There are a lot of hikes that start at the Bear Lake Trailhead. You can also see more travel itineraries on our Travel Itineraries page and our National Park Itineraries. If you are an avid hiker, plan on spending at least three to five days in Rocky Mountain National Park. From Loveland it's 30 miles (48 km) and 45 minutes by car to get to Estes Park. There are sixty mountain peaks over 12,000 feet and many of these top out over 13,000 feet. The only thing to note is that each day I started the hike between 4a-5a (especially because some parking lots like the Glacier gorge one and Longs peak one get filled up by 5a). 6 Things to Do on the East Edge of Rocky Mountain National Park Its time for an amazing scenic drive in RMNP. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. 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. 700 feet (213 m) elevation gain. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. You can get to this entrance without going through the middle of town by following highway 34 up East Wonderview Avenue. photo by Ladona Stork. Nymph, Dream & Emerald Lakes: 3.6 miles, easy to moderate, 2 to 3 hours. What would be the best time to hike RMNP after labor day? Hiking poles can help you keep your balance in the snow. Parking at the most popular trailheads fill up extremely early in the day. 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. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK: For a full list of our Rocky Mountain National Park articles, plus important planning tips, check out our Rocky Mountain National Park Travel Guide. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But more often than not, in the summer, afternoon storms will occur. You can learn more about all of these hikes on our post 15 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Not sure either if we should stay in Estes park or grand lake? 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. Alternatively, continue straight ahead and you'll find yourself on the dramatic Trail Ridge Road which leads over the Continental Divide to the west side of the park and Grand Lake. On the east side of the park, located on highway 36 and 3.5 miles west of Estes Park, is the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station. Hiking poles are a good idea for some of the tougher hikes (Sky Pond, Chasm Lake) if you have knee issues or if there is snow on the trail. l plan on 7 days there. Colorado Springs. Drive Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. Inside the park, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy offers year-round seminars, guided fly-fishing, naturalist tours, hiking and photography classes. Yes, take a look at the Where to Stay section of this article. 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. It is only staffed in the busy season and during the busiest hours of the day the line can get long. How to Make the Most of One Day in Rocky Mountain National Park The Continental Divide runs through the park. 10 Rocky Mountain National Park Attractions You Can't-Miss - MSN There are two ticket types: Park Access + and Park Access. Rocky Mountain National Park is open all year. In 2021, Rocky Mountain National Park was the 5th most visited national park in the United States, with 4.4 million visitors. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. However, this property gets rave reviews. Photo: Flickr/David Wilson. Old Fall River Road | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. 94 within 3 miles. The Kawuneeche entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park is located 2 miles north of Grand Lake on highway 34. Best entrance to rocky mountain national park - Tripadvisor More about Trail Ridge Road's Season. What are some alternate routes if Trail Ridge Road is closed? Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet, is the only fourteener in the park. You can also hike to Fern Lake out-and-back from either Bear Lake or Moraine Park. 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. Head to Grand Lake, a quaint, historic town surrounded on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park. Would that help mitigate some of the altitude sickness? In July, we hiked through a snowstorm on the way back from Sky Pond. 2. Is it safe?. Along the way explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing. To see fall colors and the elk mating season, plan your visit from mid-September through mid-October. This is a hike that we did on our first trip to Rocky Mountain National Park a few years ago, and we retraced our steps on our latest trip en route to Sky Pond (more on that in a second). By 4 to 5 pm, the skies begin to clear. In the winter months, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing top the list. Also, it can snow every month of the year in Rocky Mountain National Park. Timed Entry Permit System - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National We spent seven days in RMNP and every day we did at least one hike. Rocky Mountain National Park, located in northern Colorado, encompasses an area of 416 square miles (265,769 acres). 80517. This station is .25 miles from our newest visitor center, the Fall River Visitor Center. 1000 US Hwy 36, Estes Park, CO, 80517. It is a common misconception that there are fee-free entrances into the Park. Do 4 days if you canthere are a LOT of hikes to choose from here. Serving visitors to the Wild Basin area of the park, approximately 19 miles to the south of Estes Park on highway 7, is the Wild Basin Entrance station. For reference, my family will be traveling to all the Colorado national parks in late July for around two weeks. Each daily reservation costs $2 per vehicle, which is in addition to the $25 daily entrance fee or $35 weekly fee per vehicle. 15 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Typically this road12,183 feet at it's highest point, remains closed from late-October to late-May. I think that puts the Mills Lake + Loch Vale hike somewhere around 7.6 miles total. Learn more here. Plus, this is a lesser known hike, so the trail gets a lower number of hikers than other hikes on this list. If you are looking for a relatively uncrowded trail with the chance to visit multiple alpine lakes, this is a nice hike to consider. With towering mountain peaks, alpine lakes and waterfalls, and the opportunity to hike along the Continental Divide, this park offers world-class hiking experiences. Colorado has also designated Trail Ridge Road as a scenic and historic byway. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the best US national parks to go hiking. Few people hike out this far so this is a great place to leave the crowds behind. Have a great trip! Forest Canyon Overlook | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary, Rainbow Curve Overlook | Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary. These are the only official entry stations into the park. Tahosa Valley Cabin (from USD 275) Show all photos. This gave us enough time to hike at least one trail every day, with contingency time for bad weather. The Continental Divide Trail connects some of the tallest peaks, such as Mount Ida, Flattop Mountain, Hallett Peak, Isolation Peak, and many more. You can also access Bear Lake Road, but it requires an additional 10 minutes of driving. Rocky Mountain National Park Is A National Treasure. If the skies are clear, the weather forecast is favorable, and Longs Peak is on your bucket list, go for it today. Moraine Park Campground is located in Rocky Mountain National Park near the Beaver Meadows Entrance on Highway 36. How much is the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. To feel like you are really in the heart of the mountains, head to the only entrance on the parks west side, the Grand Lake Entrance. In our experience, they typically just last an hour or two. WorldMark Estes Park. Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park; Flat Tops Wilderness; Maine. While here you can enjoy quiet walks, exhilarating hikes, gorgeous sunrises and . If the weather was clear yesterday, and you drove Trail Ridge Road, I recommend doing another hike this morning. These shuttle buses connect Moraine Park and Bear Lake, with numerous stops in between. In July I will be doing Glacier NP so the hikes there should warm me up for RMNP QQ For RMNP, I noticed you mentioned the need for the extra pass (outside of America the beautiful) Are those passes setup in a way that they last 3 straight days (like how Yosemite or Glacier) or just limited to one day? If you have any questions about planning your Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary, let us know in the comment section below. You'll either need to pay an entrance fee or use a National Parks Pass to enter. Eleven miles of this road is in the alpine tundra, which is over 11,000 feet. Rocky Mountains National Park June 2023 Dec 05, 2022. The best time for this Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary is from Memorial Day through mid-October, when Trail Ridge Road is open. All entrances into Rocky Mountain National Park require entrance fees, even the ones that don't have a physical entrance to drive through. Cheers, Julie. I think Augusts dates open on Jul 1 but i will be at Lassen NP around then (so idk about internet coverage and the morning ones usually fly out fast). I definitely recommend Lassen NP if you havent been there. Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States. Rocky Mountain National Park. 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 vast majority of these people visited the park between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The map above displays the main entrances, campgrounds, lodging options, and locations for the best things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park. After one final short and strenuous climb you arrive at Chasm Lake. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the highest national parks in the USA. This year's system has loosened to 75% to 85% of parking capacity. Cheers, Julie. As it is, I like to hike early to avoid the crowd, Yes, leaving that early should work. (Old Maps, 20th Century Maps, Americana, Travel, Tourism, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Granby Reservoir, Granby).Grand Lake West Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.Published c. 1940's, United States.Folding cartoon pictorial travel map, printed on both sides of the sheet. The best Time to do scenic driving and hiking is during the summer and fall seasons. The last stretch to Wild Basin is a narrow, gravel road that becomes one lane in places, so it is not appropriate to bring your RV. Evening back at Estes park at my hotel.