Best Tent Camping near Estes Park, CO

Tent campgrounds near Estes Park, Colorado range from established sites in Rocky Mountain National Park to dispersed camping areas in nearby national forests. Longs Peak Campground offers tent camping within the national park from May through November, with toilet facilities and trash collection but no fires allowed. Allenspark Dispersed Camping provides free tent sites about 10 miles south of Estes Park, with more primitive conditions but greater flexibility for campers seeking solitude.

Most tent sites in the area require proper food storage due to wildlife activity, with bear boxes available at established campgrounds like Hermits Hollow. Many primitive tent camping areas have fire rings but lack other amenities, requiring campers to pack in water and pack out waste. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for accessing dispersed camping areas, particularly at Allenspark and Gordon Gulch where rough dirt roads lead to remote tent sites. A camper described how "the sites are nice right next to a creek, with very few mosquitos" at Buckingham Campground, though they noted the need for careful driving on the access road.

Areas farther from town typically offer deeper seclusion with fewer crowds. Upper Chipmunk Backcountry Campsite in Rocky Mountain National Park provides designated wilderness tent sites that require advance permits but reward hikers with pristine mountain settings. "The site itself was spotless and free of any trash. The views from the site were limited by the trees, but the nearby scenic lakes offer plenty of panoramic views," noted one visitor. Primitive tent camping areas generally remain open later into fall, though unpredictable mountain weather can bring early snow by October. Forest Service land surrounding Estes Park allows dispersed tent camping with seasonal fire restrictions that vary based on conditions, typically requiring campers to stay at least 100 feet from water sources and use existing fire rings when fires are permitted.

Best Tent Sites Near Estes Park, Colorado (81)

    1. Hermits Hollow Campground — Hermit Park

    25 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 577-2090

    $35 / night

    "Best place to camp in Estes Park/Northern Colorado! Wooded sites mean privacy from your neighbors and shade during the day. Vault toilets are very clean, well kept."

    "Very conveniently located, only a short drive into Estes Park. Lots of trails for hiking and biking in the park. Each campsite had a bear box, picnic table, and fire ring."

    2. Allenspark Dispersed Camping

    28 Reviews
    Allenspark, CO
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 295-6600

    "Only 30 minutes away from Estes Park. The only downside to it was that there was absolutely no service whatever."

    "Our spot was near the creek, the sound was beautiful. The only downside was absolutely no cell service."

    3. Longs Peak Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

    14 Reviews
    Allenspark, CO
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-1206

    "The camp sites near the top of Longs Peak in the Boulderfield are worth the long hike (6 miles up steep terrain)."

    "Amazing hikes and plenty of wildlife. The spaces are small but accommodate an RV or a single tent. Bear boxes and toilets close to everything."

    4. Allenspark Dispersed Camp Spot

    9 Reviews
    Pinewood Springs, CO
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 295-6600

    "Clear skies at night, but tree cover if you prefer. Quick drive to Estes Park. No Verizon cell service."

    "Spacious site with a fire ring. Easy time finding, just follow all the arrows when there is a fork in the road."

    5. Gordon Gulch Dispersed Area

    54 Reviews
    Nederland, CO
    25 miles
    Website

    "So the Gordon Gulch dispersed camping area has around 15 numbered sites that are ok... but if you keep driving further down 233.1 you will find many more unnumbered campsites."

    "Prior campers have left some trash, bullet casings and obviously neglected to dig cat holes. After a quick clean up, the site was fine for my purposes."

    6. Forest Road 119

    7 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    4 miles

    "There are quite a few little spots right off the road that have plenty of space. The road is pretty rough and high clearance is recommended. A Subaru need our help a little bit."

    7. Stillwater Pass Dispersed Campsite

    19 Reviews
    Grand Lake, CO
    21 miles
    Website

    "Site had plenty of space and a good amount was flat. No fire ring, but there was a burn ban anyways. Nice and secluded but could still hear the neighbors a bit but it wasn’t bothersome."

    "there are a number if dispersed campsites on this road. they’re all lovely and pretty spaced out but if you’ve got a rowdy bunch in the spot next to yours you’ll definitely hear them. but the views here"

    8. Upper Chipmunk Backcountry Campsite — Rocky Mountain National Park

    2 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    5 miles
    Website

    $26 / night

    "To get to this campsite, backpackers typically park at the Lawn Lake Trail Head and hike the beautiful Ypsilon Lake trail. The site is located 4.2 miles from the trailhead just past Chipmunk Lake."

    "Strenuous hike to Upper Chipmunk from Lawn Lake TH. Approximately 4.2 miles to the campsite. Water was not close. You will have to hike down to Ypsilon Lake then back up to the site."

    9. Goblin's Forest Goblin's Forest — Rocky Mountain National Park

    3 Reviews
    Allenspark, CO
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-1206

    $35 / night

    "Lots of snow on the trail. Beautiful day. 73 degrees. Bring traction, gators and poles."

    10. Johnny Park Road Camping

    3 Reviews
    Allenspark, CO
    10 miles

    "No water source that I know of."

    "We arrived at around 10pm on a Saturday night and were able to find a spot way back, but it did require AWD. The site was small, but secluded."

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Tent Camping Reviews near Estes Park, CO

2148 Reviews of 81 Estes Park Campgrounds


  • C
    Aug. 2, 2018

    Glacier Basin Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

    Great Campground

    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!

  • Chad K.
    Aug. 3, 2019

    Moraine Park Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

    Great campground

    This campground is in the middle of Rocky Mountain NP. Our site was in loop D. The sites are a little packed but give you enough space to spread out. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring with a shared bear box. The tent pads are level as d have plenty of shade. The bath rooms have no showers and are a little dated but adequate for a national park. It is centrally locates to bear lake and Estes Park. We will be back.

  • Florian J.
    Jul. 5, 2021

    Buckingham Campground

    Great location, sites next to creek, but very busy

    We came here in early July to hike up South and North Arapahoe Peaks (and Diamond Lake for warm-up). The sites are nice right next to a creek, with very few mosquitos. Make sure to stay close to the designated areas (fwiw, Rangers monitor the site). No campfires were allowed and they are no fire rings, so I assume that the fire ban is typical rather than the exception. Bear-proof food storage is provided at each site.

    We made it up the dirt road in our little Honda Fit but that was touch and go at times, and required some careful driving. 99% of the cars at the campground and trailhead were 4x4s. 

    The location is great with plenty of trailheads right next to the campground. But that also means that site is very busy. The trailhead parking fills up as early as 5am. It wasn't much of an issue in terms of loudness, but it does mean that the only two restrooms are also used by hundreds of hikers each day …

    There are no trash bins (i.e., pack out whatever trash you produce), there is no drinking water (except for the creek if you have filters), all sites are walk-in though parking is just a few meters away (one is ADA accessible with parking right next to the site). With Google Fi (Spring) we had no cell reception (we lost signal even prior to the start of the dirt road, so many miles before the campground). Sites are in the shade below trees, and there are picnic tables.

    Overall, I'd visit this place again, just because of the convenient access to amazing trails and scrambles. Trails to Diamond Lake (10km out-and-back) and Arapahoe pass were quite busy, but not unpleasantly so. The trail up to the Arapahoe Peaks (13km out-and-back to South Peak) was *much* less busy though we still saw about 8-10ish groups throughout the day (took us 2:10h up to South Arapahoe Peak, about 30-40 minutes to traverse to North Arapahoe).

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 18, 2021

    Kelly Dahl

    Stark

    Sites:  46   20 sites FCFS

    Reservation:  877-444-6777 or recreation.gov

    Sites that fit tent, trailers, RV's

    Open Mid May - Mid Oct

    Firewood from camp host, picnic table, fire ring/grill, bear box at tent sites, pit toilet, water, trash, no electric, hookups, dump station or showers

    Sites are very small

    Great sightseeing to check out.  Several historic mining towns and some great hiking trails.  Views of the surrounding mountains are totally amazing.

    AT&T and Verizon service but it is spotty.

    The Mountain Pine beetle is decimating the forest and it is so sad to see.  The forest service is working very hard to keep up with the removal of dead trees and it is creating expansive open area.  The plus side of the removal is for solar.  They are also removing the stumps thank goodness.  Be very careful while walking in the forest for falling limbs or trees.

    Directions:  About four miles south of Nederland, Colorado, on Colorado Highway (CO) 119, watch for the entrance to Kelly Dahl Campground on the east side of the highway at mile marker 22.

    LNT

    Better than when you found it

    Stay safe and happy travels

  • Isabelle K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 13, 2018

    Upper Chipmunk Backcountry Campsite — Rocky Mountain National Park

    Amazing backpacking campsite in Rocky Mountain National Park!

    I had the fortune of being invited along on a backpacking trip this past weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park. I say fortune in particular because obtaining Wilderness Permits for popular backpacking destinations can be difficult during the high season of tourism at RMNP. Thankfully, my friend had reserved this permit months in advanced so we were all set for our adventure! 

    To get to this campsite, backpackers typically park at the Lawn Lake Trail Head and hike the beautiful Ypsilon Lake trail. The site is located 4.2 miles from the trailhead just past Chipmunk Lake. The hike is moderately strenuous in my opinion, and is made more difficult with a full backpack of course. The approach to the site is all uphill (2100 feet of elevation gain) but that makes the hike out quite easy as your tired legs will be going downhill the entire way! From the campsite, the hike to Ypsilon Lake isn’t far and makes for a great additional day hike once you’ve set up camp. We also pushed on to the higher Spectacle Lakes, which is a very strenuous hike which requires some scrambling and route finding but 100% worth it. From the top there are amazing views of Long’s Peak, Estes Park and the Spectacle Lakes themselves which have the most magnificently glacial blue water. 

    About the campsites-

    There are two designated sites, we stay at the one on the right. At the site there is a designated space for tents which is relatively flat and free of rocks. There is plenty of shade from the dense surrounding pines. No fires are allowed at this site so a camp stove is necessary for cooking. Bear canisters are required and leave no trace ethics should be strictly followed. I was surprised to find that this site also had access to a privy. The privy itself was decently clean and signs indicated that no toilet paper should be thrown into it, although this rule was clearly not being followed as there was a good bit of trash in the toilet. Overall, the site itself was spotless and free of any trash. The views from the site were limited by the trees, but the nearby scenic lakes offer plenty of panoramic views. This is a great backcountry camp site and a fun backpacking trip overall. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone that enjoys the solitude of backpacking and has the time to obtain the necessary permits! 

    For more info, check out this site specific informational PDF: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/upload/019-Upper-Chipmunk-2017-2.pdf

  • Amanda M.
    Aug. 5, 2018

    East Portal Campground at Estes Park

    GREAT campground right outside Rocky Mountain National Park

    We stayed at Estes Park Campground at East Portal when we visited Rocky Mountain National Park this past July 2018. At first I was disappointed that we could not Moraine Valley or Aspen Grove campgrounds within RMNP, but I am SO GLAD we ended up staying at Estes Park Campground at East Portal! While it is a private campground and is more expensive than a State Park, National Park, Forest Service or BLM campground ($35 for a standard tent site without hookups…it increases with equipment hookups), I think it was well worth the extra money.

    Estes Park Campground at East Portal is a short drive away from both RMNP and the city of Estes Park, so you are nearby everything. The camp hosts were extremely friendly, and shockingly, while there was a fire ban in place inside RMNP and outside the park near the Grand Lake area, campfires WERE allowed at Estes Park Campground at East Portal, so long as they were small and contained within the fire ring (which did have a grate for cooking!). The hosts at Estes Park Campground at East Portal had firewood for sale, and even dropped it off for us at our campsite! They also had ice for sale.

    The sites are not extremely private, but are all surrounded by tall, thin trees. The trees are perfect for hammocks, so if you have a hammock, bring one! Also, the trees would be useful for handing extra tarps if a thunderstorm was to pass through the area; we had tarps and bungee cords and ropes at the ready in case a storm came. We were lucky, a HUGE storm had rolled through the night before we arrived, and another started just as we had finished packing up the car to leave Estes Park.

    Each campsite has a newly build, raised tent pad to set your tent up on - the management is extremely strict that campers MUST place their tents only on the designated tent pad. I did not have a problem with that, as the tent pad is nice and flat, and has some compacted sandy soil which helps keep the dirt out of your tent. The sites are separated by thin logs placed on the ground.

    WARNING: You ARE in bear country, so be bear safe and use the shared bear bins available in the campground! Our party had two adjacent campsites, so we were able to share the shared bear bin amongst just our own party. The neighbor on the other side of us had a bear bin, and it didn’t appear that he had to share his with if his neighbors. Try to lock all of your food and toiletries inside the food locker - they are large, and we have always been able to fit our big cooler into locker. If you do have to leave a cooler in the car, I was once told by a ranger in Yosemite NP that bears can recognize coolers when peering into car windows - he suggested putting put a towel and gear over your coolers when keeping them in the car overnight in bear territory.

    The best part about this campground is that it had hot FREE and clean showers!!!! As a California girl who’s used to the extreme drought conditions, having a hot free shower available was absolute heaven while camping. There was also a big farm sink outside the bathrooms for dish washing and water bladder filling - it was extremely convenient.

    There is only one trash receptacle area in the campground, up towards the entrance near the playground. Even though the campground is fairly small, we were lazy and kept our trash in the cars at night, and dropped it off in the morning when we were headed out to RMNP. There is also a water spigot near the garbage bins - it was a good reminder that we hadn’t filled up our water bladders for a day of hiking.

    Estes Park Campground at East Portal is located at the very end of a road, so it is nice and quiet, without noise pollution from traffic. The campground is only about 20 minutes away from Moraine Park inside RMNP. It was easy to get to and from the NP, where we went each day to hike and search for moose.

    We found moose at Sprague Lake, around dusk! A momma moose and her yearling twins came down from the wooded hills to graze on the water plants growing in the shallow lake. They were pretty unconcerned by the crowd of people watching them, but it’s important to still give them their space, as they are very large, wild animals (ESPECIALLY during mating season, and when a momma is with her young babies). The moose were truly an amazing site to see, nobody in my party from California had ever seen a moose before this trip to Colorado.

    The camp hosts said moose and elk will occasionally make an appearance at the Estes Park Campground at East Portal. We did not see either while at camp, but we frequently deer and fawns running through the woods directly behind the campground.

    WARNING: in the woods behind the campground there is a NO TRESPASSING zone where there are piles of chopped, dead trees - those tree piles contain the remains of the trees that were infected by the pine beetle epidemic that has killed so many trees in the area. The piles will be burned in the winter and should not be touched or disturbed.

    CAMPSITE SPECS

    Fees: $35/night

    Plumbed Toilets: Yes

    Drinking Water: Yes

    Showers: Yes (no coins needed!!)

    Picnic Table: Yes

    Firepit: Yes

    Cooking Grates: Yes

    Shade: Yes

    Cell Service: Yes

    Animal Bins/Food Lockers: Yes (shared)

    Trash: Yes

  • Mike S.
    Oct. 12, 2018

    West Chicago Creek

    Great place to stay, but Mt. Evans is 10 miles away

    I love this place. The campground is full every weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day due to reservations made at recreation.gov up to 6 months and more than 48 hours in advance, and being so close to metro Denver.

    The campground has 16 sites; 4 Walk-In, 1 host and 11 are reservable. Check in after 2:00 and check out by 1:00. If someone has a reservation, like a hotel, their site is held until 1:00 the next day because of the Forest Service rule that the campsite must be occupied the first night and they could have had delays.

    The campground is at 9600’ and the last mile of the dirt road is a bit rough, but I have seen low profile cars and 42’ Class A motor home with a towed vehicle. Well water normally supplies the campground to faucets, but has not been productive the entire 2019 season and there are vault toilets. Each site has its own bear box and fire ring. The creek is less than 100 meters from the campground and fishing this year was poor... water level was low. Lots of great hiking and climbing in the area. About a 40 degree difference between day and night. During the fire ban, dispersed camping is limited to just a few areas so the campground is a great place to stay and you might still be able to have a fire in the fire ring. Privately owned cabins can be seen as you walk through the woods. Hell’s Hole Trail is a few hundred yards from the campground. I’m looking forward to going back there as host next year.

  • L
    Aug. 15, 2018

    Pawnee Campground

    Beautiful campground in Indian Peaks Wilderness at Brainard Lake

    Pawnee Campground is a basic, no frills campground with a fantastic location next to Brainard Lake. The most incredible lake hikes are within easy access of the campground. At nearly 11,000 feet the terrain is alpine, and wildlife is abundant with fish, birds, deer, moose. TIP: BOOK AHEAD. The campground fills up at 100% every day of the short season (End of June, Begin of July). Walk up is available, but you're lucky if you can get a site. 48 sites, 8 are walk up, 4 are host sites. Site 25 was awesome! Great for meteor shower viewing.

    From their website:

    Pawnee Campground is located in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, off the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, 35 miles south of Estes Park and the main entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities.

    Natural Features:

    The campground lies at the foot of the Continental Divide, next to 25-acre Brainard Lake and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area at an elevation of 10,350 feet. A scenic forest of spruce and fir trees covers the area. Summertime temperatures are warm in the day and cool at night. Afternoon thunderstorms are common.

    Recreation:

    Brainard Lake is a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Long Lake, Red Rock Lake and Left Hand Reservoir are nearby. 

    Several trails in the area provide access to the adjacent Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Hiking is allowed on all trails; mountain biking is allowed outside the wilderness area. Rock climbing, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are often available, weather permitting.

    Facilities:

    The campground offers several single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.

    Nearby Attractions:

    Ward is the closest town. NO cell service, NO WIFI. There is a payphone at the teeny general store. The town of Nederland is 14 miles south of the campground, offering grocery and hardware stores, restaurants, gas, a bank and a post office.

    Rocky Mountain National Park's main entrance is 35 miles north in Estes Park. With lush valleys and craggy peaks reaching elevations higher than 14,000 feet, visitors are provided opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. Scenic driving, hiking, backpacking, fishing, horseback riding and wildlife viewing are popular activities in the park.

    Estes Park is a full-service community. Dining, shopping, rafting, fly-fishing, horseback riding and golfing opportunities are available there. Lake Estes offers boating, sailboarding and fishing.

    Activities and Amenities

    • Within FacilityCampfire Rings
    • Canoeing
    • Cross Country Skiing
    • Drinking Water
    • Firewood
    • Fishing
    • Hiking
    • Host
    • Kayaking
    • Lake Access
    • Mountain Biking
    • Parking Area
    • Picnic Area
    • Rock Climbing
    • Skiing
    • Snowshoeing
    • Tables
    • Trailheads
    • Vault Toilets
  • M
    Aug. 21, 2020

    Riverview RV Park & Campground

    Sweet spot!

    Its in a beautiful spot, tree covered, and a river runs through it. About 10 mins outside of Loveland and 40 mins from Estes park. Downside: free WiFi is worse than dialup, and was told it wasn’t worth paying for the premium cuz it wasn’t much better.


Guide to Estes Park

Estes Park, Colorado, offers a stunning backdrop for tent camping enthusiasts, with a variety of options that cater to different preferences and experiences.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Estes Park, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Estes Park, CO is Hermits Hollow Campground — Hermit Park with a 4.5-star rating from 25 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Estes Park, CO?

TheDyrt.com has all 81 tent camping locations near Estes Park, CO, with real photos and reviews from campers.