Best Campgrounds near Glen Haven, CO

The foothills surrounding Glen Haven, Colorado feature diverse camping options within close proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park. Moraine Park and Glacier Basin campgrounds, both within the national park boundaries, provide established sites with basic amenities like drinking water, picnic tables, and fire rings. Just outside the park, Estes Park offers several developed options including Mary's Lake Campground and Spruce Lake RV Park, which provide more extensive hookups for recreational vehicles. For those seeking a more primitive experience, Hell Canyon Dispersed camping area offers free sites with minimal facilities but greater solitude. Most campgrounds in this region sit between 7,500-9,000 feet elevation, offering pine forest settings with mountain views.

Reservations are essential during the peak season from late May through September, particularly for national park campgrounds which often fill months in advance. As one camper noted, "Make reservations early. Fills up fast because it is such a great place to camp." Many roads to dispersed camping areas require high-clearance vehicles, especially after rain or snowmelt. Weather patterns in this region include afternoon thunderstorms during summer months and potential snow as early as September. Cell service varies significantly throughout the area, with better coverage near Estes Park and limited to no service in more remote locations. Fire restrictions are common during dry periods, and bear-resistant food storage is required at most sites.

Mountain views and wildlife viewing opportunities rank among the most frequently mentioned highlights in camper reviews. Sites along the Big Thompson River are particularly sought after, with one visitor describing "a beautiful river flowing nearby" with "mountain views in every direction." Proximity to hiking trails represents another key advantage, allowing campers to access backcountry areas directly from their sites. While national park campgrounds offer the most direct access to popular trails, they typically lack showers and hookups. Private campgrounds near Estes Park provide more amenities but less privacy between sites. Campers consistently recommend arriving early for first-come, first-served sites, especially during summer weekends when all campgrounds in the region reach capacity by early afternoon.

Best Camping Sites Near Glen Haven, Colorado (346)

    1. Moraine Park Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

    91 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-1206

    $35 - $70 / night

    "Took the kids camping in Colorado for the first time and we had a blast. It rained on us a lot but it didn't stop us. Took a great hike up deer mountain....stunning views. Can't wait to go back."

    "Very enjoyable spot, close access to trails and entrance and exit of the park."

    2. Glacier Basin Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

    60 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-1206

    $35 - $70 / night

    "Firewood sold next to the entrance by the same husband and wife that have been selling firewood there for 35 years. There is a shed full of firewood."

    "The spaces are large, but quite close to one another with few trees for privacy. Each site here is variable, with some open with no trees and others nestled in some mature trees."

    3. Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake

    46 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 964-7806

    $45 - $70 / night

    "There’s access to a small playground for kids. The pool looked nice, the lake is right across the road. Overall a good campsite."

    "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."

    4. East Portal Campground at Estes Park

    40 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (800) 964-7806

    $45 - $80 / night

    "The bathrooms were clean, and close to almost every site. They had a very nice playground for the kids with a climbing wall."

    "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."

    5. Hermits Hollow Campground — Hermit Park

    26 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    7 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."

    "This campground has all the privacy you would expect yet provides easy access to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountian National Forest. The Laramie County Staff that were on site were kind and helpful."

    6. Estes Park KOA

    25 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-2888

    "We didn't feel the "Oh, God... another tourist" vibes we got from basically everyone else in Colorado. On the contrary, they couldn't have been happier to see us and welcome us to their little city."

    "We have stayed here 3 or 4 times due to the close proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park.  The campground is extremely well managed, clean and well maintained. "

    7. Hell Canyon Dispersed

    29 Reviews
    Pinewood Springs, CO
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 295-6600

    "4x4 drive is a requirement. Good Verizon signal. Narrow road, however not busy at all. Stayed here for 4 days, no issue. The Google Maps directions is slightly wrong."

    "Driving down to town during the day, there were some people (probably from the adjacent campground) hiking the road. Overall quiet at night (other than some road noise from 36). Not a bad spot!"

    8. Aspenglen Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

    23 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-1206

    $35 / night

    "I got a walk-in site, and, besides not having trees perfectly situated for my hammock, I had no complaints - secluded, quiet, well-maintained, beautiful scenery, plenty of bear lockers, easy park access"

    "Loved the location inside Rocky. We were lucky to get two nights from cancellations and were happy even though we had 2 different sites so had to move."

    9. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Estes Park

    19 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-4230

    "Minutes away from NP entrances and Estes Park, yet totally secluded in the mountain wilderness. We got a site furthest away from the entrance / highway, up a steep road (Yogi’s “Hey Hey Highway”)."

    "We stayed in site 100 and the other sites were a bit close by. No trees between us and the site on either side, but we did face the hill so the view was nice."

    10. Spruce Lake RV Park

    19 Reviews
    Estes Park, CO
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (970) 586-2889

    "The selling point of this campground is location. It’s as close to Rocky Mountain National Park as you can get without actually camping on NPS property."

    "There is a good burger place close by across from the gas station. Close to Rocky Mountain NP, Estes Park Lake & town. This lake is great for Kayaking & fishing."

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Recent Reviews near Glen Haven, CO

2363 Reviews of 346 Glen Haven Campgrounds


  • L
    Oct. 16, 2025

    LaVern M. Johnson Park

    Downtown Lyons

    Nice campground downtown Lyons and on the river. Full hookups. Tents sites right next to the river. Slow and not reliable wifi but 5G. Showers nearby closed and further showers you need to pay for. Very nice camp host. I will return.

  • Ken B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Hermits Hollow Campground — Hermit Park

    Nice campground

    The sites are spacious and far enough apart. Not much for views but the place was clean and the staff very welcoming. Close to the park and t-shirt shopping in Estes Park.

  • Ben W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Pioneer Park

    Cute, but...

    Great little campground, right on the Colorado River.

    Would be better if a freight train didn't pass through every 2-3 hours, blowing the train horn.

  • A
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Manor RV Park

    Location Excellent - Campground and showers OK

    The campground is extremely conveniently located and in a pretty area. The campground itself is just ok. Super close together spaces and zero privacy at sites. Nice concrete pads to park beside to help with mud and tracking so that was nice. Each site has its own picnic table. The shower house was centrally located within the grounds. The women's side entrance wasn't very well lit at night. There are no private changing areas in the shower house, except the handicap stall, which I am not a fan of. Water wasn't very hot even on straight hot.

    Men's side was even less private my husband said.

  • leah S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    The Lost Site - Dispersed Campsite

    The lost site

    Beautiful quiet spot. Large sites with pull thru. Easy turn around. No facilites and cold in October

  • FThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Forest Service Road 700 Designated Dispersed Camping

    Amazing First Time in WY!

    Coming from CO, I was able to cross off another US state in only a 2 hour drive. This spot is great for groups! I was by myself and it’s early October so I figured I could get a spot at 4pm on Friday. Plenty were available, road goes forever with (I heard over 90+ dispersed spots) and easily accessible for RVs and trailers, just gotta go slow, not rocky just washboardy in spots. Many sweet rock formations, a little creek for water for the fire, and plenty of dead wood (just make sure u get a permit online I think if u wana take any home right?) - I cleaned up a good amount of small trash left in my area from previous campers like nails and glass, but other than a couple things it was very clean and every spot looked like it was respected!! (Just things I think got blown into the rocks at night and campers didn’t see it the next morning) - would go back, every spot is far from others and the rocks def help with the wind and noise. Far from highway but right off it so it’s easy to get to road if needed. One gas station about 15 mins down the road between Cheyenne. Pack in and pack out! Will be going back one day!

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Applewood RV Resort by Rjourney

    Great hiking and biking trails

    The park was okay if you are looking for something overnight. And very expensive and very crowded and no room between rigs. Looks like fulltime living in some spaces. It does have laundry service. And it has a great park just beside it. And there are beautiful hiking and biking trails right next to the facility. And it is very dog friendly.

  • Vinny D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2025

    Allenspark Dispersed Camp Spot

    Great spot, quiet

    Good spot, this is my second time staying here. You have to drive through a neighborhood to get to the serving road. Follow the directions on Google and you’ll be fine. The best spots are a little further back. The road will come to a Y go left. Once you go left down be hill you’ll go back up a hill and go around the curve to the right. There’s a creek on the left and great spots.

  • Adam  B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 2, 2025

    South Bay Campground — Horsetooth Reservoir

    Eh… it’s ok

    For what you’re paying for it could be better. Vault bathrooms are not clean and smell awful. Look I know they smell and are dirty but people do your part to close the lid and clean up afterwards. Showers are good but you have to pay $2 per shower Dump is $15 too! Good cycling around here Cell service is ok. Sometimes drops. Verizon and att People working here are very friendly and helpful. Leave it better than you found it.


Guide to Glen Haven

Camping sites near Glen Haven, Colorado range in elevation from 7,400 to 9,500 feet, situated in the transition zone between montane and subalpine ecosystems. The area experiences warm, dry days from June through August with temperatures typically ranging from 70-85°F daytime and dropping to 40-50°F at night. Most campsites in this region require hard-sided food storage containers due to black bear activity throughout the summer and fall months.

What to do

Fly fishing access points: The Big Thompson River near East Portal Campground provides several access points for fly fishing. "We passed so many parking lot campgrounds and were so happy we chose here. We had trees! Our space was large enough to accommodate our 20 ft travel trailer with our truck next to it, still leaving plenty of room for the picnic table and a chair circle around the fire," notes one camper who enjoyed fishing nearby.

Scenic driving routes: Camping near Rocky Mountain National Park means easy access to Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the United States. From Glacier Basin Campground, you're just minutes from this iconic alpine drive. "Great location for the popular attractions in RMNP, also convenient that the shuttle stopped at the campground, and was located across the street," shares one visitor.

Wildlife observation points: Sheep Lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park offers reliable wildlife viewing opportunities, especially for bighorn sheep in early mornings. One camper at Aspenglen Campground noted, "This is closest to Sheep Lakes you can camp if you're hoping to see sheep. You will definitely see elk everywhere."

What campers like

Morning wildlife encounters: Dawn wildlife sightings are common at Moraine Park Campground, particularly in early summer and fall. "Deer wander in the morning," notes one reviewer, while another mentioned, "We got to see some beautiful Elk very close by, which was definitely a highlight."

Proximity to shuttles: Several campgrounds provide shuttle access, reducing the need to drive into crowded park areas. "The free shuttle bus makes a stop near the check in station, and the Park & Ride is a short walk away. The location is very convenient to the most popular hikes in RMNP," explains a camper about their experience.

Balance of convenience and seclusion: Hermits Hollow Campground offers a middle ground between developed and primitive camping. "Best camping near RMNP. 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," shares one visitor.

What you should know

Cell service limitations: Signal strength varies dramatically across camping areas near Glen Haven. At Hell Canyon Dispersed camping area, "There were a few spots following up the trail! Beautiful area and pretty quiet overall! No bears/wildlife to be scared of! The weather was so nice we slept in hammocks all week!"

Reservation windows: For most National Park campgrounds, reservations open six months in advance and fill quickly, especially for summer weekends and holiday periods. One Glacier Basin camper advised, "Due to the size, there aren't any big RVs. Lots of tent campers and small RVs like our teardrop- so quiet."

Weather preparation: Summer afternoon thunderstorms are common between 1-4 PM, making morning activities safer. A camper at Moraine Park noted, "Still some snow on the ground in late May," highlighting the need to prepare for variable conditions even in summer months.

Vehicle requirements: For dispersed camping areas, appropriate vehicles are essential. A Hell Canyon visitor explained, "Road up is a bit rough but I saw many SUVs make it, the gate sign recommends 4x4. Great views and only got busy on the 4th of July."

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly amenities: Estes Park KOA offers numerous activities for children. "We spent 2 nights Tent Camping in June for Father's Day Weekend. The showerhouse was cleaned twice daily and the shower stalls were VERY roomy. The facility offered tons of activities for the kids and they wore themselves out daily to the point of falling asleep while eating dinner," reports one family.

Wildlife education: Rangers at many campgrounds offer educational programs specifically designed for children. "We really enjoyed this campground. Great place to take the family, as it's in the middle of RMNP. They do not take reservations, so go early or during the week! It fills up!" shares a parent who camped at Moraine Park.

Altitude acclimation: Children may need extra time to adjust to the elevation. Plan less strenuous activities for the first 24-48 hours of your stay. "This is a larger campground right in Estes Park! Spacious sites, stocked pond, pet friendly, and great staff!" notes a visitor to Spruce Lake Campground.

Tips from RVers

Length restrictions: Most campgrounds in the area have length limitations for RVs. Mary's Lake Campground accommodates larger units, but even there visitors note, "Some sites have little to no shade so really hot during daytime. Site #135 is nice with good shade."

Dump station access: Not all campgrounds provide dump stations. A visitor to Spruce Lake commented, "The selling point of this campground is location. It's as close to Rocky Mountain National Park as you can get without actually camping on NPS property. You are completely surrounded by the mountains and the views are amazing."

Power options: Generator hours are strictly limited in National Park campgrounds, while private campgrounds typically offer electric hookups. "Convenient for early morning sunrise hiking," notes an RVer about Aspenglen, emphasizing the advantage of staying charged up for early departures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What amenities are available at Glen Haven Campground?

Campgrounds in the Glen Haven area offer varying amenities. Roosevelt National Forest Camp Dick Campground provides well-maintained fire pits, riverside locations, and hiking trailheads accessible directly from camp. Primitive camping is also available with fewer amenities at State Forest State Park, which compensates with excellent hiking trails and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. Most developed campgrounds in the region offer basic amenities like fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets, while some provide access to water sources. For full-service camping with more amenities, look to established campgrounds closer to Estes Park.

Can I bring an RV to Glen Haven camping areas?

Yes, several camping options near Glen Haven accommodate RVs. Winding River Resort is RV-friendly with direct access to the Colorado River and family activities. Timber Creek Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park also welcomes RVs and is located adjacent to the Colorado River with running water facilities. When planning an RV trip to Glen Haven, check specific campground restrictions for length limitations, hookup availability, and reservation requirements. Many campgrounds in the area require reservations well in advance, especially during peak summer months.

What camping is available near Glen Haven, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, Glen Haven, CO offers a wide range of camping options, with 346 campgrounds and RV parks near Glen Haven, CO and 114 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Glen Haven, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Glen Haven, CO is Moraine Park Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 91 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Glen Haven, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 114 free dispersed camping spots near Glen Haven, CO.

What parks are near Glen Haven, CO?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 parks near Glen Haven, CO that allow camping, notably Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG and Rocky Mountain National Park.