# Pawnee

- URL: https://estesparkcampgrounds.com/stays/pawnee-2653
- Run by: USDA Forest Service (Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, Brainard Lake Recreation Area) (public land)
- Book on: Recreation.gov <https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232282>
- Guest rating: 5.0 from 244 reviews (Recreation.gov)
- Address line (may be the managing office's) (per listing): 9054 U.S Hwy 285
- Coordinates (per listing): 40.1314556, -105.5670611

Listing facts below come from the Recreation.gov listing.

| Fact | Official (source) | Listing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Max rig length | RVs, trailers and other vehicles must fit the site's parking spur; the Forest Service status table lists a 100’ max spur for Pawnee, which we don't treat as a site length ([USDA Forest Service — Arapaho & Roosevelt NF: Current Conditions (campground status and road status tables, page updated Oct 16, 2026)](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/conditions)) | Longest RV site listed: 100 ft (36 of 37 RV sites list a length) |
| Hookups & power | — | Hookup type not listed for RV sites |
| Electric service | No electricity, hookups, dump station or showers ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | — |
| Pull-through / back-in | — | 7 pull-through, 39 back-in |
| Road & site access | — | 2 paved, 45 gravel site driveways; 8 hike-in sites |
| Pets | Dogs on a hand-held leash May 1–November 14 ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | Allowed |
| Generators | — | Not listed — check with campground |
| Quiet hours | — | Not listed — check with campground |
| Cell signal | — | Visitor-reported signal on Recreation.gov (higher is better): Verizon 0 (83 reports), AT&T 0 (53 reports), T-Mobile 0 (48 reports) |
| Starlink / satellite | — | Not listed — check with campground |
| Water | Potable water; vault toilets; bear lockers at tent-pad sites ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | Drinking water listed |
| Shade | — | 36 of 36 sites that report shade are listed as shaded |
| Booking | First-come sites not available until 2 p.m. daily and not guaranteed; a campground reservation replaces the Brainard Lake timed-entry ticket ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | — |
| Price | — | Lowest listed rate $29/night (live price once you pick dates) |
| Official fees | $29/night single site, $58 double; Brainard Lake Recreation Area fees apply ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | — |
| Stay limits | 8 people per site (15 at sites 12 and 32) ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | — |
| Getting there | At Brainard Lake, about 4.5 miles west of CO-72 at Ward; elevation 10,400 ft ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | 17.1 mi from downtown Estes Park · 6.2 mi to Wild Basin (straight-line, not driving) |
| Bear & food storage | Bear locker at every campsite with a tent pad ([USDA Forest Service — Pawnee Campground](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/recreation/pawnee-campground)) | — |

Amenities (per listing): drinking water, hiking, host, lake access, parking area, pets allowed, picnic area, tables, trailheads, vault toilets

HTML version with live availability: https://estesparkcampgrounds.com/stays/pawnee-2653