When Rocky Mountain campsites go on sale
Moraine Park, Glacier Basin and Aspenglen carry most of the park’s summer demand and book out months ahead. Here are the current release dates and the realistic alternatives.
Camp-Now watches sold-out Recreation.gov campgrounds for you, catches the cancellation, and holds the site in your cart while you check out.
Recreation.gov release dates
How Rocky Mountain bookings usually behave
Current release dates and rules published on Recreation.gov.
Moraine Park Campground
- Max 7 nights
- Same-day booking
- 7 bookings per account
Winter first-come loops are already available, while any later reservation release depends on the exact loop and season you need.
- Combined vehicle plus trailer length cannot exceed 40 feet.
- Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road access is included with the camping reservation.
Glacier Basin Campground
- Max 7 nights
- Same-day booking
Bookable now for arrivals through Mar 1, 2027. On Sep 2, 2026, arrivals through Mar 2, 2027 become bookable.
- Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road access is included with the camping reservation.
- Peak-season max stay is 7 nights.
Aspenglen and Timber Creek
Aspenglen: Bookable now for arrivals through Mar 1, 2027. On Sep 2, 2026, arrivals through Mar 2, 2027 become bookable. Timber Creek: Bookable now for arrivals through Mar 1, 2027. On Sep 2, 2026, arrivals through Mar 2, 2027 become bookable.
- Vehicles over 30 feet are not allowed in the campground.
- Peak-season max stay is 7 nights.
Release dates, rules, and notices are published on Recreation.gov.
How to book
Booking Rocky Mountain, start to finish
- Where
- Recreation.gov. National park campgrounds are not bookable by phone during the reservation season.
- When
- These campgrounds open on a rolling six-month window, so a new arrival date becomes bookable each morning.
- Be ready
- Sign in, save a card and settle your dates and party size before the window opens. Popular weekends go in minutes, and the checkout you prepared in advance is the one that completes.
- Which campground
- Moraine Park is the largest and open longest into the season. Glacier Basin puts you on the Bear Lake shuttle route, which matters more than site quality if you are hiking. Aspenglen is small and near the Fall River entrance.
- Timed entry
- Rocky Mountain has run timed-entry permits for the park itself in summer. A campground reservation and park entry are separate things. Check whether you need both for your dates.
- If you miss it
- Cancellations are the realistic second chance. They appear at any hour, cluster in the last two weeks before arrival, and are usually taken within minutes.
- Backup plans
- Estes Park sits at the east entrance, and Roosevelt National Forest has campgrounds and dispersed camping close to the park boundary.
Already sold out?
Rocky Mountain is sold out for your dates
Camp-Now watches Moraine Park, Glacier Basin and Aspenglen for a cancellation matching your trip and texts you the second one opens. Free to start, with no card and no Recreation.gov login. Link your account and we put the site in your cart first.
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Go deeper
Rocky Mountain booking guides
Park guide
How to Book Rocky Mountain Campgrounds in 2026
Learn how Rocky Mountain campground reservations work near Estes Park, how Moraine Park, Glacier Basin, Aspenglen, and Timber Creek compare, when peak summer weekends move fastest, and what to do when cancellations reopen.
Read guideCampground guide
How to Book Moraine Park Campground in 2026
Learn how Moraine Park Campground reservations work for peak July and August weekends near Estes Park, when the first release moves fastest, and how to recover with Glacier Basin or Aspenglen when Moraine Park is sold out.
Read guideCampground guide
How to Book Glacier Basin Campground in 2026
Learn how Glacier Basin Campground reservations work for peak July and August weekends in Rocky Mountain, why it sells out almost as fast as Moraine Park, and how to recover with Moraine Park or Aspenglen when Glacier Basin is gone.
Read guideQuestions
Do I need a timed-entry permit as well as a campsite?+
Often, in summer. Park entry and camping are booked separately, so confirm the current timed-entry rules for your dates.
How do I get a Rocky Mountain campsite when everything is booked?+
Wait for a cancellation. They are common, but they rarely stay open long enough to find by checking manually, which is what Camp-Now watches for.
Does Camp-Now book the site for me?+
You always complete the checkout yourself. Camp-Now texts you the moment a matching site opens, with no Recreation.gov login needed. Link your account and it adds the site to your cart first, so it is held while you check out.
Is it free to start?+
Yes. Watching and alerts are free, with no card and no Recreation.gov login. If you turn on auto-booking, your first booked night is free too.