Timber Creek Campground — Rocky Mountain National Park

Timber Creek sits at 8,900 feet on the west side of Trail Ridge Road, making it the go-to base camp for overlanders working the Never Summer Mountains corridor. It’s a developed NPS campground with 98 sites — big enough to find a spot, busy enough that you’ll want to plan ahead in July and August. The Colorado River runs right through the area here, barely more than a creek at this elevation. No hookups, but you get flush toilets, drinking water, and bear boxes. Fire restrictions apply — check current status before you load firewood.

Access is paved all the way in via US-34. Park entrance fee applies. The campground is on the west side near the Grand Lake entrance, roughly 3 miles north of Grand Lake. No reservations — first-come, first-served only, which means weekday arrivals or pre-dawn weekend arrivals are your move. Open late May through mid-October depending on snowpack.

West side RMNP — first-come, headwaters camp.