East Maroon Portal Picnic Site

White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Carbondale, CO, CO

Price: From $75 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is situated next to Maroon Creek, offering spectacular views of towering red stone cliffs, lush wetlands and evergreen forests. The area is an excellent gathering spot for families, group gatherings and parties. The picnic area is available for use by the general public, but can be reserved for private events.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/east-maroon-portal-picnic-site to be notified when sites open up.

East Maroon Portal offers spectacular views of red stone cliffs and Maroon Creek in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Google reviewers praise beautiful countryside with excellent hiking trails and family-friendly amenities.

Wildlife alert: American Pika, Mountain Goat, Long-tailed Weasel, Red Fox, American Beaver, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Wandering Garter Snake documented in the area.

Insider tips for East Maroon Portal Picnic Site: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 2 tent sites Fishing available but Maroon Creek reportedly flows fast during peak season This is the only site available in Maroon Bells Scenic Area for wedding receptions and private events

Skip East Maroon Portal Picnic Site if: You need hookups—no hookups available at sites. You're visiting November through April—seasonal closure. You prefer larger campgrounds—only 2 total sites available.

Best time to visit East Maroon Portal Picnic Site: May-October — Campground seasonal operations run May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Silver Queen Campground (Carbondale, CO), Silver Bell Campground (Carbondale, CO), Silver Bar Campground (Carbondale, CO), Maroon Bells Amphitheatre (Carbondale, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at East Maroon Portal Picnic Site

Cell signal at East Maroon Portal Picnic Site (Carbondale, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CO›East Maroon Portal Picnic Site
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site — photo 1
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site — photo 2
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site — photo 3
White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

East Maroon Portal Picnic Site

Share:
Carbondale, CO, CO★ 4 (4 reviews)From $75/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is situated next to Maroon Creek, offering spectacular views of towering red stone cliffs, lush wetlands and evergreen forests. The area is an excellent gathering spot for families, group gatherings and parties. The picnic area is available for use by the general public, but can be reserved for private events.

Best for:AnglersHikersSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic TablesBear Boxes
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups—no hookups available at sites✕ You're visiting November through April—seasonal closure✕ You prefer larger campgrounds—only 2 total sites available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 2 tent sites

Fishing available but Maroon Creek reportedly flows fast during peak season

This is the only site available in Maroon Bells Scenic Area for wedding receptions and private events

Best: May-October

Campground seasonal operations run May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Pika, Mountain Goat, Long-tailed Weasel, Red Fox, American Beaver, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Wandering Garter Snake documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
970-963-2266· White River National Forest
Getting there →

From Independence Pass, take Highway 82 west from downtown Aspen for a mile to the roundabout. Take Maroon Creek Road 4.7 miles to the Maroon Bells Welcome Station; East Maroon Portal is 2 miles past the Welcome Station on the left. From Glenwood Springs, take Highway 82 for 40 miles to the roundabout. Take Maroon Creek Road 4.7 miles to the Maroon Bells Welcome Station; East Maroon Portal is 2 miles past the Welcome Station on the left.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — White River National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at White River National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does East Maroon Portal Picnic Site cost per night?+
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site costs $75 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is East Maroon Portal Picnic Site open?+
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does East Maroon Portal Picnic Site have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at East Maroon Portal Picnic Site?+
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at East Maroon Portal Picnic Site?+
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at East Maroon Portal Picnic Site?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is East Maroon Portal Picnic Site open, and what are check-in times?+
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$75 /night★ 4 (4)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does East Maroon Portal Picnic Site cost per night?+
What season is East Maroon Portal Picnic Site open?+
Does East Maroon Portal Picnic Site have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Silver Queen Campground

Carbondale, CO

From $15/night

Forest campground camping

Silver Bell Campground

Carbondale, CO

From $15/night

Forest campground camping

Silver Bar Campground

Carbondale, CO

From $15/night

Maroon Bells Amphitheatre

Carbondale, CO

From $200/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$75 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability