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Moraine Park | Introduction
Moraine Park is located in the northeastern region of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Most visitors to the Rocky Mountains tend to come to this area because Moraine Park is on the way to the most popular Bear Lake area. Many people consider Moraine Park and Bear Lake as one since these two places are relatively close and are connected by Bear Lake Road. Many visitors on day trips to Rocky Mountain National Park often only visit these two areas. Moraine Park is also known for its abundant elk population, making it an excellent spot for wildlife enthusiasts. It is also highly recommended to stay in Moraine Park during sunset, as the view is truly stunning.
To drive to Moraine Park, you can enter through the Beaver Meadows entrance. If you want to stay in the national park and like to camp, it is the best place to stay for one night, there are two campgrounds in Moraine Park.Moraine Park Campground, and Glacier Basin CampgroundFor those who are not used to camping, Moraine Park is close to the nearby town of Estes Park. For those who are not used to camping, Moraine Park is quite close to the neighboring town of Estes Park, and there is a free shuttle bus to and from Estes Park.
Find a stay in Estes Park
Camping Review | Moraine Park Campground
- Comfort: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Camp Space: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Facility Cleanliness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Convenience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Moraine Park Campground is the only year-round campground in Rocky Mountain National Park, and from fall to early spring, it's the only camping option. We camped here for two nights in the fall of 2022 and were very impressed. The campground is conveniently located near many attractions, allowing us to easily avoid crowds at Bear Lake in the morning and enjoy the sunset or watch elk at nearby Cub Lake or Beaver Meadow in the evening.
The campsite provides leveled tent platforms, making tent setup comfortable and easy. Although we camped in fall and experienced rain, the site has plenty of sunshine, and the ground dried quickly after the rain. Since we traveled by plane and packed lightly, we only brought a simple tarp (Amazon link) for rain cover, but as long as you bring sufficient clothing, you’ll stay warm and comfortable at night. The restroom and picnic facilities were well-maintained, and even the restrooms provided soap. Of course, the most important aspect is the beautiful scenery. Our campsite offered stunning views of the surrounding mountains and wide-open meadows, creating a breathtaking autumn landscape right outside our tent in the morning.
Attractions & Trails | Beaver Meadow
Beaver Meadow is a vast grassland, and it's the easiest spot to see elk. You can simply drive over and spot large groups of elk by the roadside. Every time we passed by, we saw many tourists gathered to watch the elk. During dusk, we observed a large group of elk grazing by the road. While viewing wildlife, remember not to disturb them. With large crowds, male elk tend to be more defensive and may become aggressive. We didn’t watch for long because someone got too close, and a male elk suddenly charged toward the roadside, prompting the rangers on-site to ask everyone to move back.
Attractions & Trails | Cub Lake Trail
Cub Lake Trail is one of the larger trails in the Moraine Park area, located near Moraine Park Campground. It’s also a stop along the shuttle route, but perhaps because Bear Lake has so many trails, fewer people visit Cub Lake Trail.
This trail is moderately difficult and spans a round-trip distance of 4.6 miles. The autumn scenery along the trail is beautiful, and we saw a stunning sunset as well as plenty of wildlife.
After only a few hundred feet of walking, you begin to see a large meadow where a large number of Elk are eating their dinner.After just a few hundred feet, you’ll come upon a wide-open meadow where large herds of elk can be seen grazing.
As you continue past the meadow, the trail enters a wooded area. If you keep going, the trail will eventually lead to Bear Lake, although the park website mentions that the forested area in the latter half of the trail was affected by a wildfire a few years ago, and much of the forest was burned. Since we visited in the late afternoon, we only hiked about 1 mile before turning back. Along the way, there were still wildflowers, which must be even more beautiful in the spring. If you visit in spring, it’s something to look forward to.
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