Timber Creek Campground
The Quick Take
Timber Creek is Rocky Mountain's west side sleeper pick -- the campground most visitors never consider because they're too busy fighting for spots at Moraine Park or Glacier Basin. Sitting just eight miles east of Grand Lake along Trail Ridge Road, it puts you on the quieter, wetter side of the Continental Divide, where the Colorado River is still a modest stream you can practically hop across. You'll trade flush toilets and cell service for genuine elbow room during peak season and some of the best moose-spotting habitat in the park. The campground runs just under a hundred sites through a lodgepole pine forest, and while none are waterfront postcards, the western access means you can hit Grand Lake for a real dinner without battling Trail Ridge traffic. Choose Timber Creek if you want Rocky Mountain without the Rocky Mountain crowds, and you don't mind vault toilets as the cost of admission.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 98 sites are reservable.
Book at Rocky Mountain LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups.
Accessibility
Accessible restrooms available. Four ADA sites are available for those customers with a disability or otherwise limited mobility who would benefit from the accessibility design features. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Bear Safety:Bears, Deer, elk, raccoons and skunks frequent the area: all food, pet food, cooking utensils and other scented items must be stored in a vehicle or food storage lockers located in the campground.
- Occupancy:There is an eight (8) person limit per site.
Pro Tips
Timber Creek books up later than east-side campgrounds -- you can often grab summer reservations two to three weeks out when Moraine Park has been sold out for months. Check recreation.gov on weekday mornings when cancellations tend to drop.
The Colorado River Trail starts practically at your tent flap and is one of the best early-morning moose walks in the park. Head out before 7 a.m. and stay at least 25 yards back -- cow moose with calves are common here in June and July and they are not interested in your photography ambitions.
No camp store, no cell service, no showers -- pack accordingly. Fill up on groceries and fuel in Grand Lake before you arrive. The dump station is a genuine luxury for RVers on this side of the park, so take advantage of it. Firewood is sold on-site, which saves you from hauling it.
Photos
NPS
NPSGetting There
Directions
From the Town of Grand Lake, head east on US Hwy 34 / Trail Ridge Road for approximately 8 miles. Timber Creek Campground will be on your left.
Get directions
