BEST NATIONAL PARK TRIPS: ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Leave the world behind and experience one of the world’s most extended ranges that cross over the Continental Divide at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park.
Surrounded by Comanche Peak Wilderness to the north, Indian Peaks Wilderness to the south, Roosevelt National Forest to the east, and Arapaho National Forest to the west, Rocky Mountain National Park has over eight self-guiding nature trails to choose from.
With elevations of over 12,000 feet, hiking along Alpine Ridge Trail at Rocky Mountain National Park rewards travel photography enthusiasts with its rugged beauty and ecosystems starting at 9,000 feet to over 11,400 feet.
A park pass is required for entry into all the US National Parks. 1-day, 7-day, annual, or lifetime passes can be purchased online or at the nearest federal recreation sit.
A free annual pass is available for U.S. Military (current U.S. military members and dependents in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard as well as Reserve and National Guard members).
Hiking
The number one activity that brings visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park is watching the large population of wildlife.
If you are a recreational hiker, there are gentle trails on the east side less than one mile with a 20 feet elevation gain: Bear Lake, Hidden Vally Nature Trail, Lily Lake, Moraine Park Discovery Center Nature Trail, and Sprague Lake.
Lush meadows, mountain views, and a historic cabin and dude ranch from the 1920s on the west side have two trails: Adams Falls, Coyote Valley Trail, and Holzwarth Historic Site.
There are two trails on Trail Ridge Road: Alpine Ridge Trail and Tundra Communities Trail. The trails are accessible only when Trail Ridge is open.
Camping In Rocky Mountain National Park
Stay overnight under the stars at one of these five campgrounds o designated wilderness site:
- Aspendglen: 52 sites at 8,220 feet from late May – late September.
- Glacier Basin: 150 sites at 8,5000 from late May – mid September.
- Long Peaks: 26 sites at 9,405 feet from late June – September.
- Moraine Park: 244 sites in the summer and 77 sites in the winter at 8,160 feet open year-round.
- Timber Creek: 98 sites at 8,900 feet from late May – late October.
- Sprague Lake Accessible Wilderness Campsite: 12 campers with up to five wheelchair users can stay at the site.
To make a reservation, visit recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777.
On Top Of The World
What feels like the top of the world, the Rockies are best enjoyed in the late fall. The weather is a little cooler, traffic is slightly less congested, and the occasional snowfall at the higher elevations makes the scenic drive on Trail Ridge Road with mountain views worth it.
Who can say “no” to the chance of an Instagram worthy experience to showcase the amazing wildlife like elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, yellow-bellied marmot, blue skies, and those long ranges of the Rocky Mountains stretching from Alaska to the southern border into Mexico and stunning snow-covered peaks?
If you have a fear of heights like I do, the beautiful scenery makes you quickly level up and put your fear of heights on the back burner. That is until it’s time to make the drive back down.
Scenic Drives
You have a choice of two scenic routes that make a complete loop around the national park, US Hwy 7 to the east and US Hwy 34 to the west.
Trail Ridge Road is one of the highest and most scenic routes to take with a view of Longs Peak in the distance stretching to heavens at 14,259 feet.
Before exploring the extraordinary alpine views, I recommend stopping at the Kawaunneche Visitor Center on US Hwy 34 north of Grand Lake to learn about the history, landscape, and wildlife that call Rocky Mountain National Park home through exhibits, short park movies, and scheduled ranger-led programs.
Driving up is easy and takes a little over an hour to reach the Alpine Visitor Center. I recommend arriving early in the morning to drive the scenic loop as park roads can get extremely busy.
There are plenty of spots to pull over for rest or to take photos of the mountain ranges.
Expect when driving down from the top of Trail Ridge Road to see an increase in traffic of stop and go. During the summer and fall weekends, roads are busiest from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For those of you who experience white knuckle driving through higher elevations, I am warning you ahead of time so you are prepared like I was to all your time to prepare for musical and audiobook distractions so you can go to your happy place when it’s time.
Trail Ridge Road has few guardrails.
Don’t let the narrow and winding road deter you from experiencing the visual beauty of the alpine tundra.
Electronic dance music (EDM) is my favorite to get me motivated to take on height challenges and good distraction to chill me out while staying alert for the two-hour round trip.
Be Prepared For Changing Weather Conditions
As you go higher in elevation, the temperature gets colder and can drop 15-20 degrees. When I visited Rocky National Park in late September, starting my drive, the temperature was in the 70s (Fahrenheit). When I reached above 11,400 feet, it was in the 50s.
Being from Minnesota, the cooler weather felt great, but the altitude, not so much. To ease into the change in elevation from sea level, I started my one-week road trip in Rapid City, South Dakota.
I drove a scenic loop visiting Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse Memorial, The Mammoth Site, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit in North Dakota.
By the time I arrived for an overnight stop in Denver, I was feeling acclimated. If you do plan on hiking some of the trails, make sure to bring layers and plenty of water.
The higher the elevation, the thinner and drier the air. It can be bright and sunny one moment and then change to the snow flurries and a howling wind that cut through your body in a matter of minutes if you don’t have the proper wind and waterproof outerwear with you.
Don’t let cloud cover fool you. Sunlight is intense at higher elevations and can make you more dehydrated.
After exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, with your annual park pass in hand, head south and explore Colorado’s three other magnificent national parks, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes, and Mesa Verde. Happy exploring!
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