These two are the most popular entrances to the park. With one day, I recommend going on a hike, starting at Bear Lake, and driving Trail Ridge Road (its awesome!). Phone. BTW I reach Denver around 12.30pm on a Tuesday in mid August, that puts me in Estes Park area at about 3:30pm (waiting for rental/lunch/traffic). Abandon Your Car. Get here by 7:30 am if you want a spot. Learn more about the national parks in our Guide to the US National Parks. Not sure either if we should stay in Estes park or grand lake? Should I spend my time on the east side or the west side of the park? Its a short, easy hike in the subalpine tundra so you have 360 degree views on the entire hike. The park is much less crowded at this time, but Trail Ridge Road is not open and many, if not all, of the hiking trails can be snow covered. Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222. The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter. Yellowstone National Park; Wind River . To ensure everyone gets a chance to experience the park during this . If you are coming from sea level, you will feel the effects of the altitude as soon as you do anything strenuous. Gem Lake | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. It is about 2 hours to get to the western entrance and 2 3/4 hours to get to the eastern entrance, taking the least scenic routes in both cases and hoping for no significant delays for the Twin Tunnels construction near Idaho Springs. Few people hike out this far so this is a great place to leave the crowds behind. Black Lake looks similar to Chasm Lake, as both of these alpine lakes are surrounded by jagged mountain peaks. Get answers to your questions about Rocky Mountain Do's and Don'ts When Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, Timed Entry FAQ's and Explaining the Bear Lake Corridor. You have a choice today: take a break from hiking and explore Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park, or hike another trail. Chasm Lake | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. If you are an avid hiker, I recommend spending five or more days in Rocky Mountain National Park. 5. You wont find major grocery stores here, although you can drive 25 minutes to Granby and shop at the enormous City Market. Many of the taller peaks make up the Continental Divide, where snowmelt runs . Due to its large size and long list of noteworthy hikes, you need several days to explore Rocky Mountain National Park. You'll either need to pay an entrance fee or use a National Parks Pass to enter. This is the hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. This station, which is one mile west of the park's headquarters and Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, usually receives the highest volume of visitors. Snow on the trail in July (hiking to Fern and Odessa Lakes from Bear Lake). These amazing mountains cradle the Estes Valley, providing residents and guests with incredible beauty and inspiration. Known as a "scenic wonder road of the world," it traverses 48 miles between Estes Park on the park's east side and Grand Lake on the west, taking in several not-to-be-missed sights. 1000 US Hwy 36 Evening at the hotel 3) Thur Morning: Mt Ida. Morning: Hike Nymph, Dream, Emerald, and Bear Lakes from the Bear Lake Trailhead Afternoon: Trail Ridge Road (if the weather is clear), Timed Entry Ticket: Bear Lake Road Corridor + Full Park Access. We are going to put RMNP last so we have time to get used to the altitude, because we are from the East Coast. Longs Peak is the highest mountain in the park, and the only fourteener in Rocky Mountain National Park. Autumn ushers in cooler days, smaller crowds, golden aspen and elk bugling. You may experience lines that can stretch up to a mile long during the busy season. . Keep your fingers crossed for clear afternoon skies. Because the entrance is so accessible from Estes Park and open year round, it is the most popular. 2. Rocky Mountain National Park began addressing crowding . The stark colors of the evergreen trees and the sparkling high-mountain waters combine for picture perfect vistas. Approaching Moraine Park, the road winds through large open meadows where the elk love to congregate. There are a million different ways to put together a Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary, and how you choose to do so really depends on your interests, the time of year you plan to visit the park, and the weather. Waterproof hiking shoes or boots are a great idea too, since snow is a possibility on some of these trails, all year. This short, strenuous hike offers sweeping views over Estes Park and out to Longs Peak and it ends at a very pretty alpine lake. Take your pick from one, two, three, and four bedroom houses that come equipped with a full kitchen. The various view points along trail ridge road were worth the stop overs as well (especially Forest canyon overlook and the small hike behind Alpine visitor center) Thanks again !! There are two ticket types: Park Access + and Park Access. 15 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved continuous road in the United States, cuts through the park from the east to the west. Hi Julie ! Along the way, its a quick stop to see Chasm Falls. You could plan your visit for the end of September and keep your fingers crossed that the weather cooperates. Most of this hike is over 11,000 feet, in the alpine tundra, so its best to save this hike for when you are acclimated to the altitude. What would be the best time to hike RMNP after labor day? This entrance gives you access to Sandbeach Lake, Finch & Pear Lake, Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls, Thunder Lake, and Bluebird Lake. Here are six tips on what to do in Estes Park during your Rocky Mountain National Park vacation. Cheers, Julie. Suggestions for this weekend Nov 03, 2022. It is the east side (Estes Park side) of RMNP that has . Colorado Springs. On the east side of the park lies the Beaver Meadows Entrance, the most direct entrance from Estes Park, Colo.,which lies right outside Rocky Mountain National Park. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. It is equipped with a sofa bed and a double bed, and there is a fireplace in both the bedroom and the warm living room. Photo: Flickr/David Wilson. Shuttle Bus. Would that help mitigate some of the altitude sickness? To the north of the Beaver Meadows area, located on highway 34 approximately four miles west of Estes Park, is the Fall River Entrance Station. The Continental Divide Trail connects some of the tallest peaks, such as Mount Ida, Flattop Mountain, Hallett Peak, Isolation Peak, and many more. It is only staffed in the busy season and during the busiest hours of the day the line can get long. The Bear Lake Corridor is one of the most popular areas in Rocky Mountain National Park for first-time visitors. Among its special features are beautiful mountain vistas (114 named peaks above 10,000', with Longs Peak at 14,259'), and thousands of varieties of wild plants and animals. You're going to want to start early, because parking fills up fast. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the highest national parks in the USA. I recommend staying at The Residences. But dont bring your RV there. In order to see and do everything we list in this itinerary, plan on visiting the park when everything is open. In 2021, Rocky Mountain National Park was the 5th most visited national park in the United States, with 4.4 million visitors. When the parking areas in Wild Basin are full, usually by 9am in the summer, vehicles will be turned away. Rocky Mountain National Park. Yes, I know, I said no hiking today, but I couldnt resist adding this one in. 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. Trail Type: Out-and-back. This itinerary is best from Memorial Day through mid-October, when Trail Ridge Road is open. To reach the Wild Basin Entrance from Estes Park, head south on CO 7. It is located just outside of Estes Park, on the south side, an excellent location for driving into the park. The road is well-graded and suitable for standard cars. Fall River Visitor Center features life-sized displays of a wide variety of park wildlife. I climbed 3 different volcanoes in 3days and it was lovely. If you had afternoon thunderstorms on Day One, drive Trail Ridge Road in the morning. Difficulty: Challenging. But even with a week here, there are still a lot of hikes left on our to-do list. How likely is someone to get altitude sickness at RMNP? I recommend wearing waterproof hiking shoes or boots (not running or walking shoes) so that you have good traction. Important Things to Know Before You Plan Your Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary, When to Visit Rocky Mountain National Park. This road will lead you out of town and to the Beaver Meadows Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. For every hike that we list, you do not need an SUV or non-standard vehicle. Nymph, Dream, Emerald, Haiyaha and Bear Lake: You can learn more about all of these hikes on our post, For full details on how to spend one day in Rocky Mountain National Park, read our post, Two Day Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. Moraine Park Campground. Dont miss Forest Canyon Overlook, one of the best on the drive. But it looks like you have some free time on Thursday and Friday afternoon in case an afternoon gets rained out earlier in the week. Estes Park. Trail Ridge Road is 48 miles long, connecting Estes Park to Grand Lake. Note: Its a slightly shorter hike (1.7 miles) if you park at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular natural parks featuring 76 mountains each over 10 thousand feet high. Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park; Flat Tops Wilderness; Maine. 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. 11. Best Hikes Rocky Mountain National Park. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. The Alberta Falls Trail, like many other hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, follows a creek (in this case, Glacier Creek). If you want low crowds and dont mind cold temperatures and snow, plan your visit from November through May. RMNP is quite popular, with about than 3 million visitors a year. Estes Park to the Alpine Visitor Centre distance. Pssst. This road opened in 1920 at it was the first road that led into Rocky Mountain National Park. Most people will be acclimated by this point, which means that you can hike almost any trail in the park. And you wouldn't be disappointed at any choice. The parking lot at the end of Bear Lake Road is large but from here, you have access to numerous popular trails in RMNP, so it also fills fast. Rocky Mountain National Park's 4 Neighborhoods to Stay in. When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park? If so, you need one for each day that you plan to visit RMNP. Al, Thats a tricky question to answer. Only 0.6 miles round trip, this flat, easy trail circles around Bear Lake. Ideally, you want a day with crystal clear skies and no chance of rain. After the passes and permits are sorted, they will offer you a park map and a park newspaper. You need to make it through the Beaver Meadows entrance and where they check permits for the Bear Lake Corridor (I think that is the junction of Bear Lake Road and US-36 but I am not 100% about this) before 5 am. Pre-hike fuel: Near the main junction in Estes, hit up Notchtop . Forest Canyon Overlook | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary, Rainbow Curve Overlook | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. Trailhead Location. I want to avoid crowds and yet have good weather ( no snow). Do we have others using the trails even in the mornings? Old Fall River Road is an 11-mile long gravel road that runs one-way from Horseshoe Park (near Estes Park) and ends at the Alpine Visitor Center. From the hotel it's a 15-minute drive to Beaver Meadows Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, while downtown Estes Park is just a couple of miles away. If you plan to visit multiple national parks, consider purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass ($80 and valid for all of the national parks for one year). Deer mountain Alpine ridge trail Trail ridge drive Ute trail to tomb bridge Alberta falls Nymph, dream and emerald lake Haiyaha Bear lake Sprague lake loop sheep lakes lily lake loop chasm falls Gem lake Mills lake, Rocky Mountain is very safe for a solo traveler and yes, in the mornings, there will be people on these trails. Hi Julie !! In the winter months, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing top the list. 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. You can also access Bear Lake Road, but it requires an additional 10 minutes of driving. Prospect Mountain is a 15-minute drive, and you can set out along Lake Estes Trail less than 10 minutes after departing the accommodation. Lily Lake. On the way you'll pass the Kawuneeche Visitor Center on your right. For 48 miles, this road runs from Estes Park in the east to Grand Lake in the west. Watch the weather, enjoy the time you spend in the park, and you might find you want to hike more, or less, than you expected to. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. Length: 5.5 miles. At this elevation, its not enough to cause altitude sickness, but you will tire and get out of breath easily. To stay safe, start your hike early in the day so that you are finished, or at least below the tree line, by 1 pm. As one of the most popular hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, the Alberta Falls Trail is a must on any itinerary. Be aware that you'll need to make a left turn at the stoplights onto Moraine Avenue. Which entrance would be better.

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