Camping

The East Side

There are several full-service commercial campgrounds in Estes Park, where you will find clean, well-maintained bathhouses and fairly level RV sites, but fewer trees and less space between sites than in most national-park and national-forest campgrounds. Pets are generally accepted at commercial campgrounds, although owners must keep pets on leashes and clean up after them. Below is a list of privately owned campgrounds and national-forest campgrounds, which are similar to national-park campgrounds (although their regulations are usually a bit less restrictive).

Roosevelt National Forest -- There are two established forest service campgrounds within easy driving distance of the park's east entrances: Olive Ridge, 1 1/2 miles south of Estes Park along Colo. 7, not far from Allenspark, has pleasant, shady, well-spaced sites and an amphitheater. A less-developed campground, for those who carry their own drinking water, is Meeker Park Overflow, about 12 miles south of Estes Park on Colo. 7. Both campgrounds have picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets and can accommodate some RVs, but neither has hookups.

In addition, dispersed camping (camping in undeveloped areas outside official campgrounds) is allowed in some parts of the forest, but check with forest service offices before setting up camp. In Estes Park, a Forest Service Information Center is located at 161 Second St. (tel. 970/586-3440); it's usually open daily from 9am to 5pm in summer. For year-round information, contact the Forest Service Information Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Building E, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (tel. 970/295-6700). The U.S. Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region office, P.O. Box 25127, Lakewood, CO 80225 (tel. 303/275-5350), can also provide you with information. The U.S. Forest Service website for this region is www.fs.fed.us/r2. Forest information is also available at the national park's Lily Lake Visitor Center, located on Colo. 7 about 7 miles south of Estes Park; open summer only, daily 9am to 4:30pm.

For reservations (Olive Ridge Campground only), contact the National Recreation Reservation Service (tel. 877/444-6777 or 518/885-3639; TDD 877/833-6777; www.reserveusa.com). Reservations can be made up to 240 days in advance, and there is a nonrefundable reservation fee in addition to campground fees.

The West Side

Arapaho National Forest & National Recreation Area -- The forest service campgrounds that are close to the park's west entrance are located around the lakes in the area. All five campgrounds have boat ramps. The most developed is Stillwater Campground, located off U.S. 34 on the west bank of Lake Granby, about 7 miles south of the west park entrance. Stillwater has showers, and water and electric hookups at 35 sites (summer only); a limited number of sites are open in winter, although there is no water available. Green Ridge Campground, about 5 miles south of the national park on U.S. 34 and then 1 mile south on County Road 66, offers modern restrooms, picnic tables, and fire grates. Willow Creek Campground is located on Willow Creek Reservoir (about 10 miles south of the park on U.S. 34 and then about 4 miles west on C.R. 40), and has picnic tables and vault toilets. Arapaho Bay Campground is at the eastern tip of Lake Granby and is reached by an all-weather gravel road that follows the lake's south shore. It has drinking water, vault toilets, and access to hiking trails into the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Sunset Point Campground, on the south shore of Lake Granby about a mile east of U.S. 34, offers tree-shaded sites, picnic tables, and vault toilets. The above five U.S. Forest Service campgrounds are within the Arapaho National Recreation Area, and in addition to camping fees, campers must pay the recreation-area entrance fee of $5 per vehicle for 1 day, $10 for 3 days, or $15 for 7 days.

Dispersed camping is also allowed in some areas of the forest; check with forest service offices for locations and regulations. For information on both the forest and the recreation area, contact the Sulphur Ranger District office, P.O. Box 10, Granby, CO 80446 (tel. 970/887-4100). You can also obtain information from the Forest Service Information Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Building E, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (tel. 970/295-6700); and the U.S. Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region office, P.O. Box 25127, Lakewood, CO 80225 (tel. 303/275-5350). The U.S. Forest Service website for this region is www.fs.fed.us/r2.

For campsite reservations (Arapaho Bay, Green Ridge, and Stillwater only), contact the National Recreation Reservation Service (tel. 877/444-6777 or 518/885-3639; TDD 877/833-6777; www.reserveusa.com). Reservations can be made up to 240 days in advance, and there is a nonrefundable reservation fee in addition to campground fees.