Pawnee
Pawnee Campground is located in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, off the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, 35 miles south of Estes Park and the main entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing, canoeing and hiking opportunities.
More like this: reservable in Colorado · big rigs in Colorado · pets allowed in Colorado
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 37 |
| Tent-only | 8 |
| Host/management | 7 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 99 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
45 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 48 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 002 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 42 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 003 | ELK | Standard | Pull-through | 90 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 004 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 005 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 48 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 006 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 48 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 008 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 33 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 009 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 48 | Gravel | Partial | 8 / 1 | Yes | |
| 010 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 33 | Gravel | 8 / 1 | Yes | ||
| 012 | ELK | Standard | Back-in | 51 | Gravel | 15 / 1 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 100 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Tent pads | Yes |
| Fees | Visit recreation.gov for fee information. |
| Accessibility | Sites 015, 016 are listed accessible |
The campground offers several single-family campsites, each equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG |
| Fees | Visit recreation.gov for fee information. |
| Rules | Prohibited: Pack animals (horses/llamas); recreational shooting (except for legal hunting) and being on trails posted as closed. Brainard Lake Recreation Area Summer Season (May 1 - Nov 14): Dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times; dispersed camping is prohibited. When open, camping is only allowed within Pawnee Campground (no camping is permitted in closed campgrounds). |
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG recreation page ↗
Weather by month
Getting there
From Denver, travel north on Interstate 25 to U.S. Highway 36 West to Boulder. Continue on Colorado Highway 119 (Canyon Boulevard) for 22 miles to Nederland, then go north on Colorado Highway 72 to Ward. Turn left at the sign and travel 5 miles to Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
| Nearest town | Morrison, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 40.1315° N, 105.5671° W · Directions ↗ |
Charges and cancellations
Customers and contact center agents cannot modify reservations on or after the check-in date.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMagic Feather Broadcast Rx
42 mi from the campground
- PrescribedHarris Park Broadcast Rx
42 mi from the campground · 390 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 13.8 mi |
| Outdoor gear | Never Summer Mountain Products ↗ | 15.7 mi |
| RV sales & service | Big John's RV Sales and Service ↗ | 30.9 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Pawnee Campground - Roosevelt National Forest, CO
Worth a stop
The town of Nederland is 14 miles south of the campground, offering grocery and hardware stores, restaurants, gas, a bank and a post office. Rocky Mountain National Park's main entrance is 35 miles north in Estes Park. With lush valleys and craggy peaks reaching elevations higher than 14,000 feet, visitors are provided opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. Scenic driving, hiking, backpacking, fishing, horseback riding and wildlife viewing are popular activities in the park. Estes Park is a full-service community. Dining, shopping, rafting, fly-fishing, horseback riding and golfing opportunities are available there. Lake Estes offers boating, sailboarding and fishing.
- 1.1 mi
- 3.7 miBrainard Lake Gateway Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 9.9 mi
- 13.7 mi
Trails nearby
- 0.6 miStapp Lakes Cutoff0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 0.8 miConey Lake2.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 1.6 miSt Vrain Mountain ↗6.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.7 miRock Creek0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.8 miRed Deer Cutoff0.6 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 2.1 miWapiti1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
Trailheads within three miles
- 0.5 miConey Flats Trailhead ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- 1.1 miBuchanan Pass Wilderness Trailhead ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- 2.3 miMiddle Saint Vrain Trailhead ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
- 2.4 miBeaver Sourdough Trailhead ↗Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
Indian Peaks Wilderness begins about 0.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 0.1 miIndian Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · FS/NPS · 77,932 acres
- 6 miRocky Mountain National Park Wilderness ↗Wilderness · National Park Service · 249,126 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Historic landmarks nearby
Natural features
The campground lies at the foot of the Continental Divide, next to 25-acre Brainard Lake and the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area at an elevation of 10,350 feet. A scenic forest of spruce and fir trees covers the area. Summertime temperatures are warm in the day and cool at night. Afternoon thunderstorms are common.
Recreation
Brainard Lake is a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Anglers cast for rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout. Long Lake, Red Rock Lake and Left Hand Reservoir are nearby. Several trails in the area provide access to the adjacent Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Hiking is allowed on all trails; mountain biking is allowed outside the wilderness area. Rock climbing, snowshoeing and cross country skiing are often available, weather permitting.
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Pawnee?
Sites at Pawnee are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Pawnee?
Visit recreation.gov for fee information.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Pawnee?
Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Pawnee open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Pawnee have?
52 sites, including 37 standard sites without power and 8 tent-only sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Pawnee?
Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are pets allowed at Pawnee?
Yes, pets are allowed at Pawnee. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Pawnee?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 2 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Prohibited: Pack animals (horses/llamas); recreational shooting (except for legal hunting) and being on trails posted as closed.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there accessible sites at Pawnee?
Sites 015 and 016 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Pawnee?
Brainard Lake is a popular destination for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Pawnee?
Morrison, Colorado. The town of Nederland is 14 miles south of the campground, offering grocery and hardware stores, restaurants, gas, a bank and a post office.
Source: Getting there
What if Pawnee is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Camp Dick (2.6 mi), Peaceful Valley (3.2 mi), and Olive Ridge (5.8 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby