Rocky Mountain National Park Moraine Park Campground

Location

1000 Hwy 36
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Policies

Check-in

1:00 PM

Check-out

12:00 PM

Max stay

7 nights

Pets

Allowed (per listing)

Campfires

Allowed (per listing)

Booking

First come, first served (pay on site)

About

Moraine Park Campground sits at about 8,160 feet on the north side of Moraine Park, just inside Rocky Mountain National Park's Beaver Meadows entrance and a short drive from Estes Park on Highway 36. The campground's open meadows and stands of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and occasional Engelmann spruce give you partial shade and easy access to the park's montane and alpine environments; from here you can reach hundreds of miles of trails that include lake walks (Bear Lake, Cub Lake), waterfall routes (Alberta, Ouzel) and longer summit approaches, plus scenic drives such as Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road. Moraine Park contains 238 campsites in total: 88 sites are configured for both RVs and tents, one is RV-only, and 149 are tent-only. Sites are arranged across four primary loops A (132 sites), B (54 sites), C (22 sites) and D (29 sites) with the C-loop hosting the campground amphitheater where ranger-led evening programs are offered in summer. Wildlife viewing is a frequent draw here; elk and mule deer are commonly seen in the meadows and black bear, coyotes, bighorn sheep and moose also live in the area, so use the provided food-storage lockers and follow park food-storage rules. Facilities are practical and straightforward: each campsite includes a picnic table, a fire ring with grate and tent pads of varying sizes, roads are paved with gravel parking spurs, and comfort stations provide flush toilets, dish-washing sinks and drinking water at designated locations. Loops B and E are noted to have vault toilets only, and during winter months water is limited to a single location near the Ranger Station; the Ranger Station itself is open in the summer peak season but closed in winter. There are no electrical hookups, though a dump-and-fill station is available in summer near the campground entrance (look for the yellow bear sign); two solar-shower stalls exist in the campground and campers are encouraged to bring their own solar-shower bags, as portable showers in individual sites are prohibited and there are no other shower facilities in the park. Moraine Park operates on a first-come, first-served basis and is open for the winter season (winter rate $30.00); note that the campground underwent a major construction closure from late May 2023 through early Summer 2024. The park's free shuttle stops at the campground in the busy months to reach the Bear Lake corridor and reduce parking hassles; for reservation rules, cancellations and the most current seasonal information consult Recreation.gov or the park's information office.