See what the experts are saying about Rocky Mountain National Park. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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The best short day hikes
Emerald Lake Trail: Hike less than 4 miles round-trip and you can see three pretty lakes and the surrounding mountains and walk through a forest of limber and lodgepole pines and fir trees that has meadows of wildflowers in summer. Rated easy... Continue reading »
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The best long day hikes
Chasm Lake Trail: Some of the best views in the park are your reward for sweating your way up a fairly steep slope past the tree line on this difficult 8.4-mile round-trip hike. You'll see wildflowers, wildlife, a waterfall, a picturesque lak... Continue reading »
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The best overnight hikes
East Longs Peak Trail: Although this hike is not for everyone, experienced mountaineers in good physical shape will find this to be one of the park's most challenging and rewarding treks. There are spectacular views practically in all directi... Continue reading »
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The best rv parks
Spruce Lake RV Park (Estes Park; tel. 800/536-1050): It's hard to call this camping -- it's simply too refined. Open to RVs only (no ground tents), the carpeted bathhouses are among the cleanest and most luxurious we've seen anywhere, and wit... Continue reading »
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The best activities outside the park
Bowen Gulch Interpretive Trail: An easy walk leads to an old-growth spruce-fir forest, where there's a good chance of seeing wildlife, and a free brochure helps explain this unique ecosystem. Cache la Poudre Wild and Scenic River: It's har... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
In the not-too-distant past, planning a visit to a national park -- particularly one in the western United States -- involved little more than choosing a date and packing the car. The availability of a campsite was a given, and you could gene... Continue reading »
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Visitor information
Rocky Mountain National Park will send you a free park brochure, map, and other information on the activities available at the park. To get these items, you can contact Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 U.S. 36, Estes Park, CO 80517-8397 (te... Continue reading »
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When to go
Even though the park is open year-round, Trail Ridge Road, the park's main east-west thoroughfare, is always closed in winter. It's safe to assume that you will not be able to drive clear across the park from mid-October until Memorial Day, a... Continue reading »
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The climate
A key factor that will affect your trip to the park in any season is weather. Because of the park's high elevation and its extreme range of elevations, you'll find that temperatures and other weather conditions will vary greatly. Essentially,... Continue reading »
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Seasons
Most of the ranger-led activities, such as amphitheater programs and guided hikes and walks, occur only during the summer, although a few are scheduled year-round. Some, such as guided snowshoe hikes and cross-country ski tours, obviously tak... Continue reading »
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Getting there
By Plane -- Visitors arriving by plane will usually fly into Denver International Airport (tel. 800/AIR-2DEN; TDD 800/688-1333; www.flydenver.com), which is about 90 miles southeast of the east entrances to the park. Airlines serving Denver i... Continue reading »
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Tips for travelers with special needs
Tips for Travelers with Disabilities -- America's national parks, including Rocky Mountain, have made great strides in recent years in rendering their facilities more accessible to visitors with disabilities. At Rocky Mountain National Park,... Continue reading »
Rocky Mountain National Park Travel Experiences
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Rocky Mountain National Park
Elk, Elk, Elk!!! We had a couple of days before we the meeting in Denver, so we decided to add Rocky Mountain National Park to our... Continue reading »
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Driving Tour of Rocky Mountain National Park
A clear indication of how excited I was to be hitting Rocky Mountain National Park this morning is that I woke up – wide awake – and was... Continue reading »
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Hooray, hooray, we're on our way!
So, our vacation got off to a day’s earlier start. Rather than leaving this morning (Sunday), I decided we just needed to get the heck ou... Continue reading »
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A Day of "Moderate" Hiking in Rocky Mountain Nati...
Today was spent most of the day in the great outdoors. I had envisioned a full-day hike, but with my still slightly sore foot and my over... Continue reading »
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Day 4 - Part 2
Here is a picture of Lynne, Joanne, and me just before they left. We had so much fun just hanging out! Thanks girls!ALSO... I forgot to m... Continue reading »
