Rocky Mountain National Park
Photo: Trougnouf via Wikimedia Commons
One of the largest national parks, Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park provides 265,769 acres of pristine wilderness for adventurers. Here are some essential things to know when planning your road trip to this natural haven.
Trip Prep: Schedule a pre-road trip service appointment for your vehicle
Best months to visit
Early spring and early fall are less busy times for tourists if you want to enjoy the park when it’s less crowded
Photo: Pixabay
Summer and fall are the park’s busiest seasons. Though, if you do visit then, make sure to take advantage of the free park shuttle buses that provide transit on a few main routes.
Visit in late May through early June or sometime in early September (after Labor Day) through mid-October to avoid the crowds. And you might want to steer clear of visiting on the last week of September when admission to all national parks is free.
Navigation and parking
Due to the park’s mountain setting, the weather can be changeable and unpredictable, so make sure to check the National Park Service website for road closures and keep an eye on the weather forecast.
If you’re visiting during the park’s off-season, or simply prefer to take a personal vehicle instead of using the park shuttles, the NPS website has an array of maps worth downloading and/or printing out. There are also trail maps and campground maps to help you avoid the stress of getting lost so you can focus on taking in the gorgeous scenery and sights.
Activities and key attractions
Bear Lake
Photo: Brian W. Schaller via Wikimedia Commons
Biking, horseback riding, fishing, and rock climbing are a few popular ways to interact with the park’s resources. Hiking is another common pastime in the park due to the area’s breathtaking scenery and dynamic geography. Though, if you’re not sure which trail to take, stop at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to speak with one of the experienced park rangers on staff.
For a shorter, less strenuous hike, the Emerald Lake and Wild Basin to Ouzel Falls trails are good choices. The first extends 3.1 miles and passes by Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, and Dream Lake. The second one weaves near lakes, waterfalls, and meadows if you prefer more varied views. More advanced hikers will find a challenging and rewarding experience on The Keyhole and Longs Peak, Glacier Gorge, or Twin Sisters Peak trails.
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Where to stay
If you’re staying overnight, you can either stake out on one of the park’s five campgrounds or find lodging outside of the park grounds. The Estes Park Resort, Murphy’s River Lodge, Stanley Hotel, and The Landing at Estes Park are just a few of the top-rated accommodations visitors recommend if you want to stay close to the park.
Wildlife to look out for
Elk, bighorn sheep, deer, coyotes, and pikas call Rocky Mountain National Park home. There are also more than 260 bird species, so make sure to bring your binoculars if you’re into fowl. Bobcats and mountain lions are fairly common to spot, while bears and moose are more rare to see.
Whitney Russell is a current resident of Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not adventuring through the exciting world of car news, she can be found hiking with her husband and their two dogs, visiting nephews and nieces, discovering new memes, thrifting, decorating, crafting, woodburning, researching random things, and escaping into a great movie. See more articles by Whitney.
