With elevations from 7860 to 14259 (Long’s Peak), Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the highest national parks in the nation. Whether you’re interested in a relaxing vacation in the nearby town of Estes or trying to get your boots muddy on some gorgeous trails, this trip is for you. Let me tell you where to stay, what to do, and some tips for travelling. Here is an epic guide for one week in Rocky Mountain National Park.
When to visit Rocky Mountain National Park?
June – September is the peak season.
Being at such high elevation, snow is a huge factor. We visited at the beginning of June and still dealt with snowy, icy trails at higher elevations. We didn’t need crampons but they would have been helpful at times. By the end of our 5 day trip, the snow had already melted significantly from the time we arrived. If you’re interested in snow free/ice free hiking I’d aim to visit in July, August, or September.
How to get into the park?
Like any national park, you can enter by purchasing a pass for the week, the day, or the year at the gate. Rocky Mountain has implemented a reservation system for entry into the park during busiest hours from May 28- October 11. To make sure you can get into the park, go to Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry, Rocky Mountain National Park – Recreation.gov and find “Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry”.
Booking a Time Slot for Entry
From here you can book 2 hour time slots for entry into the park. The time slots are 5am-7am, 7am-9am, and so on with the last time slot being 4pm-6pm. These times are simply your window for entering the park. Once you’re in, you can stay as long as you would like. If you are unable to get a time slot reserved, you can enter the park before 5am or after 6pm when no reservations are required.
Choose either the Bear Lake Rd Corridor + Full Park Access or Park Access (Excludes Bear Lake Rd Corridor). You’ll want to plan AT LEAST 2 days with access to bear lake road where many of the trailheads/parking lots are for some of the best hikes in the park. Details regarding hikes below.
Where to stay?
- 3 campgrounds are available through recreation.gov : Moraine Park campground, Glacier Basin campground, Aspenglen campground- book early!
- Book a cabin near Estes. We stayed at Nicky’s Resort which was affordable and close to the park entrance plus near to the town.
- Stay at the historic Stanley Hotel in downtown Estes. This is one of the most beautiful hotels in the country. It was built is 1909 and has since been the inspiration for the hotel in The Shining.
- Estes Park KOA- camping but with showers/bathrooms available. Right next to gorgeous Lake Estes
Must do hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
Hikes outside of the park:
Lily Mountain:
- 4 miles total
- 1246 feet elevation gained
- Steep and strenuous but worth it. 360 views of the rocky mountains at the top
- 12 minutes from downtown Estes
Bridal Veil Falls:
- 6.1 miles total
- 964 feet elevation gained
- Gradual incline, moderately difficult but not too bad. Many people (including us) ran the trail rather than walking. Great for trail running.
- Beautiful waterfall at the end
- Technically this area belongs to Rocky Mountain NP but is separate from the main area. No reservations required to visit here. You do not pass the park gate to get here.
Hikes inside the park:
I will break the hikes in the park down into two categories: 1. Those that start off of Bear Lake Road (and require Bear Lake Road access permit between 5am and 6pm) and 2. The remainder of hikes in the park that require just a general park entry permit
- Bear Lake Road Hikes:
Emerald Lake Trail:
- 3.2 miles total
- 698 feet elevation gain
- Fairly easy hike. The snow and ice at the last mile out was slippery and made the hike a bit more difficult- again, we visited at the beginning of June
- Trailhead is at bear lake parking lot
- You will hike past 3 lakes on your way to Emerald Lake (Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake)
- Loved doing this hike at sunset. The colors changing over the lakes were amazing
Sky Pond Trail:
Sky Pond Hike Information:
- This trailhead is just up the road from that for Bear Lake
- 9.4 miles total
- 1758 feet of elevation
- Extremely challenging- not only the distance and elevation but the terrain
- The trail was icy in places and covered in snow in others which made it a bit difficult to follow (probably would be easier when the snow has melted July-September)
What to Expect on the Sky Pond Hike:
- The hike takes you past Alberta Falls, The Loch (lake), Timberline Falls, and Lake of Glass before you finish at the gorgeous Sky Pond
- Timberline Falls is where the hike got tricky. We came to a steep snow/ice hill that we climbed up very carefully before ascending to Lake of Glass. From here the hike was easy to Sky Pond
- We started the hike at around 5am and had Sky Pond nearly to ourselves- several people were climbing the rock faces nearby
- We made it back to the car at about noon- very sore and tired from trudging through the snow and ice
2. General park entry permit hikes:
Cub Lake:
- 5.1 miles total
- 728 feet elevation gain
- Fairly easy
- Trailhead near Moraine Park Campground
Deer Mountain:
- 6 miles total
- 1400 feet elevation total
- Gradual incline
- Difficult
- Trailhead is off trail ridge road not far from the entrance to the park
Mount Ida:
- 9.3 miles total
- 2358 feet elevation
- Difficult
- Trailhead is off Trail Ridge Road, deep in the park
Hallett Peak:
- 10.3 miles total
- 3293 feet elevation gain
- Tough but not technical.
- Views of Dream Lake and Emerald Lake from above
Long’s Peak:
- The highest point in the park
- The park’s only “14er”
- 14.8 miles total
- 5,039 feet of elevation
- Class 3 climbing, technical, proper equipment required
- Recommend start at 2am to beat afternoon storms
These are just some of the highlights but there are so many great hikes in the park!
Rest Day? Fun/ Non-Strenuous Activities Nearby:
Drive Trail Ridge Road
- This drive is within the park and so you’ll need a park entry reservation
- This 39 mile road climbs up to 12,000 feet of elevation and winds through the Rockies
- Great way to see wildlife- moose, elk, big horn sheep
- Turn around at Milner Pass, where the sign marking the Continental Divide is or take the road all the way to the town of Grand Lake – the drive one way will take nearly 2 hours so plan lots of time if this is your plan
Rent bikes and ride or walk around Lake Estes
- 4 mile loop
- Flat trail, easy
- Bikes available for rental next to Estes Park Resort
Walk around the Historic Stanley Hotel
- We ate dinner at the hotel one night and arrived early to enjoy the views from the front patio and explore the hotel a bit beforehand
Enjoy Downtown Estes Park:
Ed’s Cantina – Mexican food with amazing avocado margaritas
Kind Coffee – great coffee shop next to Ed’s. Grab a latte and sit outside next to the river
Claire’s Restaurant and Bar – great brunch and 2 for 1 mimosas everyday until 2
Wheel Bar – fun old timey saloon/ sports bar with shuffle board, pool, arcade games
Breweries: Avant Garde Brewing, Rock Cut Brewing, The Barrel
Make sure to stop at the original Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado on your way to Estes. You’ll pass right by it if you’re driving in from Denver.
At just an hour and a half drive from Denver, Estes Park, Colorado is one of the best summertime vacations. I hope this helps you plan your getaway.
Cheers!
-Alanna