ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (KDVR) — Campers are packing Moraine Park Campground for the last fall elk mating season before the popular campground in Rocky Mountain National Park closes for renovation.

“Gorgeous views, great tent pads and everything is clean,” camper Nicole Tichenor from Severance said.  

While the family called the campground fantastic, they were surprised when their camping site did not include a bear box. 

“What do we do now?” asked Tichenor who packed the inside of their truck full of gear. 

Making site improvements like adding bear boxes are just one of many changes ahead for the campground which is set to be closed from May 2023 until July 2024. Ninety new food storage lockers and 138 new concrete pads will be added at the site.

The renovations, funded by the Great American Outdoors Act, are focused on water and utilities infrastructure updates.

Also, electricity will be installed at approximately 60 RV sites. Currently, no campsites in the campground have electrical hookups.

Multiple pathways to comfort stations and vault toilets will also be repaired or replaced.

“This project is critical, for the water, wastewater and utility systems that serve Moraine Park Campground have not been updated since the campground was first constructed in the 1960s,” RMNP spokesperson Kyle Patterson said. “This project will rehabilitate aging water, wastewater, electric utility systems that serve Moraine Park Campground. The project will also improve accessibility, fix drainage issues, and move campsites out of wetlands areas that frequently flood.”

Moraine Park Campground is RMNP’s only year-round campground and over 30,000 campers reserve sites every year.

In addition to the campground, the ranger station and campground entrance kiosk will be improved. 

Moraine Park is located off Bear Lake Road and is the largest of the park’s campgrounds with 244 campsites for RVs, tents and walk-in tent sites. 

RMNP has four additional reservation-only campgrounds including Timber Creek, Aspenglen, Glacier Basin and Longs Peak which will operate as normal during next season.

Aspenglen, Glacier Basin and Moraine Park are on the east side of the park while Timber Creek is on the west side.

The park will post regular updates for the Moraine Park Campground project on its website.