Moraine Park Campground Will Be Temporarily Closed
Moraine Park Campground is the largest, most popular campground in Rocky Mountain National Park. Many visitors camp here throughout the year, but park management has announced that the campground will be closed until 2024 so they can perform necessary updates and maintenance.
This park was originally built in the 1960s, and it hasn’t seen many significant updates since then. The years have taken their toll, and there are many parts of the campground that are worn down and in need of attention. Increased guest traffic hasn’t helped matters either! In order to bring this campground into the modern era and keep it suitable for visitor use, this temporary closure is necessary.
The project is currently being referred to as the “Moraine Park Campground and Headquarters East Utility Rehabilitation Project”. Park management is working to fix long-standing issues and create better infrastructure for the future. Once 2024 rolls around, the campground will be better than ever!
Utility Rehabilitation Program Details
“Increased visitor usage, evolving trends in recreation, the need to improve access for all campers, and deferred maintenance for critical water and utility systems have all created a need to rehabilitate the Moraine Park Campground and nearby areas.”
There are several goals included in this rehabilitation. The park is quite old, and it’s in need of a variety of updates and repairs.
Fixing all the problems and making new improvements is no small feat! This is a multi-faceted project that includes several different focuses. Some of the key goals include:
- Relocate power lines to minimize damage caused by trees, snow, wind, etc.
- Improve campground accessibility
- Increase drainage in areas that are frequently flooded
- Move campsites that are regularly damaged or flooded
- Add electrical hookups for 60 RV sites
- Update the ranger station
- Improve the dump station and the surrounding area
- Replace the campground entrance kiosk
- Add an additional camp host site to improve management response time and availability
- Update and repair the water, sewage, and electrical systems
This is no small project, and they have a lot of work to do in a single year. These updates are necessary, and some of them have been a long time coming! Visitors who come back to this campground once it reopens will be able to enjoy better accessibility, more hookups, and stable infrastructure.
Timeline
Moraine Park Campground is currently still open for public use, but it will shut down at the end of May 2023 and remain closed until the early summer months of 2024. If you want to visit this park in its original state, you still have a couple of months to get there.
Once it closes, it’ll be out of commission for about one full year, and exact dates will be provided as the deadline draws closer. You can visit nps.gov for more details about the utility rehabilitation program and check for updates on the timeline.
Campground overview
Moraine Park Campground is one of four campgrounds within Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s quite large, with a grand total of 245 sites. Despite the aging facilities, it’s been pretty popular over the years. Users of RV LIFE Campgrounds gave it an average score of 8.7/10, and people loved the location and peaceful atmosphere. They did acknowledge that it could use a bit of work though!
The campground is open all year long, and guests have enjoyed the scenic views in summer and winter alike. It’s a first-come, first-served campground, and it’s often quite full. The National Park Service reports that more than 30,000 guests visit this campground every year. It’ll be sad to lose it while it’s under construction, but the rehabilitation efforts will make it better than ever!
Funding for this project comes from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). This fund provides $1.9 billion each year for necessary park updates and maintenance. This resource was only recently made available to Rocky Mountain National Park, and they are putting the money to good use here.
If you want to learn more about Moraine Park Campground and the rehabilitation project, visit the information page here.
Other campgrounds in the area
Fans of Moraine Park Campground will be sad to hear about the upcoming closure. This was the cheapest of the park’s campgrounds at around $30 per night, and the large number of sites meant that there was usually an opening for guests.
But while this campground is being renovated, you have the opportunity to explore some of the other parks in the area! Other official national park campgrounds include Aspenglen Campground, Glacier Basin Campground, Longs Peak Campground, and Timber Creek Campground.
These are all good options, but sometimes you might not want to stay directly in the park itself. You’re also in luck here! There are plenty of beautiful and affordable parks in the area where visitors are welcome. Some of the most highly rated options are listed below.
Winding River RV Resort
- Location: 1447 Co Rd 491, Grand Lake, CO 80447
- Average guest rating: 8.4/10
- Number of Sites: 150
Horse lovers will love visiting Winding River RV Resort! The park is home to several well-trained horses that can be used for trail exploration, pony rides, and hay rides. Full hookups are provided at several of the sites, and cabin rentals are also available.
It’s more expensive than some of the other parks in the area, but it always provides a great experience. This park is only open from May to September, so plan your trips accordingly!
Grand Lake / Rocky Mountain National Park KOA Journey
- Location: 143 Co Rd 48, Grand Lake, CO 80447
- Average guest rating: 8.5/10
- Number of Sites: 72
Grand Lake is a gorgeous campground that provides scenic views of forests, meadows, and mountains. It’s quite close to the West Entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, and it has a cozy, rustic appeal.
Hookups for water and electricity are provided, but sewage is not available. However, there are bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities, a general store, and a rec hall to add some extra comfort to your visit.
It’s close to a small and scenic mountain town where you can enjoy a few modern comforts. Outdoor activities and nature trails are never hard to find when you stay here! Just remember that this park was formerly known as the Elk Creek Campground & RV Park, so some channels might still have it under this name.
Stillwater Campground
- Location: 8590 US Highway 34, Granby, CO 80446
- Average guest rating: 9/10
- Number of Sites: 129
If you’re looking for a nice affordable option, Stillwater Campground is a great place to set up camp. It has a large number of sites, and many of them have access to hookups for water and electricity. It’s located on the banks of a beautiful lake, so it’s always popular for boating, fishing, and swimming.
The area is fairly open as well, so you can enjoy panoramic views of mountains and open skies. Many visitors have remarked that the location is one of the top appeals of this campground. Make sure you bring a camera so you can capture the sunsets over the mountains. It’s a bit more rural than some parks, but you can still have a great experience here.
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