A little help deciding where to stay

In the next few weeks some friends and I are looking to come out and do some hiking and camping. We plan to spend one day out in RMNP and stay/camp there or in Estes.

Where I am struggling is I don't know the rest of the state very well when it comes to good dispersed camping with access to a variety of hiking.
I'm partial to 14ers - may try Quandry or Democrat, Cameron, and Lincoln. If so we would drive to TH in the wee hours of the morning.

I've looked for dispersed camping near Kite Lake Trailhead and it seems sparse or non existent (most recent thing i could find was from 2015)

The areas I've kind of narrowed down to are Twin Lakes, Crested Butte, Guanella Pass, or Steamboat springs.
For hiking in order we are looking for panoramic views, waterfalls, and lakes. Can anyone suggest dispersed camping near these places and where to look for hiking trails? Or if you have personal experience Why would you choose one and what did you like about it?

TL:DR - I can't make up my mind where to camp and don't want to be disappointed. If that is even possible in the Rockies.