Upper Chipmunk Backcountry Campsite hides in a lodgepole pine forest between Chipmunk Lake and Ypsilon Lake in the Mummy Range. The two campsites, located at 10,640 feet, are perfect for climbers and hikers climbing 13,514-foot Ypsilon Mountain and 13,069-foot Mount Chiquita. Reach the high-altitude campsite by hiking 4.2 miles and gaining 2,100 feet of elevation up Lawn Lake and Ypsilon Lake trails. The site has a pit toilet below the sites. Get water from the streams both above and below Ypsilon Lake. Treat or boil all water before use. Allow four to five hours to hike from car to campsite. The campsite is usually snowbound until late June.
Pro Tips
Reach the Lawn Lake Trailhead from Beaver Meadows Visitor Center by following U.S. 36 to U.S. 34 at Deer Ridge Junction. Turn right on U.S. 34 and drive 1.7 miles to Horseshoe Park. Turn left on Old Fall River Road and drive a short distance to the trailhead. Hike up Lawn Lake Trail to Ypsilon Lake Trail. Past small Chipmunk Lake, turn right on a marked trail to the campsite. You can also follow U.S. 34 from Estes Park to the trailhead.A backcountry permit is required for all overnight camping in Rocky Mountain National Park’s backcountry. Obtain permits at the Park Headquarters Backcountry Office next to Beaver Meadows Visitor Center west of Estes Park, at Kawuneeche Visitor Center north of Grand Lake, or at the park website.To obtain a permit you agree to obey National Park regulations for backcountry camping. The Backcountry Use Permit must be with you at all times and a tent tag must be displayed on your pack while hiking and on your tent. You must follow your planned itinerary so campsites aren’t overused or crowded. You also receive a tag to place on the dashboard of your vehicle, allowing overnight parking at trailheads without being towed.Practice a Leave No Trace ethic when camping at Upper Chipmunk. Pitch tents in designated areas near a silver arrowhead. Secure food and garbage. Black bears are here so stash food in a bear-resistant canister, which is required May to October at all campsites below timberline. Keep food, trash, and scented items in the container and store it 200 feet from the campsite. Don’t camp below dead trees; wind storms blow branches off them.Recommended season(s): July to September.
—Stewart M. Green
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