Rocky Mountain National Park has many wonderful picnic areas to choose from on both the east and west sides of the park.
On the east side of RMNP there are 16 designated picnic areas, including at Endovalley, Hidden Valley, Lily Lake, Sprague Lake, Upper Beaver Meadows, West Alluvial Fan, and at the Wild Basin Traihead.
On the west side of the park there are 10 designated picnic areas, these include at Beaver Creek, Beaver Ponds, Colorado River, Coyote Valley, Harbison Meadows, Holzwarth Historic Site, Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Lake Irene, and at the Timber Lake Trailhead.
Many picnic areas (but not all) are located near vault toilets. All picnic areas except for the Lily Lake Group Picnic Site are first-come, first-served.
Day use picnicking is prohibited in all five campgrounds from the Friday before Memorial Day through the end of September: Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, Longs Peak, Moraine Park, Timber Creek. Any picnicking which interferes with overnight campers is prohibited at all times.
The use of disposable or portable charcoal grills, wood fuel camp stoves, and gas grills is allowed for food preparation as adjuncts to fire grates provided by the park in auto campgrounds and picnic areas. Where portable grills are allowed, the used charcoal and ash must be completely extinguished and disposed of in trash receptacle.
Horses and other stock are not permitted in picnic areas.
For a full list of Picnic Sites, visit our website at https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/picnicking.htm
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
