Rocky Mountain National Park Closes Timber Creek Campground for the Rest of 2026
Rocky Mountain National Park closed Timber Creek Campground at noon on August 10, 2026, and it will stay closed for the rest of the 2026 season. If you had a late-summer or fall trip planned for the park’s west side, it’s worth knowing before you show up.
What's Closing and Why
Timber Creek, on the west side of the park near Grand Lake, is closing for a sewer system rehabilitation project. Crews will replace damaged manholes, repair broken pipes, and reline existing pipes. The Park Service says the work is necessary to keep the system safe and reliable, and the campground is expected to reopen for the 2027 summer season — so this is a one-season closure, not a permanent loss.
What's Still Open
- Aspenglen Campground (east side, near Estes Park) — open
- Glacier Basin Campground (east side) — open
- Moraine Park Campground (east side) — open
All three remaining campgrounds are on the east side of the park, accessible from the Estes Park area rather than Grand Lake. If your trip was specifically built around the west side — Kawuneeche Valley, the Colorado River trailhead, or quick access to Grand Lake — you will want to look at lodging or camping options in that area separately, since the in-park alternative sits on the opposite side of the park entirely.
The Practical Takeaway
If you already have a Timber Creek reservation for after August 9, it will not be honored — the park guidance is to plan for alternative arrangements. Reservations for the three remaining campgrounds open up to six months out on Recreation.gov, and with one fewer campground in the park this season, the east-side sites are likely to book up faster than usual for the rest of the year.
Staying Near the East Side Instead
If you are shifting your trip to the east side, Estes Park Campground at Mary’s Lake sits right at the park’s main entrance and is not affected by this closure at all, since it is independently run rather than part of the park’s own campground system.
Source: National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park.