Boondocking West of Rocky Mtn Natl. Park

[Love My Westy]

We will be making a trip in our Westy from Salt Lake City to Rocky Mtn Nat. Park., leaving June 10. We have reserved the first night at Dinosaur Nat. Mon. We will then need to find camping near the West entrance of RMNP for two nights. I don't know if we will arrive early enough to get a site at Timber Creek CG within the park so we may need to boondock at least one night out of the west entrance.

Any suggestions?

[tschroeder0]

I would make sure that trail ridge road is open at that time, you may not get into the park that way(the west side)and have to go around. There has been a huge amount of late snow this year, so you may actually find yourself looking for a spot on the East side of the divide. If that is the case I would go by way of Nederland and camp there.

[Ahwahnee]

Approaching from the west I usually boondock near Gore Pass but that is 9500' and we're there in warm months, might be too cold for this time of year. Used to be a USFS CG near there but it closed so I just took one of the many roads into the forest and found a spot.

A lower altitude approach is the drive from State Bridge to Kremmling then in on US40 but most of it is non-USFS.

As for Trail Ridge Road, they usually plow and open the road for Memorial Day - after that it sometimes stays open and sometimes closes again if there is a late snow.

I never stay at Timber Creek anymore since they converted it to 'Timberless Creek' a few years ago.

The Forest Service combats the pine bark beetle infestation with spray & plastic wrap and only cuts badly damaged trees. The NPS seems to have a scorched earth policy which clear cuts an area (such as the Timber Creek CG). Absolutely heart-breaking to see that once delightful grove reduced to acres of stumps.