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4.8
16 votes

Glacier Basin Campground

Bear Lake Rd., Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado CO USA

  • Independent
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wheelchair
    Accessible
  • Public
    Restrooms
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“under the stars in the rockies”

Overview Glacier Basin Campground (8,500 feet) is adjacent to Estes Park in the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. From lush valleys to craggy peaks with elevations reaching over 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.Recreation Rocky Mountain National Park has 355 miles of hiking trails that range from flat lakeside strolls to steep mountain climbs. Visitors enjoy the park's various lake trails (Bear Lake, Cub Lake, Mills Lake), waterfall trails (Adams Falls, Alberta Falls, Ouzel Falls) and summit trails (Deer Mountain, Twin Sisters Peaks, Flattop Mountain). The park offers some unforgettable scenic driving routes, including Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road. Trail Ridge Road reaches 12,183' above sea level and is America's highest continuous highway. It climbs above the park's evergreen forests to its windswept alpine tundra, where visitors enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. Driving along the historic Old Fall River Road is like motoring through an earlier era. Constructed in 1920, this steep, one-way, uphill, gravel road punctuated by switchbacks, quietly leads travelers from Horseshoe Park through the park's wilderness to Fall River Pass, 11796' above sea level. Several visitor centers are within the park, offering ranger-led activities, education and history about the park, and seasonal nighttime programs. Facilities Glacier Basin Campground contains several group and family tent-only sites, as well as RV sites without hookups. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, fire ring with grate and tent pad. Roads and parking spurs are paved. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Rocky Mountain National Park's free shuttle bus stops in the campground, which is also across the street from Park & Ride, the park's main shuttle system hub. The shuttle system provides access to many park trailheads throughout the Bear Lake corridor and to the town of Estes Park. Due to a pine beetle epidemic, all the trees in the C Loop, D Loop and the Group Loop have been removed, leaving little to no shade in these areas. However, the tree removal has opened up beautiful views of the mountains.Natural Features A pleasant mix of Douglas fir, Lodgepole pine, Ponderosa pine and the occasional Engelmann spruce, forests the campground, offering equal amounts of sun and shade. Grasses, shrubs and seasonal wildflowers fill the open meadows. Wildlife is plentiful in the park, and while mule deer and the majestic Rocky Mountain elk are the most commonly seen, black bear, coyote, bighorn sheep and moose inhabit the region as well. Nearby Attractions The town of Estes Park lies just outside the park's main east entrances, and is a short drive from Glacier Basin Campground. Dining, shopping, rafting, fly fishing, horseback riding, and golfing opportunities await. Lake Estes offers boating, sailboarding, and fishing.

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Reviews of Glacier Basin Campground

13 people have reviewed this location

Ratings Summary

4.8 Access
5.0 Location
4.9 Cleanliness
4.3 Site Quality
4.4 Noise

Cell Coverage

Verizon 5G

Confirmed by 4 users | Last reported on September 29, 2023

AT&T 4G/5G

Confirmed by 5 users | Last reported on July 15, 2022

T-Mobile 5G

Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on August 14, 2019

Reviews

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Reviewed by
cliffallison

  • 6 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
June 06, 2018
Rated

This is a really nice campground in the Rocky Mountain National Park with fantastic views. We were expecting most of the camp sites to be wide open with limited trees due to the pine beetle infestation that hit the area pretty hard, and that was the case for the C and D loops, but the views from those sites was spectacular. Our site (A015) was on the end of the A loop where there are still plenty of trees to provide some shade but still nice views of the mountains. There was a mix of sites stacked pretty close together and some with enough space to provide a little privacy. The only reason I don't give this a 5 star review is that there were quite a few sites that were pretty close to each other. Our neighbors were not too close, and there was nothing behind us but a hill with young pine trees and a trail halfway up. The campground was pretty quiet and the bathrooms were kept clean. At the entrance to the campground is a shuttle stop where you can catch a ride down to the Estes Park visitors center or up to Bear Lake and several stops in between. All in all, this was a pleasant surprise and definitely worth returning to.

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cliffallison would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $26.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: A015

RV Length: 24 ft

RV Type: Class C

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise
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Reviewed by
Campendium

September 07, 2018
Rated

Stayed here 2 nights in early September. We had a great experience. The facilities were nicely maintained and there were elk roaming the campground at night and in the morning. Would definitely return here. Boosted, we got 3 bars Verizon 3g and 2 bars ATT LTE. Neither were usable for anything more than checking email.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $26.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: D131

RV Type: Van

3 Access
5 Location
4 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
3 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T

T-Mobile

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Reviewed by
Campendium

June 08, 2019
Rated

Nice campground & good site. Plenty of bathrooms that were very clean. Crowded - every site was booked. Sites are pretty close together.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $26.00

Days Stayed: 4

Site Number: B058

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
3 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

Verizon

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Reviewed by
Campendium

August 14, 2019
Rated

Nice pad for tents and roadside for our teardrop trailer and cars. Beautiful location with spectacular views. I think we were at 9500 feet.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $5.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: 30, 31

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
4 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

T-Mobile

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Reviewed by
Campendium

September 10, 2019
Rated

Great location if you can get a spot. We got lucky to get a spot because it was the last night they were open for the 2019 season. A very nice & friendly park ranger got us checked in and we had a nice stay. The weather gear can get extreme with thunderstorms in the afternoon and heavy rain. Definitely plan ahead at this side of the park for reservations as they do not like walk ups and most likely will be full. Estes Park has some rv parks but they are all $50+ per night and no BLM or overnight parking anywhere nearby. This campground is a great spot and has lots of wildlife. Wish we could have stayed two more nights but they close this campground too early and all others in the area were full. They should leave open until weather gets bad to relieve the congestion and frustration of trying to find a place to park for the nights

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Nightly Rate: $26.00

Days Stayed: 1

Site Number: 149

RV Type: Class C

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise
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Reviewed by
Campendium

September 20, 2019
Rated

Checked in here 8 28 and departed 9 02. The Golden age pass gets the NPS entrance fee waived. Dry camping only. Loops A and B have lots of trees. Loops C and D have very few trees. The trees made solar power questionable, but we did not need it. Sites can be challenging for big rigs. Our site was a pull thru site next to the road with limited space for the slide out. We did not feel comfortable leaving our living room slide out over night or when we were not at the camper. If size is a concern, check the map carefully when booking. There are also regulations for generators. No cell service.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $26.00

Days Stayed: 4

Site Number: A039 loop A

RV Length: 30 ft

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
5 Noise
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Reviewed by
Campendium

August 25, 2020
Rated

Hard to over rate this National Park. While popular, the campsites are well spaced. Due to CV-19, some sections were not open. There are (unofficial) places for off-leash dog walking, and trails for every ambition. Fly rods are encouraged. If you head to the summit, take advantage of the turnoffs along the way. We received a warning for going too slowly and obstructing traffic. The road defines "steep", "curvy" and "breathtaking". We camped at Glacier Basin Campground (NPS Campground) in a Motorhome.

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $20.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: B034

RV Length: 26 ft

RV Type: Class C

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise

Reviewed by
grgoeb

  • 45 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
October 04, 2020
Rated

Open flat sites but many are small as frequently seen in NPs. Nice bathrooms . Great access to NP hiking . Wish they would stay open after 9/15 if weather permits but they close CG on 9/15 . Site had tree stumps that were annoying . Good dump station.

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grgoeb would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $10.00

Days Stayed: 2

Site Number: -

RV Length: 23 ft

RV Type: Travel Trailer

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
3 Site Quality
4 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T

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Reviewed by
Campendium

August 12, 2021
Rated

Well maintained sites & campground as we've come to rely on at NPS-run places. Bathrooms were clean and had soap. Water available but no electric hookups and no showers. From one end of C loop you can walk to Sprague Lake, which was a nice pre-dinner mini-hike. Site B060 was a little sloped. Definitely a range of shade levels - the ones around us had some nice shade. Super convenient to be able to hop onto the park shuttle and get to trailheads without worrying about parking!

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This reviewer would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $30.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: B 060

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
4 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 4G

Reviewed by
Jim Smith

  • 35 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
June 19, 2022
Rated

We had a very nice wooded pull thru site. The A and B sections have trees while the other sections are void of trees and open to wind etc. Well maintained and clean. Campsite pass provides access to all the other areas of the park without a reservation. About 8 miles to Estes Park.

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Jim Smith would stay here again

Nightly Rate: $25.00

Days Stayed: 3

Site Number: A18

RV Length: 20 ft

RV Type: Travel Trailer

5 Access
5 Location
5 Cleanliness
5 Site Quality
5 Noise

Cell Coverage Rating

AT&T 5G

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Glacier Basin Campground

Bear Lake Rd.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park, Colorado
CO USA
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Hours

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  • Unavailable
    Parking
  • Check
    Pets Allowed
  • Check
    Restrooms
  • Unknown
    Wifi
  • Check
    Wheelchair Accessible
  • Unknown
    Credit Cards Accepted
Check In
1:00 PM
Check Out
12:00 PM
Group Tent Sites Count
13
Last Nightly Rate
15.0
Longest Vehicle Length Reported
35 ft
Lowest Nightly Rate
5.0
Max Length
27 ft
Max Stay
7
Season End
Dates Vary
Season Start
Open Summer Only
Sites Count
160
  • Unavailable
    Full Hookup
  • Unavailable
    Pull Through
  • Check
    Tent Sites
  • Check
    Dump Station
  • Unavailable
    Big Rigs
  • Check
    Open Seasonally
  • Unavailable
    Age Restricted
  • Check
    Boondock
  • Unavailable
    Cabin Sites
  • Unavailable
    Dispersed Sites
  • Unavailable
    Equestrian Sites
  • Check
    Firewood
  • Unavailable
    Fulltime Residents
  • Check
    Group Tent Sites
  • Unavailable
    Laundry
  • Unavailable
    Mobile Homes
  • Unavailable
    Permit Required
  • Check
    Potable Water
  • Unavailable
    Propane
  • Check
    Public Water
  • Unavailable
    Pull Through RV Sites
  • Check
    Reservations
  • Unavailable
    RV Sites
  • Unavailable
    Sewer Hookup
  • Unavailable
    Showers
  • Check
    Sites
  • Check
    Standard Tent Sites
  • Check
    Trailer Permitted
  • Unavailable
    Water Hookup
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