ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK (COLORADO) BACKCOUNTRY CAMPSITES and related information File maintained by Alan Silverstein, ajs@frii.com Last update: 960904 This data was copied from 9305 RMNP brochures. I was told by the back country office in 9310 that the glossy brochure had no known errors at that time, and should be used in the cases where it conflicted with the plain-paper version (and there were about ten differences). However, the sites are listed here in the plain-paper brochure order because it carried more detailed information about trailheads. Minor updates 9609 based on some verbal information about changes. Miscellaneous information follows the backcountry sites list. KEY TO FIELDS AND ABBREVIATIONS x in left margin means I've spent a night there WF wood fires are allowed; otherwise, stoves only SITES I number of individual sites SITES G number of group sites DIST trail distance, miles, from nearest trailhead ELEV feet above sea level MELT OUT approximate snow-free date each year, +/- two weeks CT closest trailhead OT other trailheads include TH trailhead NP number of parties (in cross-country zones) The two-letter codes before campsite names are historical and are not used much any more. The plain-paper form of the new brochure lacks them (but includes melt-out dates and trailhead info); the glossy form has numeric codes instead. But I kept the codes since I already had them on-line, even though "LC" appears twice. I also kept other, extra information from previous versions where missing from the current brochures (and not contradicted by them). Campsites in each group are listed in the same order they appear in the RMNP brochure, which is generally in order of distance from the trailhead along a given trail, but not always. BACKCOUNTRY SITES, EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE SITES MELT CAMP SITE NAME WF I G DIST ELEV OUT COMMENTS ========================= == == == ==== ===== ==== ======== NORTH FORK AREA (northeast portion of park) CT: North Fork (Dunraven Glade), 7960' OT: Pingree Park . BL BOUNDARY CREEK WF 2 . 4.6 9120 6/14 . BH SILVANMERE WF 2 . 5.7 9360 6/06 . BJ KETTLE TARN . 2 . 4.9 9200 5/28 . BC HALFWAY WF 2 . 5.6 9360 6/05 . BG ASPEN MEADOW GROUP WF . 1 5.9 9520 6/02 . BF HAPPILY LOST WF 1 . 6.2 9560 6/14 . BD STORMY PEAKS SOUTH . 1 . 8.6 10840 7/08 . AA STORMY PEAKS . 2 1 11.0 11160 7/13 x BE LOST FALLS WF 2 . 6.7 9600 6/12 . BK SUGARLOAF . 1 . 8.2 10290 5/31 . BB LOST MEADOW . 1 1 8.4 10420 6/17 group - stock . BA LOST LAKE . 4 . 9.7 10714 7/07 CT: Cow Creek, 7840' OT: Twin Owls, Gem Lake TH . BM RABBIT EARS . 1 . 1.4 8100 5/16 . BN PEREGRINE . 1 . 2.0 8480 5/10 CT: Twin Owls, 7660' OT: Cow Creek, Gem Lake TH . CK MCGREGOR MOUNTAIN WF 2 . 4.5 9040 6/05 . CJ BIGHORN MOUNTAIN GROUP WF . 1 6.5 10620 7/02 stock MUMMY RANGE (north central portion of park) CT: Lawn Lake TH, 8540' OT: Twin Owls, Cow Creek . CH UPPER CHIPMUNK . 2 . 4.2 10640 7/02 x CF CUTBANK . 1 . 2.3 9620 5/22 . CC YPSILON CREEK . 1 . 2.6 9560 5/22 . CE GOLDEN BANNER . 1 . 2.6 9600 5/22 . CB TILESTON MEADOWS . 2 . 6.0 10800 6/28 . CG LOWER TILESTON . 1 . 6.3 10650 6/26 x CA LAWN LAKE . 5 . 6.2 10987 6/26 one stock site BEAR LAKE AREA (middle portion of park) CT: Fern Lake TH, 8155' OT: Cub Lake TH, Bear Lake, Hollowell Park . DG ARCH ROCK . 1 . 1.6 8240 5/10 . DE OLD FOREST INN . 2 . 1.7 8400 5/13 x DB FERN LAKE . 4 1 3.8 9530 6/12 . DC SPRUCE LAKE . 2 . 4.6 9670 6/24 one llama site . DA ODESSA LAKE . 2 . 4.8 10020 6/29 4.1 from BearL CT: Cub Lake TH, 8080' OT: Fern Lake TH, Bear Lake, Hollowell Park . DF CUB CREEK . 2 . 2.2 8600 5/11 CT: Upper Beaver Meadows, 8520' . DD UTE MEADOW . 1 . 2.2 10000 6/14 llama site CT: Bear Lake, 9475' OT: Fern Lake TH, Hollowell Park, Cub Lake TH . EN SOURDOUGH . 1 . 2.5 10600 7/14 CT: Hollowell Park, 8400' OT: Fern Lake TH, Bear Lake, Cub Lake TH . EE MILL CREEK BASIN . 2 . 1.6 9000 5/14 . EL UPPER MILL CREEK . 2 . 1.8 9200 5/21 CT: Glacier Gorge Junction, 9240' . EC GLACIER GORGE . 1 . 3.5 10000 6/19 x EB BOULDER BROOK . 2 1 3.6 10200 6/18 1.0 from road . EK ANDREWS CREEK . 1 . 3.3 10560 7/07 CT: Sprague Lake, 8710' OT: East Portal, Longs Peak Ranger Station . EF UPPER WIND RIVER . 2 . 1.9 8940 5/14 x EG OVER THE HILL . 1 . 2.2 8800 5/14 . EH WIND RIVER BLUFF . 1 . 2.5 8800 5/14 . ? SPRAGUE LAKE HANDICAMP . 1 . 0.6 8760 ? (glossy only) GORGE LAKES AREA (Forest Canyon portion of park) CT: Milner Pass, 10758' OT: Cub Lake TH, Bear Lake, Hollowell Park x DH LITTLE ROCK LAKE . 1 . 6.0 10280 6/25 LONGS PEAK AREA (east central portion of park) CT: Longs Peak Ranger Station, 9400' OT: Sprague Lake TH, Glacier Gorge Junction, East Portal . FD MOORE PARK . 2 . 1.7 9760 5/28 . FC GOBLINS FOREST . 6 . 1.2 10120 6/08 . FB BATTLE MOUNTAIN GROUP . . 1 2.8 11000 6/18 x ED BOULDERFIELD . 8 . 6.0 12760 6/23 8 tents WILD BASIN AREA (southeast portion of park) CT: Sandbeach Lake TH, east of Copeland Lake, 8312' . GR HOLE-IN-THE-WALL . 1 . 1.9 9240 5/29 . GJ CAMPERS CREEK . 1 . 2.3 9600 6/02 . GS BEAVER MILL . 1 . 3.0 9640 6/03 . GE HUNTERS CREEK . 1 . 3.3 9760 6/14 x GA SANDBEACH LAKE . 4 1 4.2 10283 6/21 CT: Wild Basin Ranger Station, 8500' OT: Finch Lake TH . GM PINE RIDGE . 2 . 1.4 8880 5/21 . GN TAHOSA . 1 . 1.7 9040 5/22 . GP ASPEN KNOLL . 1 . 2.3 9400 5/28 llama site . GQ SISKIN . 1 . 3.2 9460 5/30 x GF NORTH ST. VRAIN . 2 . 3.5 9560 6/02 x GB THUNDER LAKE . 4 1 6.8 10574 7/09 one stock site x GG OUZEL LAKE . 1 . 4.3 10020 6/21 x GC UPPER OUZEL CREEK . 1 . 6.0 10600 7/13 CT: Finch Lake TH, 8470' OT: Wild Basin Ranger Station . GL FINCH LAKE . 2 1 4.5 9912 6/09 group - stock x GH PEAR CREEK . 3 . 6.4 10550 7/05 . GD PEAR LAKE . 1 . 6.6 10582 7/13 BACKCOUNTRY SITES, WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE SITES MELT CAMP SITE NAME WF I G DIST ELEV OUT COMMENTS ========================= == == == ==== ===== ==== ======== HAGUE CREEK AREA (north central portion of park) CT: Corral Creek, 10100' OT: Poudre Lake, Chapin Pass . HE CHAPIN CREEK GROUP . . 1 5.5 10240 7/01 . HB CACHE . 2 . 5.0 10150 7/06 . HA HAGUE CREEK . 2 1 1.6 9720 6/30 group - stock . HF DESOLATION . 1 . 2.3 9840 6/30 . HG FLATIRON WF 1 . 2.8 9840 6/30 . HC MUMMY PASS CREEK WF 2 . 4.6 10640 7/11 . HD KOENIG . 1 . 5.2 10680 7/13 stock site . HH MIRROR LAKE . 3 . 6.1 11000 7/13 NEVER SUMMER RANGE AREA (north central portion of park) CT: Colorado River Trail, 9060' OT: LaPoudre Pass . JE STAGE ROAD . 1 . 4.2 9530 6/16 . JB DITCH CAMP . 2 1 4.6 10160 6/23 group - stock . JC BOX CANYON . 2 . 5.5 10480 7/08 . JA LAPOUDRE PASS . 3 . 7.8 10200 6/23 . JL SKELETON GULCH . 1 . 6.7 10560 7/08 CT: Colorado River TH via Red Mountain Trail, 9060' OT: LaPoudre Pass . JG VALLEY VIEW . 2 . 3.2 10260 6/24 . JJ OPPOSITION CREEK . 1 . 3.5 10440 7/04 . JK RED GULCH GROUP . . 1 5.8 10320 7/08 . JD HITCHENS GULCH . 2 . 5.8 10480 7/04 . JF DUTCH TOWN . 1 . 6.2 10760 7/14 TIMBER LAKE AREA (west middle portion of park) CT: Timber Lake, 9000' x KA TIMBER CREEK . 2 . 3.0 10400 6/26 x KB JACKSTRAW . 2 . 4.0 10760 7/07 . KC ROCKSLIDE . 1 . 4.5 10960 7/08 . KD SNOWBIRD . 2 . 4.6 11010 7/13 TONAHUTU AREA (west middle portion of park) CT: Onahu Creek, 8794' OT: Green Mountain, Tonahutu . KE ONAHU CREEK . 2 . 2.4 9480 6/12 . KF UPPER ONAHU . 2 . 2.8 9600 6/13 . KG ONAHU BRIDGE . 2 . 2.9 9650 6/17 CT: Green Mountain, 8794' OT: Tonahutu, Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Onahu, Bear Lake . LB BIG MEADOWS GROUP . . 1 1.9 9400 6/13 . LN SUNSET . 1 . 3.0 9550 6/15 . LM SUNRISE . 1 . 3.5 9600 6/11 . LC LOWER GRANITE FALLS . 2 . 5.1 9760 6/23 . LC GRANITE FALLS . 2 . 5.4 9840 6/18 . LD TONAHUTU MEADOWS . 2 . 6.2 10050 7/03 . LE TONAHUTU GROUP WF . 1 6.6 10160 7/04 stock site . ? RENEGADE . 1 . 7.0 10200 ? (glossy only) . LL HAYNACH . 2 . 7.2 10760 7/12 one llama site . LF TIMBERLINE GROUP . . 1 7.4 10570 7/16 CT: Kawuneeche Visitor Center, 8720' OT: Tonahutu, Green Mountain . LA LODGEPOLE . 2 . 1.7 9200 5/29 . LG PAINT BRUSH . 2 . 2.3 9320 6/09 . LH SOUTH MEADOWS . 1 . 2.4 9360 6/15 NORTH INLET AREA (lower midwest portion of park) CT: North Inlet, 8540' OT: Bear Lake . MA SUMMERLAND PARK WF 1 1 1.2 8535 5/19 . MN TWINBERRY . 2 . 3.0 8680 5/20 . MB CASCADE FALLS . 1 . 3.5 8840 5/25 . PM BIG POOL . 2 . 5.0 9160 6/10 . MH GROUSEBERRY . 2 . 6.2 9250 6/14 . MD NORTH INLET GROUP WF . 1 6.5 9290 6/19 stock site . MK FOOT BRIDGE WF 1 . 6.5 9290 6/15 . ME PTARMIGAN . 1 . 6.7 9360 6/14 . MQ PORCUPINE WF 2 . 6.8 9360 6/19 . MF NORTH INLET JUNCTION . 3 . 7.5 9600 6/11 . MJ NORTH INLET FALLS . 1 . 7.6 9540 6/26 . ML PINE MARTEN . 2 . 7.8 9560 7/06 . MM JULY . 3 1 9.7 10760 7/14 EAST INLET AREA (southwest portion of park) CT: East Inlet, 8391' . NH EAST MEADOW WF 2 . 1.5 8550 5/22 . NA LOWER EAST INLET . 2 . 2.3 8640 5/23 . NJ CATS LAIR . 3 . 4.0 9200 5/31 . ND GRAY JAY GROUP WF . 1 4.9 9650 6/11 . NK SLICKROCK . 1 . 6.0 10000 6/22 . NE SOLITAIRE . 1 . 6.2 10120 6/28 . NL UPPER EAST INLET . 1 . 6.6 10200 7/04 . NF LAKE VERNA . 1 . 6.9 10280 7/09 CROSS-COUNTRY ZONES, EAST SIDE ZONE NAME NP ======================== == . 1A South Cache La Poudre 1 . 1B Mount Dickinson 2 . 2B Cow Creek 2 x 2C Chiquita Creek 1 . 2D Upper Forest Canyon 3 . 3D Lower Forest Canyon 4 x 4D Hayden Gorge 1 . 1G Hunters Creek 1 . 2G Cony Creek 1 CROSS-COUNTRY ZONES, WEST SIDE ZONE NAME NP ======================== == . 1H Cascade Creek 2 . 2H Hague Creek 5 . 3H Cache La Poudre 3 . 2J Mosquito Creek 1 . 1K Onahu Creek 1 . 1L Nakai Peak 1 . 2L Mount Patterson 3 . 1M North Inlet 4 . 2M Ptarmigan Creek 1 . 3M Upper North Inlet 2 . 4M Ptarmigan Mountain 2 . 1N Mount Enentah 1 . 3N Echo Creek 2 . 1P Columbine Creek 4 GENERAL INFORMATION * RMNP: 303-586-2371 x 206, TDD 303-586-8506, emergencies 586-1399 * maps and trail guides available from Rocky Mountain Nature Association, c/o RMNP, Estes Park, Colorado 80517; for VISA/MC orders, 303-586-3565 x265 SUMMER CAMPING (May - September) * when site is snow-free * 198 designated backcountry campsites (1-7 people) (but in 1994 I counted 196 (now 195); also, I counted 120 site names (now 119)) * 21 group sites (8-12 people, limit is 12) (apparently group sites can be reserved by smaller parties, no more than one week in advance) * 355 miles of maintained trails * I computed for 120 named sites: distance: average 4.5 miles, median 4.5, stddev 2.2, shortest 0.6, longest 11.0 elevation: average 9842', median 9760', stddev 754', lowest 8100', highest 12760' melt out date: average 6/17, median 6/18, earliest 5/10, latest 7/16 * 23 cross-country zones; no trails or campsites * stock: 10 sites (1-5 animals, commercial up to 20) * llamas: 4 sites (1-5 animals) * bivouac: technical climbers only (1-4 people, 4 or more pitches, at least 3.5 miles from TH); restricted bivy areas: Longs Peak, Glacier Gorge, Loch Vale, Notchtop; can be reserved * limit of 7 nights, 3 at any one site; 2 nights per zone, 7 people, move one mile per night; check out time: noon * wood fires allowed in 29 sites (but I count less, 26 = 20 single + 6 group, at 17 different named sites) WINTER CAMPING (October - April) * 15 night limit, 1-15 people, no wood fires * on snow or rock only * reservations starting 9/1 each year PERMIT REQUEST INFORMATION * include: - name - address - day and evening phones (include area codes) - number of people in party - first choice campsites, dates (of nights of stay) - second choice campsites, dates - in and out trailheads - car license number(s) - if stock, type and count * mail address: BCO, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado 80517 * can fax requests to 303-586-4702; they confirm by mail if time (fax discontinued in 1994 due to user stupidity) * can only mail permit (rather than confirmation) up to 30 days in advance * reservations for summer camping taking starting 1/1 each year (3/1 beginning in 1994) * can phone in permit requests until 5/20 and after Labor Day * must be picked up by 10am of first day * permits issued all year at Back Country Office by main Visitor Center (east side), and at Kuwaneeche Visitor Center (west side); summer only, at Wild Basin, Longs Peak, and Corral Creek Ranger Stations when open (usually 8am - 4:30pm) * BCO hours: summer 7-7 daily, spring/fall 8-5, winter 8-4:45; closed for lunch, and Christmas day CLOSED TO CAMPING * Bear, Nymph, Dream, Emerald, Gem, and Poudre Lakes * Twin Sisters section * Lumpy Ridge area CLOSED AS INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AREAS * Specimen and Shipler Mountains * Paradise Park * West Creek * Willow Creek