North Inlet Junction

078 - NORTH INLET JUNCTION

  • Respect Wildness... Practice the 7 Leave No Trace Ethics
  • Plan ahead and prepare: Plan your trip carefully. Prepare for extreme weather, hazards and emergencies. Plan for the least experienced member of your party.
  • Travel and camp on durable surfaces: Hike single file in the middle of the trail or side by side in areas without trails. Camp in hardened areas only, not in meadows or on vegetation.
  • Dispose of waste properly: Pick up all spilled foods and trash. Disperse washing and cooking wastewater 70 adult steps (200 feet/60 meters) from camps and all water sources. Leave no evidence of your stay.
  • Leave what you find: Leave plants, rocks, antlers and artifacts as you find them for others to enjoy.
  • Minimize campfire impacts: CAMPFIRES PROHIBITED AT THIS SITE. Use portable stoves only.
  • Respect Wildlife: Use carry-in/carry-out bear resistant food storage canister April 1 through October 31. Minimize noise. Avoid lakes and streams at dawn and dusk.
  • Be considerate of other visitors: Respect the quality of every visitor’s experience.

EMERGENCIES: In case of emergency, call 911. Area map shows the location of the nearest phone.


Site Location: Site is south of trail in open wooded rocky area. A wood sign indicates the path to the site; the path may be marked by red arrowheads on trees. Camp safely away from standing dead trees, as near as is safely possible to the silver metal arrowhead.

Number of Sites: 3
Elevation: 9,600 feet
Distance: 7.5 miles from North Inlet TH, 9.2 miles from Bear Lake TH
Approximate Travel Time: 7 to 8 hours from North Inlet TH, 8 to 9 hours from Bear Lake TH
Elevation Change: 1,060 feet gain from North Inlet TH, net gain 120 feet from Bear Lake TH (2,850 feet gain; 2,730 feet loss)
Privy: YES

Water Source: Water is available from creek. Boil or adequately treat all water.

To Reach the Trailhead (TH): North Inlet TH: From Kawuneeche Visitor Center follow Hwy 34 south approximately 1.7 miles to West Portal Road. Turn left onto West Portal Road and follow 0.7 miles to “Stop” sign. Continue on West Portal Road approximately 0.2 miles and turn left onto gravel road marked “North Inlet Trailhead.” Follow this steep road past water filtration plant and turn right into TH parking.
 
Drawing of North Inlet Junction Campsite Location
Modified: 08/24

NPS

Last updated: August 10, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1000 US Hwy 36
Estes Park, CO 80517

Phone:

970 586-1206
The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter. Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222.

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