantastic views of the nearby lake and mountains and had very clean facilities. Only problem, from a camping in a tent perspective, is due to its location if a storm rolls in the wind can really hit from every angle. Otherwise the price is very reasonable.

When traveling in this area and looking to explore Rocky Mountain National Park or the surrounding areas finding camping ahead of time is very important. During summer months campground fill quickly and overflow camps like this become your backup plan which sometimes can be difficult to squeeze into last minute. 

From May until September this campground opens its doors to the masses for only$12 per night. Clearly a lot less expensive than some of the campgrounds offered in the area, this camp is quite appealing for those who wish to find inexpensive camping and can enjoy their time in nature without all the frills of an improved campground. This campground is first come first serve which is very important to know if you are wanting to stay in the area and will be arriving later in the day or near a weekend. 

When I visited the season had just opened, literally the day of and there was no one on a weekday at the campground early in the day. I took a stroll around the campground and noticed there is an honor box for paying camp fees and that rangers were in the area driving through the various properties placing kiosk signage up and checking sites. 

This campground offers no running water for those camping here. There are toilets but they are primitive and non-flushing. The sites looked comfortable and like they would be great for camping in a tent or mid-sized RV however they could become a little cramped if visiting in larger units. 

The floor of the campground is blanketed with pine needles which give a fragrant welcome. 

Each campsite has a picnic table and bear box on the site in addition to a fire ring with a small grill on top. You are encouraged to bring your own fire wood and not collect the fallen and absolutely cannot cut firewood in this area. 

Just across from the campground is a pull off and picnic area for Roosevelt National Park which does not offer camping but does have additional areas for hiking and enjoying the nature of the area. There is also another restroom in this area. 

One of the things I found to be very helpful about this campground for controlling traffic and also for accommodating groups was the placement of a few larger sites with additional parking toward the front of the campground. I noticed when I pulled in that in the front portion of the loop there were wider areas which made navigating a bit easier for RVs and also near the dumpsters in this area there seemed to be additional parking. Again during the first part of the season with no traffic passing through this might have been deceiving but it looked to be a great option. 

TIPS: 

• Check out Lucy Lake and the Camp Church in the area. The lake is an amazing location to see some of the picturesque views of Long’s Peak and hike without having to actually go into the park. The church is an actual Catholic Church build originally for a summer camp, its unique design and location are worth a pull off. 
• Bring everything you might need with you. The closest store is more than 15 miles away so you will not be able to pick up last minute supplies without running into the larger community. Make sure you bring plenty of water for everyone and anything you might need for your stay. 
• Check the reports for the area before you tent camp. This area has bear and upon occasion they have a few rogue bears visiting camps. You can find information in advance by checking out tourism centers in Estes Park or by looking at the Rocky Mountain National Park site.

We went into the office and asked if there was tent site available and they said."Yes!" We got a nice tent site in the corner of the park. We were close to the showers and bathroom. There are laundry facilities and free wifi. It was a little spendy, but worth it.

We needed a stop on the way out of Colorado and grabbed a quick night here in a tent site. Water was off for weather but stoves made much needed coffee in the cold.

I checked in. The wind was blowing. Too cold for tent camping. Will be back. 🎃

Great tent camping nice space. Beautiful area! The camp host was very nice made us feel welcome.

I tent camped at Ranger Lakes. I was the only one tent camping among all the RV’s. I didn’t mind that the spaces were visible from each other since I was camping alone. The pads were very spacious and flat. The lakes are very pretty and are a short walk from the campground. The trails around the lakes were nice to walk around. I wish there were facilities since there really aren’t any within most of the campgrounds of State Forest State Park. But Ranger Lakes is just a short drive from Cameron Pass as well as several beautiful trails. I’d definitely stay here again.

Nice site. Reasonably clean and flat. Electrical hookup didn't work, but I was tent camping so I didn't mind. Water was great and easily accessible.

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!

The main building has a little of everything you need - from camping supplies to s'more making supplies. The tent camping sites are kind of close to one another, but you get your picnic table and fire ring.

When visiting Estes Park if you are wanting to be close to all the action the KOA of Estes Park is the place to be.    Offering a midsized tent section, a large close together RV section and several cabins to provide the perfect retreat for those visiting the location is within walking distance of the lake and within a short drive of some of the best attractions of the area including the Stanley Hotel, hiking at Lily Lake or Long’s Peak and the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park.   

I found this campground to be well organized, although it was less remote and did not feel like as much of a mountain retreat as many of the outlying camps of the area.     The tent area seemed a bit less bustling than the RV section as there was a bit of green space versus the sandy and clay landscape of the RV and cabin area.   

Something that really drew me into this campground was the deck spaces which offered elevated viewing of the surrounding.   It was a really interesting component which allows you to see a much larger range than the camp itself and created a unique setting for enjoying the mountain breeze on a hot day or gave a nice view of the stars at night.

This location epitomizes the idea of KOA campgrounds offering elevated services such as WIFI, Cable TV connections and a dog park.     In addition there is a store which offers a variety of items including propane and firewood.

Since I am a tent camper I really wanted to explore more of the tent area than other areas of the park.  I noticed they had both water and electric sites and electric only sites.    Each of these accommodate up to 6 people, although I would say that would make me feel a bit to crowded.     The tent camps also allow small vans or pop ups in this area.   

But here is the BIG KICKER…. The Price!!

Staying in Estes Park and being so close to everything comes at a HUGE price point.   To have all the amazing amenities you will pay $53 or $58 for a tent site.    To me this is WAY above budget and while it is a prime location the price point is not within reason for me personally.    You can stay inside Rocky Mountain National Park at a price point that is half that of this park.   You are paying here to be in the community for sure and have the access to the local shops and restaurants.   

One special feature that comes along with staying in the area but is not included in the price is one of the best features, the wildlife!    It is known that the most likely reason for a traffic jam in Estes Park comes from the elk and Moose in the area randomly hanging out in public spaces.    It is not uncommon for them to roam into camp and make their presence known grazing around on any green space they can find.   A stay here is a chance with an encounter of something which cannot be purchased in a price point.

Second time staying here. Tent camping and a rooftop tent. We stayed on the north causeway. We had the peninsula spot which was the best spot in that area. Beautiful lake and wildlife. Wish I had fishing gear with me. The staff keep this park clean. Thank you to them! Will be back.

Tent camped on a weekday. Walk-to site was well spaced from other sites and had some nice shade. Pit toilet could have been cleaner. A rowdy rv party was noisy in the day but calmed down at night. Could see it being noisy on the weekend

The park is in Rocky Mountain National Park and it is great.  There is tons of wildlife - Elk, Mule Deer, chipmunks, wild birds of all kinds.  

We stayed in a tent site but there are RV sites as well.