Colorado Family Camping

Find Your Wild. Protect Our Parks.

Overview

Rocky Mountain
National Park

4 days
August 10th-14th

Tent Camping

Family-Friendly
All-Ages Welcome

For each registered guest, $100 is donated to Rocky Mountain Conservancy

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Colorado Adventure

Join us for a 4-day camping adventure in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. We'll be camping at Glacier Basin Campground within the Bear Lake Corridor which means no timed tickets for entrance! Adults and kids alike will enjoy the magnificent beauty of the Colorado Rockies as we explore various hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, and scenic overlooks. We will practice Leave No Trace to help keep trails beautiful and we will inspire the next generation to fall in love with our National Parks. Together we will protect what we love while making lasting memories.

Itinerary

Day 1- Meet at Rocky Mountain National Park Check-in begins at 1 pm for our Glacier Basin Group campsite. We will meet between 1 pm-3 pm to get our tents set-up and head out to explore the park. We will gather for dinner around 6:30 pm and end the evening with campfire (weather and risk permitting).

Day 2- Emerald Lake Trail Our morning will start off with breakfast and packing lunches. We'll walk over to the park and ride which is conveniently located next to our campground and hop on a shuttle and get off at the Bear Lake stop. We will have the opportunity to view Bear Lake before setting off on our 3.2 mile hike with 702 feet of elevation gain. Our hike is family-friendly and takes us through pine forests to a spectacular view point, alpine lakes including Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and ending with the stunning Emerald Lake. We'll enjoy lunch at the lake before hiking back down. Once back down at the Bear Lake Trailhead you have the option of getting on the shuttle to head back to camp for awhile or making your own adventure with one of the connecting hikes that lead back to our campground. We will meet for dinner at 6:30 pm and sit around the campfire sharing our stories of the day.

Day 3- Sunrise Moosin' and Trail Ridge Road Early risers will have the option of heading to Sprague Lake (a 12 minute drive) to catch the 6 am sunrise and have a very good chance of seeing moose. We will stroll the 0.8 mile paved flat loop around the lake to take in the sights and quietly keep our eyes peeled for moose. Afterwards, we can make coffee and hot chocolate at a picnic table before heading back to camp. We'll make breakfast, pack lunches and set off for Trail Ridge Road. This 48-mile road is one of the most beautiful drives in America. You will be treated to unbelievable views as we leave the forests, and head above the tree line into the alpine tundra. We'll park at the Alpine Visitor Center where there are snacks, gifts, and educational material. There is an optional .6 mile paved & staircase walk to the highest point at 12, 005 ft. We will make our way slowly down Trail Ridge Road for some free-time before our 6:30 pm dinner and campfire.

Day 4-Wild Card Our day will start with breakfast and packing our lunches. You will have the option of a variety adventures this day depending on your interest and buck-list. There are many options including various hikes, wildlife viewing at places like Moraine Park, or spending part of the day in Estes Park to get a huckleberry ice cream cone. We will meet at 6:30 pm for our last dinner and campfire together as a group.

Day 5-Check Out & Optional Backpacking We'll have breakfast and pack lunches for the day before we pack up our gear, say our farewells and check-out by 12 pm. Guests can stay in the park after check out to continue the adventure, however if you leave the Bear Lake Corridor you won't be able to re-enter without a timed entry. Those who have chosen to stay for the optional backpacking will prep their gear before heading to our trailhead. We'll hike to our campsite and camp out in the backcountry.

Day 6-Optional Backpacking We'll wake-up in unbelievable natural beauty before packing up our gear and completing our hike back to our trailhead.

Included

4 nights of camping

Meals include 4 breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, s'mores, and snacks

Timed Entrance to Trail Ridge Rd

Timed Entry to Bear Lake Corridor included with campsite

Group Activities

Not Included

Flights

Transportation in Colorado

Park Entrance

Optional Backpacking

Venture into the wilderness

Where

Chasm Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. 8 mile hike with 2,552 ft of elevation gain. We will be hiking in approximately 1.2 miles to Goblin's Forest Campsite tucked amongst a lodgepole pine and spruce forest to set up camp in the afternoon. We will head out early the next morning to hike to Chasm Lake & return to our campsite to gather our gear to return to the trailhead.

Who

Open to experienced and first-time backpackers. Guests must be able to carry their own gear 1.2 miles to our campsite, and have the physical ability to hike a more strenuous hike with elevation gain.

Requirements

Guests are required to attend a free backpacking 101 course before the trip and follow safety guidelines for pack weights for children which is 10-15% of their body weight. *Experienced backpackers can opt-out of course. Please contact us.

Gear

Guests are expected to have their own gear including but not limited to backpacking tent, sleeping bag, mat or pad, backpack, first-aid kit, headlamp, water purification, spork and cup, pocket knife, optional trekking poles. Some gear is available on a first-come basis through our lending library and we will provide bear cans for food storage for the group. Meals are included.

What kind of wildlife will we see?

The National Park Service has documented 60 mammal species, 280 bird species, along with numerous amphibian, reptile and insect species. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the best places in the United States to admire wildlife!

Predators

A variety of predators call the Rockies home including a small number of black bear, bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions and wolves have been reintroduced into the state of Colorado. The chance of us seeing them is low as they typically avoid humans. By keeping our campsite clean and hiking in groups, we will make sure our group and the species of this park stay safe.

Ungulates

There are a variety of ungulates or "hooved" here. Your best chance of seeing Big Horn Sheep are not inside the park, but as you drive into Estes Park through Big Thompson Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled as they climb the rocky canyon and sometimes wander into the road. Elk, moose and mule deer are often seen throughout the park or even wandering in the town! Mountain Goats are the least likely to spot, but our drive up Trail Ridge Road will maximize our chances as we go to higher elevations.

Birds

The birding opportunities are endless as we explore the Rockies. Stellar's Jays, Magpies are commonly spotted. You may also see species such as the Clark's Nutcracker, Golden Eagle, or Dusky Grouse among the many species calling this park home.

Small Mammals

Smaller mammals may be spotted throughout the park as well! Yellow Bellied Marmots may be seen hanging out at Emerald Lake, the summit of Trail Ridge Road or along a trail. Pika are small alpine mammals actually related to rabbits that can be found in high altitude rocky areas. Beavers are a keystone species and ecosystem engineer in the park. Badgers, otters, long-tailed and short-tailed weasels, snowshoe hares among others also call this home but are less likely to be seen.