Now is the time people vie for summertime camping spots at Rocky Mountain National Park.

They are still waiting for reservations to open at the biggest, most popular campground.

Mueller State Park offers rare chance for groomed cross-country ski trails

The construction project that closed Moraine Park Campground for the summer of 2023 continues to cast uncertainty for the summer of 2024.

“At this time, we are confident that there will be camping in Moraine Park Campground at some point this summer,” Public Affairs Officer Kyle Patterson said. “Before we open up reservations, we want to feel confident about the exact timeframe so as not to negatively impact park visitors’ camping plans.”

Moraine Park accounts for 244 of the 472 sites listed at Rocky Mountain National Park’s developed campgrounds on the east side, from Estes Park.

Patterson said Moraine Park annually hosts 30,000 campers in tents and RVs. While reservations remain unavailable, she said “demand is very strong as usual” at Aspenglen and Glacier Basin campgrounds. Spots at those campgrounds can be booked six months in advance at recreation.gov.

The national park has called construction at Moraine Park Campground part of a “critical infrastructure project.”

Work at the campground includes moving some sites away from riparian areas to avoid flooding; improving drainage to prevent erosion; replacing some tent pads, walkways and parking areas; adding about 15 wheelchair-accessible campsites and installing electrical hookups to about 60 sites.

The project calls for replacing miles of water and power lines, with a scope beyond the campground — to parts of Bear Lake and Moraine Park roads and around the Moraine Park Discovery Center.

The scope makes it “difficult to identify an exact percentage (left) for the campground work alone,” Patterson said. She added: “Construction has experienced typical delays associated with weather, differing site conditions and design-related issues.”

Patterson said “limited work is ongoing during the winter months.” The contractor is expected to fully re-mobilize in the spring as weather allows.