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Rocky Mountain National Park
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40 reviews for Rocky Mountain National Park
Beautiful, just stunning in it's beauty. There is so much to do in this park, it's hard to even sum it up for a yelp review. Hiking, snowshoeing, bird watching....it's just great. It's so close to Denver, you can go up for a day, or a weekend.
If you want to hike, get up early, the trails get packed in the summer, best to hit the trail heads between 7:00-8:00, 8 at the latest. I recommend buying a book that helps to choose which hikes, there are so many, all levels of difficulty, from a nice walk, to a grueling fourteener.
Trail Ridge road is something everyone in Colorado should do at least once. It's the highest paved continuous road in America. The elk rut is something else that all Coloradoans should view. I am not a huge fan of sitting back and watching elk, but this is a scene to be had, that's for sure.
The staff is great too, always willing to help when you have a question. There are many ranger stations to stop at. Beaver Falls has ongoing programs such as lectures and movies that are very informative. It's great to learn the history of the park.
Please go and enjoy what's right here in our back yard!
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Oh, Rocky Mountain National Park (or ROMO as my park ranger friend likes to call it), you will always hold a special place in my heart.
My favorite memories:
-- Hiking in the gorgeous Moraine Valley
-- The fascinating/creepy leeches in Cub Lake
-- The one time I sent my sister and her hub down a trail only to find out the next day there were bears in the area. Oops!
-- Winter tubing and snowshoeing in Hidden Valley
-- Taking out-of-towners to the top of Trail Ridge Road for spectacular views and ridiculous souvenirs
-- My first bear cub sighting
-- An amazing motorcycle ride around the park last summer that culminated in a very public kiss on top of a rock that I thought was secluded. Oops!
-- The one year I had to pull over because an entire herd of elk came racing down the mountain and across the road
I could go on and on. If you're from Colorado and have for some reason never made it to ROMO (it happens, I know...), do yourself a giant favor and take a drive around the park. You won't regret it!
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This park is so beautiful. Every time I get into the mountains of Colorado the scenery makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I realize how much I love living here. Coach and I went a few weekends ago with my parents because they hadn't been yet. I definitely recommend taking the one-way road up to the main visitor's area at 12,000 feet and get light headed. On the way up you drive on a mostly dirt road and pass tons of waterfalls and wildlife. We saw a ton of marmots and elk along the way, some of them were even just hanging out in the middle of the road and we had to wait for them to mosey on along their way.
It may be $20 for a week pass, but it's easily worth it to maintain the park. Better yet throw in an extra $20 and get an annual pass. Then you can go camping up there any time you'd like. Ah, nature.
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A city boy in awe of nature. The views may cause a man to weep.
This was better eye-balling than my first peep show.
Oh, to be healthy enough to explore!
Everytime I drive over the mountains into the Estes Valley, E laughs as I give a big sigh and happily say, "Finally...I'm home." This may have to do with the fact that over the course of my crazy childhood, following a park ranger dad with a bad case of wanderlust across the U.S., Estes was my home for the longest period of time - 4 years. And Rocky, as I fondly call it, was my back yard. I hiked its backcountry in the summer, fell asleep in Moraine Park to the sound of elk bugling in the fall, snowshoed in its powdery bounty in winter, and appreciated its gorgeous wildflowers in spring. Even after I moved away to Denver, Rocky has always called me back. I make a trip there at least once a summer to soak in its comforting beauty and hike. After I graduated high school, I worked there for a summer, going far off-trail and following my GPS in search of the snares that hopefully held bears. We only caught one bear that summer, but it was worth it :)
Rocky is special. It is diverse and yet appealing to everyone. It is huge and yet feels surprisingly intimate. It is unlike anywhere else I have ever been. And above all, it is astoundingly, breathtakingly beautiful. I could go on and on about my second home that I will sorely miss when I move 400 miles away, but I am comforted in knowing that it will always be there.
Favorite Hikes: Anything in Glacier Gorge, the most photographed part of the park. This includes Mills Lake, Black Lake, Loch Vale, and Sky Pond. Also: Chasm Lake, Big Meadows (on the West side), and the Ute trail (starts on Trail Ridge Road.)
The Sad: Pine beetles are taking over the park. The Grand Lake side is far worse than the Estes side, but they are both pretty bad. In fact, I saw this summer that a camp site on the west side that was once in a dense forest of lodgepole pines is now out in the open. All the trees have been removed due to dangerous conditions. Whether Rocky burns (which is likely) or not, it will take the park decades to return to the state I remember it in - thick green trees without a dead pine in sight.
Tip: if there is even a shadow of a doubt that you will return more than once in a year, I believe the annual pass is a good value. I even upgraded this year and spent $80 on the pass that gets me into any park in the U.S. It's worth it!
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An amazing national park that will afford you unforgettable views! You are truly enveloped by beauty here and can only help but feel small as you behold the majesty of the mountains about you. The peaks are wonderfully paired with equally stunning lakes that reflect their beauty. And the park is not short on wildlife either. As I was driving i chanced upon a handful of elk that I was able to photograph from only a few feet away. I even saw a sheep too.
I highly recommend taking the Old Fall River Road. It is a one-way dirt road that afforded the nicest views in the park. It is there, coincidentally, where I chanced upon the elk. Bear lake is quite enchanting as well. But short of these recommendations, you can't go wrong. Go and enjoy this wonderful place!
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If I could give this place a billion stars, I would.
Twenty dollars seems steep for the price of admission, but lucky for us, it was a FREE day. We were weary. Too good to be true? We had been lied to earlier in the day by the cherry store. Rude. We didn't know this upon arrival, and were concerned funds would not cover it. I like FREE things, especially when they are nature-related.
We took a winding road to the main visitors center. We had no idea where it would lead us, but when we got there, we were in winter. Cool, we changed seasons. Time traveling. After peeing, not in nature, in a cadillac bathroom we descended to the top of a tourist trail. The rocks atop acted as a shield against the blizzard. However, the stairs were made for giants.
PS: We saw a chipmunk being fed next to a "Please do not feed the animals sign". Isn't nature great?
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I am so glad my husband and I decided to visit Rocky Mountain National Park while I was visiting him. This park is absolutely gorgeous! It's hard to imagine that places this beautiful and calming even exist in the United States, but luckily they do!
We went this past Saturday (July 18) and it was a free entrance weekend - this is something the National Parks Service is doing a few times during this summer. Normally the entrance fee would be $20 for a car. I imagine because it was a free weekend is why it was pretty busy. But even though some of the overlooks were pretty crowded, we still managed to get away from the crowds to enjoy the majestic views and beauty that the park has to offer.
We drove Trail Ridge Road, which I would definitely recommend. There are lots of overlooks to stop at and other various points along the road where you can pull over and do some impromptu hiking. We also used the Bear Lake shuttle from the park and ride later in the afternoon to go to Glacier Gorge Trailhead. We did the 0.8 mile (1.6 roundtrip) hike to Alberta Falls which is a really pretty waterfall. As a warning, because it's a pretty easy hike, it does get crowded on the trail at times.
It seems that pretty much everywhere we went in the park offered great views, beautiful scenery, and good photo ops. We were in the park for almost six hours and barely scratched the surface. A few tips for visting the park:
*Go early in the day so you can maximize the time you are in the park
*Pack lots of food/snacks and water - eating and drinking water will help with the altitude
*If hiking, take lots of breaks - we got winded quite a bit and we are in good shape!
*Wear sunscreen
*Bring bug spray! I wish we had done this - there were tons of mosquitos, especially around the waterfall we hiked to
*Bring a camera - there is so much beauty to capture; plus you never know when you might spot a herd of elk!
*If you are going to use the shuttles, they only run until 7 pm.
*Dress in layers.
After we left the park, we remarked that if we lived in Colorado, we could see the park as a place we would visit often because of the numerous hikes and beauty it offers! Definitely a must do if visiting Colorado!
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The Good:
:: it's beautiful. absolutely beautiful. you will feel like you are in europe. the views at the top are astonishing and worth the drive or trek up.
:: the plethora of trails. anyone can do anything, from beginners to advanced trails. i think there are 360 trails?
:: did i mention how beautiful it is?
:: the wildlife you can see. luckily, no encounters with bears, coyotes, mountain lions or wolverines
:: the diversity of the terrain...rocks, snow, trees, grass, shrubs, stones, lakes, rivers, etc etc etc.
The Bad:
:: summertime intermittent thunderstorms make for an unpleasant outing. getting caught hiking in a thunderstorm with hail sucks. check the weather and dress in quick-dry layers
:: the mosquitoes. they are hardcore...they've acclimated to the extreme cold and high altitudes. i may have mistaken a few of them for small birds. don't cheapen out...buy the strongest DEET-based spray you can and use it. you will not regret it. otherwise you will get munched on and that will ruin any nature experience you are aiming for.
The Ugly:
:: none
Would I go back? Definitely. I'm going to come back every year and try a different trail every time. Can't wait for the next picnic by a beautiful, serene lake!!!
This place is IN.
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This park in June after a few days of intermittent rain was absolutely gorgeous. For $20, you will feel like you got a great deal... a day's worth of driving seeing beautiful birds, playful chipmunks, clunky marmots, and of course elk galore! The views are marvelous from most of the stops, with scenery changing from green pines and pastures to rocky bluffs frosted in snow that just won't melt...
My only tip would be that, if you don't like backtracking (i.e., driving 40 miles one way through the park and then 40 miles back), travel to the southwest park entrance from Denver. Then, travel east on Trail Ridge Road to the southeast entrance if you want to end up by Estes Park, which has a few cute blocks and supposedly a great pie place (closed when I got there at 8pm). You will then pass the Stanley Hotel (The Shining). And, eventually, you will pass through Boulder. It makes for a more interesting ride home if you catch the sunlight and desire dinner. Then again, at 12,000 feet, the sun sets ultra later in the park, so with enough snacks, you can make a whole day of it... taking pictures of the beauty in all different lighting.
Wish I could stay a week (the time a $20 pass is good for; otherwise, it's $40 for an annual pass).
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One of the most amazing park I've seen in my life. The entrance to the park costs $20 per car and the ticket is usable for a full week. So if you go with a bunch of friends, you will save a lot of money.
The old fall road is very scenic and breathtaking and I highly recommend taking it if you are adventurous enough; it can be very scary also, but not as scary as North Maui road. If you are attentive, and lucky you might encounter wild animal like elks, and others.
Walking around bear lake was one of my favorite moment, it was peaceful and breathtaking. I loved every moment of it.
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It is so cool to see wildlife that is not scared to death of you! I love seeing the elk! Driving over the pass to Grand Lake is awesome! Love the mountains!
How can this place be anything but 5 stars?? It is amazing to witness mother nature at her best. The park is stunning anytime of year you choose to go but especially in October during Elk bugling season. The town of Estes Park will literally be invaded by them and you will find them causing traffic jams.
A must for anyone that is going up is to take the Old Fall River Road. It is a one-way dirt road that goes up to the visitor center via a different route. I think it's about 9 miles or so with streams off the left hand side and the views are incredible. It feels like you are away from the crowd also because there are not that many cars.
There is a nice picnic area next to the waterfall before you start up the road that has chipmunks running around. We go at least twice a year and if it wasn't for the drive we would go more.
It is a must see when coming to the Denver area.
If you don't like the outdoors, then you really shouldn't be in Colorado. That being said, if you do like the outdoors and Colorado, then Rocky Mountain National Park is THE park of outdoor Colorado goodness. The $20 entry fee is good for a week. The park is too big to explore in one day, so we usually give our pass to someone else after our trip. If you're strapped for time, the Bear Lake is a nice one-stop shop for beautiful scenery, walking or hiking, and picnicking (no tables there, but plenty of huge flat rocks to lay out your food).
My favorite part of the park is got to be the elk viewing area. There's always one stud bull trying to dominate all the females, while a few wannabes just sit at the sidelines after being rejected by multiple females and are still mulling over what losers they are. There was a bull who was humping a female doggy-style...I mean, elk-style...on the side of the road. I was like, what an exhibitionist! Then I realized now is mating season at the park. *light bulb goes on in my dumb head*
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I am addicted to National Parks and Monuments. In an obsessive, bordering on completely nuts way. This has led to many cross country treks and lots of trips planned around National Parks...it's a much healthier addiction than say, crack...so for that my parents can be thankful.
On one of my cross country treks (this time from Connecticut to California) I stopped at Rocky Mountain National Park. I had been here once before, but only briefly, on a side trip from my friend's Air Force Academy graduation. When I came back for the second time, I couldn't figure out why I hadn't moved to the area long ago.
Rocky Mountain National Park ranks #2 on my list of favorite national parks. I think if I had stayed longer, it might steal #1. I LOVE IT HERE. The hiking trails, the views, the wildlife (elk, bighorn sheep, deer), even the drive through the park (Trail Ridge Road)...breathtaking.
I am very scared of heights, so the drive up past 12,000 feet (I was in tears at one point) was a mixture of sheer horror interspersed with amazement. Once I was out of the car and walking along trails, I was in heaven. The air here is so much cleaner/fresher than any I have ever breathed. It was so peaceful once we got away from the main road (and the tourists). The hikes (even short ones) seemed to take a lot out of me (altitude maybe?) but were well worth the shortness of breath and lightheadedness.
You must come here and take the time to explore parts of this amazing park. If you can only stay for a day, drive the Trail Ridge Road (or Fall River Road *if* it is open), and if you are here for longer, ask rangers for suggestions. I got some great suggestions based specifically on what I was looking for + skill level.
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My favorite part so far, even beating out Yellowstone NP! Wonderful view of nature from high up, and a good visitor center (I know there is more than one, but I couldn't stop at them all). A must visit for anyone travelling through the area!
My visit to Rocky Mountain National Park was unfortunately constrained by time, and I only got to drive through it on Trail Ridge Road. The drive alone was worth the $20 that it cost us to get into RMNP. Seriously.
As others have already said, this park is gorgeous. By far, it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been on earth. I visited at the end of August, so things weren't as blooming-ful as earlier in the summer. However, the park was still beautiful with lots of color, flora and fauna.
We drove through around dinner time, which afforded us the opportunity to see a lot of wildlife from the road. No more than a mile past the entrance did we see a mama and baby moose munchin' on dinner. I understand that some people have places to go through here, but I was surprised by the amount of traffic zipping by as we would get out to poke and hike around. Just above timberline, we saw the huge herds of elk that others have mentioned. What an incredible sight. Just on the other side of Trail Ridge is Estes Park which makes for an easy stop if you want to grab lunch before the drive or dinner after. When visiting RMNP, be sure to bring hiking boots just in case--you'll definitely want to hop out and explore this area.
Maybe it's just because I'm a flatlander, but driving Trail Ridge was one of the best experiences I had in Colorado. Do not miss it!!
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RMNP is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Sure it's not the beaches, but it's a surreal feeling. Hiking up the many trails is such a blast. The best part is the Park Rangers are so friendly and offer suggestions as to what is best for the time you are there. When we were there, the Park Ranger suggested Bear Lake, and Dream Lake hikes because it was higher and it would be a better opportunity with snow in the forecast. Then he also suggested Cub Lake hike for the next day.
The wildlife is also stupendous!!! Being able to see elk and deer was awesome too. The birds will come right up to you so you can take pictures. People are so friendly too. Everyone is so happy to be able to see nature and its beauty that it puts everyone in a good mood, even though you're hiking at altitude. The hikes also make you stop and enjoy the scenery. The silence is tremendous too, no sound of cell phones, cars, horns. Just silence and the voices of friends and you breathing.
You cannot go to Colorado and not experience RMNP. It's a must do while in Colorado!!!
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Every American should time the time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. The scenic vistas and glorious natural spender of Rocky Mountain National Park are truly without question a real national treasure. The current panoramic photography project endeavor involves attempting to visit every national park. In response to the project, several national park tours have been completed in the past few years throughout the Midwest. Each national park tour has unique individual merits, but one national park has been toured more frequently than any other park under the current panoramic photography national park tour project. Rocky Mountain National Park is within driving distance of Boulder, Colorado. With good traffic conditions, a responsible driver can travel from Boulder, Colorado to Rocky Mountain National Park in about one hour. Without question, Rocky Mountain National Park provides scenic visits within reasonable hiking distances.
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Drive through the clouds on the Highest Highway in the World... Trail Ridge Road. Stop at the visitor center and walk up to +12k feet above sea level. See the tiny Colorado River... (I was kind of disappointed). The campgrounds are well maintained and animals wander through. Nothing like this place.
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This was my first vacation trip centered around a national park and it was worth every penny.
We vacationed in Estes Park for 7 days, and went to RMNP every day to hike. I echo the rave reviews of the other yelpers. We went in July. Everything was in full bloom. Some snow was still melting, which resulted in wonderful waterfalls.
Tips:
1. Hike early in the morning. Our best hike, we left the hotel at 6 AM, and were the first people on the trail by an hour. You get to see more wildlife this way, and enjoy nature without the crowds.
2. Adjusting to the altitude? Hike to Emerald Lake on the first day. It's a relatively easy hike that will seem hard if you are new to the elevation. Drink twice the water you think you will need to speed up your adjustment to the altitude.
3. DRIVE TRAIL RIDGE ROAD. This is a must. It's the highest highway in the American, and gives you access to views not easily available anywhere else in the US.
4. If you enter the part before 7 AM, you don't have to pay.
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There's a book I've been meaning to read called "The World Without Us". It goes into detail about what would happen to the world if humans were suddenly killed off by a horrible disease - i.e. how the planet would "heal" from all the crap we've done to it. I think that the Rocky Mountain National Park wouldn't have very long to go - seems pretty unspoiled, surprising considering the throngs of tourists in the summer.
It would have been great without them, but even with them the scenery was incredible.
We saw huge elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep (Colorado State Animal, woot!), brown trout and some ridiculous chipmunks. The mountains were truly majestic and we hiked an "easy" 3 mile hike to a beautiful lake. We're all in pretty good shape, but the 10,000 feet elevation was seriously intense. I've never felt that short of breath before - we all got lightheaded and had to walk incredibly slowly.
This would be an amazing place to explore with more time - definitely seems worth it to try to get off the beaten path and go on the longer, more difficult trails to avoid the people and see more wildlife up close. Assuming that wildlife isn't an angry moose or a hungry bear.
$20 gets you and your car in, something like $35 is a year pass and $80 is all federal fee areas for a year - translation all national parks. Well worth it.
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The virtues of this park have been well-documented, so I'll keep this review confined to what made a big impression on me. The hiking here is unbeatable - but give yourself some time to adjust to the altitude or suffer the headaches as I did. The drive across Trail Ridge Road is spectacular. A giant, many-pointed, presumably horny elk walked his thousand-pound self right through the campground while we were there, and I can tell you that their hooves and their noses make a whole lot of noise.
We were in the park just before the time of year when the elk "bugle," so we just missed the big event. This is either really unfortunate, or - if my Rocky Mountain native uncle is to be believed - a real dodged bullet if you believe as he does that it sounds like, "screaming through a garden hose." Still, I'd like to hear for myself some day.
I grew up in these Rockies and still I never get tired of going back to be with my old friends, the mountains.
This park is particularly good about maintaining the trails (even above treeline) and visitors seem pretty good about leaving no trace. This is my favorite place to backpack, as, even in the summer, you can really get away from everything and almost imagine that no one else has been here before. The best times to hike here are Spring when the flowers are blooming and Fall when the aspen turn golden and there are very few other visitors. I was just here the first week of October and I had Lake of Glass and Sky Pond at 11,000 feet completely to myself! And the weather was a gorgeous & sunny 60 degrees!
For those looking for less strenuous, but still beautiful hikes/walks, you can drive right up to Sprague lake (wheelchair accessible) and Bear lake and walk around and/or picnic. These are good for your first day in the Rockies if you are adjusting to the altitude.
Tips:
- Always bring water & high energy snacks
- Bring layers, you just never know when a blasting wind will kick up or a sudden thunderstorm will burst over you
- When considering the mileage of a hike, take into account how well-adjusted you are to the altitude. Even 3 miles can be exhausting if you're still getting used to the thinner air
- Pack out what you pack in
Enjoy!!!
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I am indeed awed with what RMNP has to offer. From its majestic surrounding mountains, to the endless flora and fauna to be mesmerized, indeed I feel RMNP has swept me off my feet.
I went to RMNP to explore its beauty with Sean and my parents sometime on that faithful Saturday June 07 2008. Our mission was also to hike the "infamous" Alberta Falls.
With some of the mountains peaks covered with snow yet melting due to the hot weather lately, I so wish we could live near RMNP. I would definitely want to return in the future for some camping, and more hikes that surrounds RMNP with those peaks that called RMNP home.
Trail Ridge Road, Fall River Road: What an awesome drive.
If you come to Rocky Mountain Natl Park, I strongly recommend first taking Fall River Road (which is, I believe, closed during the winter months). Fall River Road is a one-way dirt road which terminates in the Alpine Visitor Center (the highest point you can drive to in Rocky Mountain National Park). You will probably want a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and you shouldn't be the nervous type who has problems driving along roads whose edge is only inches from a sheer plunge to your death. You should drive very carefully. Other drivers are not so careful, and often drive too fast or leave you with little room to navigate.
This is our second time in ten years taking this route.
When you are driving Fall River Road, the first side-trip you can take is the Alluvial Fan, a debris field of huge boulders and trees formed when the Lawn Lake dam collapsed in 1982, flooding Estes Park and killing, I believe, three campers. The site is a testimony to the power of nature and the fury that water and gravity can unleash.
As you head further up Fall River Road, the vistas are ever more breathtaking. You may see waterfalls, rock fields and of course the peaks of the surrounding mountains. Wildlife is easy to spot. We saw three elk, but they were very far off and looked more like ants than elk. We saw at least three marmots and the bird life was bountiful. Of course there were dozens of beggar chipmunks, trained by stupid tourists to act cute in exchange for food. How many times does the Park tell you, people: DON'T FEED THE WILDLIFE! No matter how cute.
Going down Trail Ridge Road from the Alpine Visitors Center is far less interesting but there are many breathtaking views particularly of alpine meadows, glaciated valleys and of course the twisting tree line. Going down Trail Ridge Road you encounter far more traffic, and there are more jarring traffic controls to interfere with the otherwise peaceful experience of winding on down the mountains. One of the highlights is Rainbow Curve, a curve in the road overlooking a valley where weather conditions frequently conspire to produce beautiful rainbows. The last time we took Trail Ridge Road we saw a rainbow there; this time, no such luck.
And what is it with all the Wisconsites in Colorado? Everywhere we went, we saw Packer regalia, University of Wisconsin sweaters and people from Green Bay.
I have reviewed the Alpine Visitors Center in a separate Yelp.
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Very nice. For those who are familiar with the California Sierras, you'll see some familiar terrain. You'll also see some less familiar terrain even just on short, easy hikes throughout the park. Pretty stands of willow trees and alpine lakes. The park is do-able in one day if you're visiting and short on time. Entrance fee is now $20 per car (seven-day pass). If you have time, the main drag through Estes Park seems like a fun place to shop, although you'll have to put up with the crowds.
I recommend stopping at the information center at the corner of Hwys 7 & 36 to get a free area map, filling up on gas across the street, driving Trail Ridge Road, stopping along the way to watch the elk grazing, the Nymph Lake 1-mile roundtrip easy hike (although it's a gradual uphill the whole way there) from the Bear Lake trailhead, and the 1.6-mile roundtrip easy hike to Alberta Falls from the Glacier Gorge trailhead. Be prepared for sunny skies (95 degrees) as well as thunder/lightening/rain (45 degrees) on any given summer day ... please don't be stupid.
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Take Trail Ridge Road through the Alpine Tundra!
A seven-day pass to this outstanding park, just 70 miles west of Denver, costs only $15 per carload, and the myriad winter activities -- snowshoeing, cross country skiing, hiking, and snowmobiling -- coupled with amazing wildlife viewing (it's typical during winter to see herds of elk and a lot of coyotes on the hunt), makes this a spectacular winter getaway. And such a bargain, too!
Summer here is just as amazing with tons of hiking trails to explore, fields of wildflowers that fill the air with their perfumed fragrance, picnicing areas, gorgeous lakes and waterfalls and terrific programs for little tykes.
The leisurely drive over Trail Ridge Road is a must for scenery buffs, while challenge-seekers with an affinity for vertical drops should aim for the 14,255-foot summit of Longs Peak.
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I love this place. It's so peaceful and beautiful. When life gets crazy in Boulder, I love to take off and drive up trail ridge road to enjoy the scenery, spot some wild live and generally chill out. The Alpine Visitors Center is great place to come during the heat of summer, just remember to take a sweatshirt.
There are tons of great hikes throughout the park, leading up to lakes and waterfalls or, if weather allows, all the way to the top of Longs Peak (14,259 ft).
I like to bring visitors up here and freak them out on the twisty high mountain roads. It really gets flat-lander's knickers in a twist. The traffic in the park can get really insane, especially in the middle of summer and during elk mating season, so find a zen state before you go that will allow you to focus on nature instead of the bumper in front of you.
Elk mating season is fun; they make such a wild sound. If you're lucky you can even see two males stand-off and bash heads, or see a male catch a female trying to wander off. It's just like the nature channel! Who knew? Other animals I have seen in the park include: moose, coyotes, big horn sheep, deer, ground-squirrels, chipmunks and marmots. Don't feed the little rodents or they'll lock you up in the clink. Besides you just have to *act* like you have food to have the little buggers climbing all over you.
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Five stars. Obviously. Reviewing a place like this is kind of pointless...what more can be said? Even the scenic drive, the Trail Ridge Road, is stunning. If you're lazy or short on time, there's loads of little hikes you can take that still offer stunning scenery - Bear Lake, for example, is a whopping 256 feet from the closest parking lot, if you don't want to reach it by the trails. If you can camp or climb one of the peaks, there's nothing else like it.
I was here just the other day, early September 2008, and it was elk mating season, or the "rut", as some cracked out octogenarian park ranger called it. I was in the Moraine Meadow and there was a herd all around us, including several 12-14 pointers, all doing this weird mating call they do that sounds like a retarded teapot or something.
Elk fucking aside, the sheer amount of trails and stunning peaks, and the incredible beauty of life above treeline, in the alpine envrionment, is really a must see.
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If you want beautiful scenery, wildlife, great hiking trails and all the perks of living in the mountains, you never have to leave Boulder. But if you're looking for something outside the county, head north to Rocky Mountain National Park.
This is one of the greatest places in the state, with tons of hiking trails, amazing vistas and the highest paved road in the country (maybe the world).
The town of Estes Park is also a strange and beautiful and quirky little place, for better and worse. Check out the Stanley Hotel (I went on an interesting ghost hunt here once) and the miniature golf course. Don't know how great the course is, but I had a... transcendent... evening here once (read: psychedelic).
It's also a romantic place for a date, and the views in the fall are out of this world.
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If you are going to visit the area - bring your hiking boots. They have some great trails in the area for all levels. One of the hikes I made was to Mill's Lake which was incredible. The trail was a bit crowded but as it got closer to the lake the crowds thinned out a bit. Incredible views. Only regret I had was not bringing my Fly Fishing gear. . . . maybe next time. We also did some horse back riding in the back country. There are many stables in the area and this is a great way to escape the crowds on the trails.
Let the pictures say it all.
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We hiked some strenuous trails less than 24 hours after landing in Denver from the Bay Area, CA. This was a mistake. I felt my childhood asthma taking hold of my lungs after a very short but steep hike. All of the views were spectacular but my usual 10+ miles of hiking endurance was boiled down to mere 5 or so miles total for the day. I think if I had actually respected the altitude and had given my lungs a day or more to adjust, I might have fared better. In the end, I did what I could.
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Yikes! I kind of feel guilty not giving a 5 star review with all of the other ones...but I don't think it's 5 star worthy. Looking at all the pictures, I thought to myself that's not the same park I went to, it's beautiful! But, I went in March, so there could be the problem. Nothing was blooming, all the trees were still leafless, the elk were just laying around. I did see one small waterfall that was pretty cool, but other than that it was just a nice scenic drive. I would definitely recommend coming in the summer.
I went camping near Bailey, Colorado about a decade ago, and it still shines in my mind as a nice time. You had the amazing scenery, the cold water, the crapping in the woods, I mean that's what life is about, right? At any rate, it probably depends on who you are with, and as long as your visit doesn't turn into a lost episode of survivor, you should enjoy yourself. Like with any adventure, plan ahead, and take baby steps, but this is a great place to start.
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Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
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A great jewel of a park. If you are a flat-lander, take the Trail Ridge Road after Memorial Day, when it officially opens, to see where we Coloradans get their water and freak yourself out on the hairpin turns; it's the ocean of snow that we use for irrigation! The snow plows use those huge poles you see on the sides of the road to keep them from falling off. Colorado is home to more than 40 14'ers (peaks over 14,000 feet), and this road is up there-- close to 11,000. You'll see pica, marmots, hawks, elk, maybe even a bear, and tons of wildflowers in June in the apline tundra. I can't even name my favorite hike here: Ute Trail? Ypsilon Lake? Ouzel Falls? Cub Lake? They are all spectacular. You can cross the continental divide into Grand Lake; I can't say enough how beautiful it is. The Denver Post, which reaches the "Rocky Mountain Empire," once had on its masthead this saying " 'tis a privilege to live in Colorado." Indeed, it is.
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What an amazing place. It doesn't matter where you go in this park. You'll be in for an adventure. We did the Cub Lake Trail and drove Trail Ridge Road right after it opened for the year. There were still huge walls of snow next to the road, like some huge machine had just carved out a path in it. The higher parts of the road have incredibly steep drop-offs right next to them. If you're not into hiking, the drive alone will blow you away. But the hiking is probably the best that you'll find in the country. Beautiful. I was amazed to find not one scrap of litter the entire time. Either RMNP visitors actually respect the park like they should, or there is a population of amazingly tiny gnomes that only come out at night, and clean up the debris, carefully covering their tracks when they are done. My only tip would be to prepare. We didn't really plan how long hiking would take and how hungry we would get. Food, water, comfy shoes. If you've got those, you are all set.
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