Pawnee

Overview

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.

Operator

National Forest

Camping types

Tent

Reservations

Reservable online

Phone

303-541-2500

Amenities

Location

Nearby adventures

Outdoor things to do around Pawnee, shown on the map above. Distances are straight-line from the campground, so driving or walking will be longer; trail details are approximate. Confirm access and conditions with the land manager.

Hikes and trailheads

• Buchannan Pass TrailHike · 5.5 mi long · 0.4 mi from camp

  A trail in the Indian Peaks Wilderness that crosses Buchanan Pass over the Continental Divide. AI-written

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• South Saint Vrain TrailheadTrailhead · 4.5 mi from camp

  The South Saint Vrain Trailhead is the trailhead for the east end of the South Saint Vrain Trail (#909). Recreation.gov

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• Beaver Reservoir TrailheadTrailhead · 2.4 mi from campShow on map
• Wild Basin TrailHike · 3.3 mi long · 4.6 mi from camp

  A trail in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park that passes Copeland Falls, Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls. AI-written

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• Thunder Lake TrailHike · 4.5 mi long · 4.8 mi from camp

  A trail in Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park that leads to Thunder Lake past Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls. AI-written

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• Bright Extension TrailheadTrailhead · 9.5 mi from camp

  Located 2.2 miles east of County Road 82E on the south side of Johnny Park Road (National Forest System Road 118), the trailhead is marked with a small sign near a minor saddle. Recreation.gov

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Mountain biking

• Wapiti TrailBike ride · 2.2 mi long · 2.1 mi from campShow on map
• Sourdough TrailBike ride · 12.3 mi long · 2.7 mi from campShow on map
• South Saint VrainBike ride · 5.0 mi long · 3.0 mi from camp

  A mountain-bike route starting near South Saint Vrain Trailhead.

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• Little Raven TrailBike ride · 3.1 mi long · 3.9 mi from campShow on map

Scenic sights

• Saint Vrain MountainPeak · 12,149 ft · 2.3 mi from campShow on map
• Meadow MountainPeak · 11,634 ft · 3.0 mi from campShow on map
• Calypso CascadesWaterfall · 4.5 mi from camp

  A series of cascades along the Wild Basin Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. AI-written

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• Hidden FallsWaterfall · 4.9 mi from camp

  A waterfall near Wild Basin Trail.

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• Knob Hill OverlookViewpoint · 7.5 mi from campShow on map

Climbing and snow sports

• IronsidesClimbing · 4.7 mi from campShow on map
• The NoseClimbing · 4.8 mi from campShow on map
• The SaddleClimbing · 4.9 mi from campShow on map

Trail and sight data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Recreation.gov. Text marked AI-written was drafted by an AI model from public data and may contain errors.

Reviews

Data sources

• Recreation.gov (RIDB) — Public domain (U.S. Government work)

Listing details come from the sources above and may be out of date. Confirm fees, dates and closures with the operator before you travel.