Rocky Mountain National Park Hours & Opening / Closing Date

Rocky Mountain National Park holds much outdoor adventure, and you’ll want to take advantage of everything the park has to offer. This is why it’s vital to know the hours of operation and the seasonal information. You can then plan your trip effectively and efficiently, making your trip the best it can be.

Visitors can come to Rocky Mountain Park anytime of year, since the park is open year round. If you want to stay overnight, you’ll need to have a valid permit to occupy a backcountry campsite or designated campground spot. The best times to visit are spring and summer when temperatures are mild, but you should be prepared, for it can snow in April. In fact, it can snow in July at higher elevations. Spring is the perfect time to come if you want to see wildflowers blooming across the slopes at the lower elevations.

2010 Entrance Fees

• 7-Day automobile pass is $20
• For people on foot or on bicycles and motorcycles it is $10 per person for a 7-day pass

2010 Visitor Centers

Alpine Visitor Center – Located at Fall River Pass. Open daily. 

• May 28 through June 19: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• June 20 through September 6: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• September 7 through October 11: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center – Located on Route 36 three miles from Estes Park. Open daily all year but closed on Christmas Day. 

• October 25, 2009 through April 24, 2010: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• April 25 through June 19: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• June 20 through August 28: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• August 29 through September 6: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• September 7 throught October 23: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• October 24 through early spring 2011: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fall River Visitor Center – Located on Route 34 five miles west of Estes Park. Open all year but only on weekends in wintertime. Hours are from 9 am to 4 or 5 pm (varies).

Kawuneeche Visitor Center – Located one mile north of Grand Lake on Route 34. Open daily all year but closed Christmas Day. 

• September 27, 2009 through May 1, 2010: 8 a.m. to 4:30 pm
• May 2 through June 19: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• June 20 through September 6: 8 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• September 8 through September 25: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• September 26 through early spring 2011: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

2010 Campgrounds

You’ll need reservations at Moraine Park and Aspenglen and can make them six months in advance. The other campgrounds are on a first-come, first-served basis, filling fast in the summer. No campsites have any hookups for electricity, water or sewer.

• Aspenglen Campground – on Route 34 west of the Fall River Entrance Station. Open from noon on May 26th to noon on September 25th. Reservations are recommended. Fee is $20 per night. RV and trailer length limit is 30 feet.
• Glacier Basin Campground – on Bear Lake Road about six miles south of Beaver Meadow Entrance Station. Open May 26th to September 6th. Fee is $20 per night. RV and trailer length limit is 35 feet. There are also group sites with a camping fee of $3 per person per night. Tents only.
• Longs Peak Campground – on Route 7 about nine miles south of Estes Park. Open all year. Fee is $20 per night when water is on (about late May to mid-September, and $14 per night when water is off. Tents only.
• Moraine Park Campground – south of Beaver Meadows Entrance Station about 2 ½ miles. Open all year. Reservations are recommended from May 26th to October 4th, otherwise it is first-come, first-served. Fee is $20 per night when water is on (during above reservations dates) and $14 per night when water is off. RV and trailer length limit is 40 feet. There are also group sites.
• Timber Creek Campground – about eight miles east of Grand Lake Entrance Station on Route 34. Open all year. Fee is $20 per night when water is on, and $14 per night when water is off. RV and trailer length limit is 30 feet.

Shuttle Bus

Use the free shuttle within Rocky Mountain National Park to save yourself traffic congestion and see the sights without distraction. The Bear Lake Route shuttle runs every 10 to 15 minutes, and the Moraine Park Route shuttle runs every 30 minutes, 7 am to 7 pm.

Hours of service:

• Weekends from Memorial Day to June 6th.
• Daily service from June 12th to October 6th.

Area Closures

On occasion certain sections of the park are closed. Notices are posted throughout the park and you can get up-to-date information from any park visitor center.

This information was obtained from the National Park Service website and we try to provide the most up to date information about the hours and seasons within Rocky Mountain National Park, but please note that the above mentioned dates and hours can change without notice.