Is there camping at the Longs Peak Highland Festival?

None on the festival grounds. The two practical bases are Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake, a 128-site site run by the town's recreation district on Mary's Lake Road, and the Estes Park KOA. Both sit a short drive from the festival field.

How do I book the campsite, and how far ahead?

Mary's Lake runs through ReserveAmerica rather than Recreation.gov, which trips up plenty of visitors. Book as far ahead as you can manage: September is busy in Estes Park and the campground is already approaching its late-September closing date.

How much is a van for the Highland weekend?

Between $235 and $310 a night by van, plus a flat fee to deliver it to Estes Park. A Mary's Lake site is separate again, and the hookup tier you pick changes that figure. [VERIFY: delivery fee]

What size RV should I rent for Estes Park?

Something compact. The canyon climb from the Front Range is winding, town streets tighten considerably on a festival weekend, and Mary's Lake sites suit a smaller rig. Larger coaches are workable but make both the drive and the pitch harder.

When should I book for the Highland Festival?

You can plan this one years out: dates are already fixed for September 10 to 12 in 2027, September 8 to 10 in 2028 and September 7 to 9 in 2029. Take the campsite first, because Mary's Lake closes in late September, then call 970-948-0212.

RV Rentals for the Longs Peak Highland Festival

The Highland Festival returns to Estes Park on September 10 to 12, 2027. Mary's Lake camping closes in late September, so book the site early.

Class B camper van at a mountain campground near Estes Park during Highland Festival weekend

Camper van delivery and setup at a campground near Mary's Lake, Estes Park

Ninety minutes up the canyon

Camper Van Rentals for the Highland Festival in Estes Park, CO

Dates Are Set Three Years Out

This festival publishes further ahead than almost anything else in Colorado: September 10 to 12 in 2027, September 8 to 10 in 2028, September 7 to 9 in 2029. You can plan a rental around it years in advance, which is rare and genuinely useful. We bring the van up to your site so you are not learning an unfamiliar vehicle on a canyon road. [VERIFY: delivery fee and radius]

The Campground Closes Before the Season Does

Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake runs mid-May to late September, and a festival on the second weekend of September sits right at the tail of that window. In a year when the campground shuts early, the KOA is the fallback. Check the closing date before you settle on anything else, because it is the real constraint on this trip.

Our Manager and the Denver team run a lot of vans up to Estes Park, and for the Highland Festival the question we hear most is about the camping season. Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake runs mid-May to late September, and a festival on the second weekend of September sits right at the tail of that window, so confirm the closing date before you settle anything else. Two details people get wrong: Mary's Lake books through ReserveAmerica rather than Recreation.gov, and pets are barred from the festival grounds, so a dog waits at the site and wants a powered one. Dates are already fixed out to 2029, which is rare enough to plan years ahead.

Warm camper van interior on a cold September night in Estes Park

Mountain September

Why Rent a Camper Van for the Highland Festival?

Estes Park is a small mountain town that fills to its edges, and this festival lands in the closing weeks of its camping season. What that means in practice:

Mary's Lake offers 128 sites spanning 50-amp full hookup, 30-amp water and electric, and dry, so you choose your power level rather than take what is left
Bookings go through ReserveAmerica, not Recreation.gov, which is the detail most Estes Park write-ups get wrong
Pets are barred from the festival grounds, so a dog waits at the site and wants a powered one
Nights at 7,500 feet drop hard in September, and a furnace beats a tent by a wide margin
Rocky Mountain National Park is minutes away, so the rental stretches past the festival weekend

A Class B is also simply easier on the climb up from the Front Range.

Season check

Where Do You Camp for the Highland Festival?

Not on the festival grounds. Two bases work: Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake, run by the town's recreation district on Mary's Lake Road, and the Estes Park KOA. The order of operations:

Book Mary's Lake through ReserveAmerica and note which hookup tier you have.
Give us the site when you reserve the van.
We bring it up, level it, and run you through the furnace, tanks, propane and battery.
We collect it once the weekend is over.

Before anything else, confirm the season. Mary's Lake opens mid-May and closes late September, and the 2027 festival falls on the 10th to the 12th, uncomfortably close to that. Weigh up Class B motorhomes before you choose.