We wanted to explore the Rocky Mountain National Park. What a phenomenal place! On day one, our goal was to hike the lower part of the Rocky Mountain National Park called the Wild Basin. Do NOT skip the Wild Basin because the hikes are first rate. Due to the Covid pandemic, we were forced to purchase admission tickets in advance. Do not go to the Rocky Mountain National Park unless you have these tickets or they will not let you enter until after 5. We chose a campground about a mile outside the entrance to the Wild Basin called Olive Ridge Campground ⛺️ within the Roosevelt National Forest ?.
There are 56 sites that will accommodate tents, campers, trailers, and RVs and most of the sites have full to partial shade and outstanding tree emersion. Picnic tables, fire grates, and vault toilets that are kept clean, and trash services are provided. 14-day stay limit. There is no hook-ups, dump stations, or showers. We had no cellphone ? serve at this location. All campsites with a tent pad have a bear locker.
Olive Ridge Campground is part of the forestry service. We truly love the USDA forestry service and try to camp in their campgrounds if the opportunity presents itself. This campground offered no electricity and no potable water ? so plan accordingly. The camp host was so friendly and helped us acquire a first come first serve site for two nights. We were told moose had been seen in the campgrounds but we did not observe any. The campgrounds are close to the road but noises at night was not an issue and we were hiking during the day. The campground is about 30 minutes from Estes Park making exploring this city and other entrances to the National park very convenient.
The Wild Basin offers multiple hikes that we wanted to do on our first day in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Calypso Cascades is a moderate 3.6 mile hike to one of several waterfall destinations including Copeland Falls. This waterfall gets its name from the purple Calypso Orchids that bloom along the banks.
Quick link to Olive Ridge Campground Website
The hike is along a raging stream. Depending on the time of year and water flow. The good news is you can stop anywhere along the trail and turn around and come back if you feel too exhausted. If you’re feeling adventurous we encourage you to continue hiking to the Ozuel Falls which will add a few more miles to your hike and also change from moderate to strenuous hike. We decided to stop at the Cascades because this is the first hike we were attempting at close to 10,000 feet. It was kicking our butt.
While in the area, do not miss the drive on the Old Trail and a visit to the alpine lakes (Bear Lake and etc) within the Rocky Mountain National Par.
Enjoy the sounds of the Wild Basin
Drone flying around Moraine Valley