The crowds thin out, the aspens go gold and the elk start bugling. Most people assume camping season is over, so you get the good sites.
But fall is still fire season here, and the campfire rules haven’t relaxed.
What’s still open (first-come, first-served)
Reservation campgrounds are closing. In RMNP, Aspenglen shuts Sept 28, Glacier Basin and Longs Peak are closed, and Timber Creek closes at noon Oct 5.
The first-come, first-served campgrounds are what’s left, and fall is when they shine.
- 34 sites
- First-come
- $25/night
- No hookups
Fishing, paddling, moose and serious aspen color. Grandview’s 9 sites are tent-only walk-ins. Designated dispersed sites line the road.
- 13 sites
- First-come
- Scan and Pay
Almost nobody goes to the North Rim, which is exactly the point.
- 33 sites
- First-come
- Tents & RVs
- Restrooms
Services shift in October. Check ahead, and bring your own water rather than counting on a tap.
- First-come from Oct 19
- Only campground open
- No timed entry
After noon on Oct 19 it’s the only campground open in the park. RMNP in October with no reservations and bugling elk. Full guide
What Stage 1 fire restrictions actually mean
- Campfires only in designated rings in developed campgrounds. Some orders are stricter, so read the specific forest order before you strike a match.
- Dead out means cold to the touch. Late-season fires are genuinely on the rise.
- No fireworks, ever. This shouldn’t need saying. It does.
- Restrictions can lift, like the Medicine Bow-Routt’s on Sept 28, 2026. Don’t assume; verify for your district.
Not 100% sure fires are allowed? Plan around a camp stove. A Jetboil dinner beats a citation.
Check conditions before you leave (actually check)
A campground can be open while the air is full of smoke, or while a closure sits one ridge over.
- Forest Service alerts for your forest: restrictions, area and road closures.
- InciWeb for active fires and closure maps.
- NWS forecast for wind and red-flag warnings.
- Air quality. In the orange or red, that crisp fall morning burns your throat.
Do it the morning you leave. Fire season moves fast.
The fall camping checklist
October at 8,000+ feet is a different animal than July.
- Layers you’ll actually wear, and a bag rated below the forecast low.
- Extra water, and a stove that works in the cold.
- Chains or good tires in the truck.
- Arrive before noon. Campers leave late morning, and the afternoon crowd is real even in October.
- A written Plan B. “We’ll figure it out” at dusk in a canyon is how trips go sideways.
Before every fall trip, check the free conditions board for fire, smoke, forecasts and closures. No account needed. Planning next season? Set up a free watch and we’ll email you when a site opens.
Common questions
Can you have a campfire under Stage 1 fire restrictions in Colorado?
Generally only in designated fire rings in developed campgrounds, and some orders are stricter than that. Check the specific forest order before you strike a match, and if you are not sure campfires are allowed, plan the trip around a camp stove.
Which Colorado campgrounds are still open in October?
Mostly first-come, first-served campgrounds: Long Draw and Grandview at Long Draw Reservoir, the North Rim Campground at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Twin Peaks near Twin Lakes, and Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park after its reservation season ends on October 19.
What should you check before a fall camping trip in Colorado?
The Forest Service alerts page for the forest you are visiting, InciWeb for active fires and closure maps, National Weather Service forecasts for wind and red-flag warnings, and air quality. Check the morning you leave, not the week before.