The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. Cheers, Julie. Location: north-central Colorado. While in Rocky Mountain National Park, please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trails, pack out what you bring to the hiking trails, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, minimize campfire impacts, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife. or maybe 4? On the way you'll pass the Kawuneeche Visitor Center on your right. Some visitors complain of noise and hot temperatures in the summer (there is no air conditioning). The Mummy Mountain Range, Lumpy Ridge, and several . I am so glad you had great weather and a great trip! From Bear Lake Road, turn left onto Highway 36 and continue on Trail Ridge Road. Miles of trails: More than 355 miles along about 160 trails. Sky Pond. Rocky Mountain National Park began addressing crowding . From Glacier Gorge parking lot (get there super earlypeople are rolling into the park before 5 am if they dont have a timed entry ticket so parking lots are filling up earlier this year), hike to Mills Lake. I am not the hiker I used to be [did Kili in 04] so a moderate/ mildly strenuous 8 miler more my speed now. This is the highest continuous paved road in the United States. Combine two of the above hikes into one great experience. Even for Old Fall River Road, a 44 or SUV is not necessary, as long as road conditions are good, and you can get updated info on this either on the NPS visitor center or at one of the visitor centers. The price for one way is just $55, but you can also book a round-trip shuttle for $95. How crowded does Rocky Mountain National Park get? From the summit you have a great view over Moraine Park and Longs Peak. 11. This property is located west of Estes Park on Fall River Road, so you will have a longer drive to get into the heart of the park. However, this property gets rave reviews. For Longs Peak, that means starting by 3 or 4 am. Aspenglen, Moraine Park, and Glacier Basin are the most popular campgrounds and these get reserved well in advance. Within the boundaries of Rocky Mountain National Park, more than 100 peaks rise above 11,000 feet in altitude, including Longs Peak at 14,259 feet. GREAT SAND DUNES: In our article Best Things to Do in Great Sand Dunes National Park, we cover the top experiences, plus how to plan your time, where to stay, and more. this is a great place to stay when you visit Rocky Mountain National Park. 2. A Quick Geography Lesson. Pass Type. Is there anything you recommend to bring on the hikes? Itinerary Help: 1 or 1.5 days in RMNP and other CO NPs Nov 20, 2022. If you do not plan on visiting the Bear Lake Corridor, and you plan to enter the park before 9 am, you do not need a permit. There will be people. If you are an avid hiker, plan on spending at least three to five days in Rocky Mountain National Park. If you are planning your Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary, this is a great place to start. Shuttle Bus. The stark colors of the evergreen trees and the sparkling high-mountain waters combine for picture perfect vistas. Bear Lake with Longs Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds in the background. 4. Many hikes top out over 9,000 feet, with some reaching up to 13,000 and 14,000 feet. This is the best Timed Entry Permit for visitors planning to drive over Trail Ridge Road, recreate on the west side of the park, as well as access Longs Peak, Lily Lake, East Inlet, Wild Basin, and all other outlying areas of RMNP. 7.6 Good 275 reviews. But its only worth it if skies are clear. Just a mile from the park's west entrance, Grand Lake, Colo., offers incredible family friendly activities from paddle boating and nature walks to world-class theater productions. We also really liked the Ute Trail to Tombstone Ridge. During the winter months, cross-country skiing is also a popular activity. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Visiting RMNP in the spring (April or May), Rocky Mountain National Park Bed and Breakfast, Rocky Mountain National Park Vacation Rentals, Rocky Mountain National Park Vacation Packages, Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park Travel Guide, Browse all 3,365 Rocky Mountain National Park topics , 2 days in Rocky Mountain National Park--afraid of heights, Multi-day horse riding trail or pack trip, See All Rocky Mountain National Park Conversations. Colorado Springs. This station is .25 miles from our newest visitor center, the Fall River Visitor Center. Enter the number of passes you would like to purchase from the available choices below: Site passes table. So if i am staying at Estes, thats a 10-15mins drive to the Beavers meadow entrance (where I am assuming they check for the timed entry thing?) Two of them, Beaver Meadows and Fall River, are just west of the town of Estes Park. Because the entrance is so accessible from Estes Park and open year round, it is the most popular. Put your higher hikes in the second half of your RMNP visit and you should be fine. All entrances into Rocky Mountain National Park require entrance fees, even the ones that don't have a physical entrance to drive through. And I think that RMNP just got its first snow storm of the fall season. For example, if you hike Deer Mountain at 6 am, you do not need a permit. There are two options and option #1 (Bear Lake Road and the rest the park) is the best option since it gives you access to the entire park. Colorado has also designated Trail Ridge Road as a scenic and historic byway. This has been implemented to limit crowds at the busiest sections of the park during the peak visitation season (the summer months). 2. #3 Granby - Best Place to Stay near Rocky Mountain National Park for Families. It is our favorite short hike in the park. Park at Bear Lake Trailhead. Up above 10,000 feet the air is thin, the temps are much cooler, and the wind is usually . How Many Days Do You Need in Rocky Mountain National Park? Rocky Mountain National Park was established on January 26, 1915, and has a total area of 265,795 acres (415 square miles, or 1,076 square kilometers). Where to Stay Near Rocky Mountain National Park? Timed Entry Permit: If you have plans to visit the park in the summer months, dont forget to reserve your permit in advance. The elevation of the lowest sections of the park range from 5,600 to 9,500 feet. Emerald Lake | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. The best places to have your questions answered is at one of the park visitor centers. Phone. It is located at 9,500 feet in a pine forest. If you love lakes you'll like this hike. You can follow this itinerary during the winter months with some modifications. One Perfect Day in Rocky Mountain National Park. Cheers, Julie. Travelers favorites include #1 Trail Ridge Road, #2 Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and more. Fern Lake | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. Most people will be acclimated by this point, which means that you can hike almost any trail in the park. Is there any need for an SUV or non-standard vehicle to access any of the trailheads for your recommended hikes? Potentially one of the busiest trails at RMNP is the Emerald Lake trail. Timed Entry Ticket: You will need a Bear Lake Road Corridor + Full Park Access permit (Park Access +) if you plan to hike Sky Pond, Hallett Peak, or Mills and Black Lake. So, after Labor Day, you might have some of both (snow and crowds). Al, Thats a tricky question to answer. All offer bookstores and much printed information to supplement the knowledgeable staff. Call 970-586-1222 before you head out. High in the center of the park, the Alpine Visitor Center offers displays about the most noted area of the park, the land above the trees. About this Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary, Ideally, plan on spending at least three days in Rocky Mountain National Park. Unlike other RV parks in the area, Elk Meadow has spaces for tent camping so it is more accommodating to a wider variety of camping styles. Get updates on trail closures and park conditions on the National Park Service website. Arrived at the park entrance before 5am which allowed us access to Bear Lake Road before the timed entry kicked in. Julie Last updated: February 23, 2023 United States 61 Comments. For the "Park Access, Does Not Include Bear Lake Road" Timed Entry Permits, they will be in effect between the hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The main entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park is located on highway 36 just four miles west of downtown Estes Park. This itinerary is best from Memorial Day through mid-October, when Trail Ridge Road is open. or are there better/rewarding hikes that i can sub in instead of the above listed ones? They can linger into September, when fall colors continue to attract visitors and hikers. Keep your fingers crossed for clear afternoon skies. 365. If you choose to skip Sky Pond, you can combine Loch Vale and Mills Lake into one hike. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. Estes Park I lucked out and it didnt rain on the 3 main days i was hiking (there was some rain on the day i came in but even that stopped around 4p and i was able to do nymph to dream to emerald and bear lake hike that evening). Get a free Colorado national park trip planner for inspiring itineraries and essential information. Your email address will not be published. Along the way explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing. In the summer months, the best things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park are hiking, driving Trail Ridge Road, taking a stroll around Bear Lake, driving Old Fall River Road, and mountaineering. Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet, is the only fourteener in the park. Kawuneeche Entrance. They will ask to see your park pass and ID or offer you the opportunity to purchase one. Best Day Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Youre itinerary is great, thanks for this! This is one of the most popular hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Thanks for writing in!! Serving the park at the entrance stations and visitor centers are a group of dedicated full time and seasonal rangers and volunteers. This entrance station has three entry booths which helps traffic to enter more quickly; however, this also tends to be the busiest entrance station. Length: 5.2 miles round-trip. Moraine Park Campground. Colorado Springs is a great weekend trip from Denver if you are looking to explore a smaller city within an hour or two of Denver. Explore the exhibits at the highest elevation visitor center in the National Park Service. Take your pick from one, two, three, and four bedroom houses that come equipped with a full kitchen.