Longs Peak Campground sits at 9,500 feet on the eastern slope of Rocky Mountain National Park, a tent-only base camp designed primarily for climbers and hikers heading to Colorado's most prominent fourteener. The campground offers vault toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables, with a well-regarded camp host who knows the area. Views of the surrounding peaks are the main draw.
Small, tent-only campground located in a forested area at high elevation. Each campsite has one parking spot.
Weather and SeasonsBest season: summer. Summer offers the most reliable access and the best weather for tent camping and day hikes around Longs Peak, with daytime highs typically in the mid-50s to mid-70s°F (10–24°C) and chilly nights often dropping to the 20s–40s°F (-5–5°C). Wildflower displays and alpine meadows are at their peak in July, and this is the safest window for attempting approach hikes or summit bids (weather and experience permitting). Expect the busiest conditions in July–August and frequent afternoon thunderstorms—arr
Peak months: July, August, September, June
Avoid: November, December, January, February
Elevation9500 ft above sea level
Natural Features and SceneryThe campground rests in a montane and subalpine forest of lodgepole pine and Engelmann spruce, with Longs Peak rising to the west. At this elevation, you're between the lower valleys and the alpine tundra, surrounded by dense canopy that provides natural shade. Clark's nutcrackers chatter overhead. Wildflowers bloom in the forest understory during July. The landscape was carved by glaciers during the last ice age, leaving the granite formations and U-shaped valleys visible throughout the park.