Wilderness Overnight Backpacking

 
 
At left, a tent and campsite in rocks with a peak behind. On right, a field of windblown snow below the summit of Longs Peak.
Longs Peak from the Boulderfield in late summer (left) and early summer (right).

NPS Photos

 

Plan Your Wilderness Overnight Backpacking Trip

 
Three Tents set up in a North Inlet Wilderness Campsite
Three tents are set up in a Wilderness Campsite in Rocky

NPS

*Before you start planning please read the items below to ensure that Rocky Mountain National Park can meet your expectations*

➡️ Overnight wilderness backpacking requires a physical permit & an overnight dashtag for your vehicle. This permit must be carried with you into the backcountry. Your wilderness permit is an officially issued, hard copy, printed permit. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

➡️ All wilderness permits & dashtags MUST be picked up in person at one of RMNP's Wilderness Office locations. Wilderness Offices are open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

  • East Side of RMNP (near Estes Park, CO): Wilderness Office located near Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. Address: 1000 U.S. Hwy 36, Estes Park, CO 80517

  • West Side of RMNP (near Grand Lake, CO): Wilderness Permit Desk located inside Kawuneeche Visitor Center. Address: 16018 U.S. Hwy 34, Grand Lake, CO 80447

➡️ Overnight wilderness backpackers are REQUIRED to secure all food items, scented items, and garbage inside a hard sided, lockable, commercially made carry in/carry out bear-resistant food storage canister.

➡️ Rocky Mountain National Park is a designated site wilderness. There is no dispersed camping allowed.

➡️ Campfires are PROHIBITED in the wilderness. Use portable stoves only.

➡️ Purify all water.

➡️ In Rocky Mountain National Park there is a long history of wilderness overnight backpackers who are also stewards of Leave No Trace. Please visit the Leave No Trace webpage to gain knowledge on how you too can minimize your impact.

 
Two bear-resistant food storage containers are placed on the ground at a Wilderness Backcountry Site
Example of two hard sided commercially-made carry in/carry out bear-resistant food storage canisters at a wilderness campsite

NPS Photo

Important Trip Planning Information

To see all of the different wilderness campsites available in Rocky, check out the map below:

 
Map of Rocky Mountain National Park showing the location of all wilderness campsites in the park.
Map of Rocky Mountain National Park's Wilderness Campsites

NPS

 

For a more interactive look at Rocky Wilderness Campsites, click here to explore!

 

Reservations for All Summer Wilderness Overnight Backpacking Permits will Open on March 1, 2025 at 8 a.m. MST

Tips for Reserving a Wilderness Overnight Backpacking Permit:

  1. Plan & Prepare! Take time to meet with your group and plan out 3-4 different trip itineraries.This includes choosing alternate dates AND campsites.
  2. If you don't have one yet, set up a Recreation.gov account. You can visit www.recreation.gov, use the Recreation.gov Mobile App, or call the Recreation.gov Call Center at 1-877-444-6777.
  3. You must be logged into your Recreation.gov account prior to attempting to make a reservation for a wilderness overnight backpacking trip.
  4. Search "Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness Permits" in the Recreation.gov search engine.
  5. Click "Check Availability" on the right hand side of the page.
  6. Select your desired dates, enter the number of people in your group, and build your trip itinerary by selecting a 'Starting Area.'
    • NOTE: This trip itinerary is NOT held until the "Book Now" button is selected.
  7. Once you are ready to book, click "Book Now." The inventory you've selected is now held and you have 15 minutes to complete the remaining order details and pay for the reservation.

Have specific questions about a wilderness backcountry campsite or route? Call RMNP's Wilderness Office and park staff will be happy to assist you!

 

Wilderness Office Hours

Wilderness Office
(east side of RMNP)

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
1000 U.S. Hwy 36
Estes Park, CO 80517
Phone: 970-586-1242

Hours: Open year-round: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily
Closed: New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day / Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. To pick up your permit on these federal holidays, please call 970-586-1242 to make arrangements.

Wilderness Office
(west side of RMNP)

Kawuneeche Visitor Center
16018 U.S. Hwy 34
Grand Lake, CO 80447
Phone: 970-586-1521 (summer season only)

Summer Hours (May 15 - September 30): Open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily
Winter Hours: Closed
Although the West Side Wilderness Office is closed for the winter, winter wilderness overnight backpacking permits are still required. Instructions for obtaining a permit for the West Side of RMNP are posted on the front doors of Kawuneeche Visitor Center. Call: 970-586-1242 for further information.


 
A winter view of The Loch in RMNP. Fresh snow is on the ground. Pine trees and mountains are covered with fresh snow. The sky overhead is clear and blue. It is a beautiful winter day in RMNP.

Winter Wilderness Overnight Backpacking Permits

For the wintertime adventurer, winter wilderness campsites are plentiful in the park. Permits & dashtags are required and are issued in person on a first-come, first-served basis. Permits & dashtags are to be picked up at one of two Wilderness Office locations. Advanced reservations are not accepted during the winter season.

The administrative fee for wilderness overnight camping is $10 per permit. You will need an established Recreation.gov account to pay this fee. You will sign into Recreation.gov when you are at RMNP's Wilderness Office in person.

 
Two people are hiking on a trail after the East Troublesome Fire. The trail is lined with trees that have recently been burned in a wildlife.

NPS Photo

A Changing Landscape

There are temporary trail and campsite closures in place due to the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires of 2020. Park visitors should be aware of additional hazards when recreating in burn areas including:

  • Be aware of standing dead trees, loose soil/rock, and the potential for flash floods when backpacking near or in an area that has recently burned.
  • Park staff will continue to assess closed areas for fire impacts, safety, downed trees, erosion and rock fall. It is unknown when all closures impacted by the fires of 2020 will reopen. For a map and more information, visit RMNP's Fire Information & Regulations webpage.
 

To help you plan for your upcoming trip and/or future trips, check out the following resources to help you have a successful and fun wilderness experience:

 

Last updated: February 5, 2025

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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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