Estes/RMNP camping options for the planning-impaired?

Hey guys,

So I’m planning a trip to Boulder in early August and was hoping to hit Estes as well while I’m in the area.  I was thinking that camping in RMNP would be swell, but apparently it’s a popular place (who knew?!) and all of the reservation sites are taken (looking at 8/4-8/5).  So I’m wondering...

1) If anyone has a site and is interested in sharing it with 4 people (save some $!)
2) If there’s a snowball’s chance in hell of snagging a drive up site at Longs, etc
3) If there are any other options that would be scenic and/or get me fairly close to Lumpy Ridge.

Any ideas?  Hoping for some dirtbag beta...!

There is some great camping near longs peak in the meeker estates area. Which is only a slow 15 minutes from the trailhead.
If climbing at lumpy mostly. It is better to camp at what I think is called parachute hill.  It is at the top of hill on 36 before dropping into Estes. There is a big sign for Raven crest chruch camp. Take a right and go to the top past all the residents. Eli helmuth posted good directions a few years ago on mp. Could probably search it. Good luck. 

Awesome, thanks!  Does it tend to fill up on weekends, or are spots usually open for drive up?

Okay here's the dirt on stealth camping in the park--you go in at 11 or 12 and any reservation site that's empty, they're not coming for the night. So you crash and get out before 7 AM when the host checks license plates and you have breakfast at the trailhead.

Or you can always just grab those free sites out by Estes.

Awesome, thanks!

The forest roads near the meeker longs peak area is called Johnny park road. A quick google search, should give you directions.  The camping along the road is pleasant and you should be able to find a campsite, even on a busy weekend.  A SUV is a good idea for the road.  The first road you come to is Johnny park, there is more camping about a mile past Johnny Park road.  As for parachute hill I have no idea how busy it is.  

update/bump:
In case this comes up for anyone in the future, we ended up finding a great spot on Pole Hill rd.  This was very helpful:
https://freecampsites.net/#!70951&query=sitedetails
One caveat, however, is that the GPS coordinates take you to the GATE which is where the private property begins where you can NOT camp.  We ended up heading through a lot of sketchy offroading to get there and passed a lot of good sites.  I would recommend using the GPS coordinates for reference and then grabbing the first site you see along the way.  Also, they were not kidding about 4x4 required; my Subaru handled it fine, but it was also pretty dry...would not want to do it in a downpour.  Still, it was perfect for our needs, nice and remote, and best of all - open and free!

How was your trip?

Good job getting the Subaru up there Ted. I was parked at the beginning of the forest road this weekend and it cracked me up that two Outbacks were parked there like me, cowering from that road. 

Heh.  I will say I bottomed out a few times in the dark until I learned my lesson and took it slow, but it wasn’t too bad.

Philip Magistro wrote: How was your trip?

Fantastic!  You guys have some really amazing rock out here.  Lumpy Ridge is a really special place.