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Things You Should Not Miss
1. If you have the time and money, take
the guided Trail
Ridge Road Tour. It can be a bit pricey and lasts five hours,
but
this interpretive tour of the highest continuously paved road in the
USA will take you to some of the best spots in the park.
Starts
at the Beaver Meadow Visitor Center and runs twice a week in the summer.
2. Take your time and drive through the park on your own, whether that be on the Trail Ridge Road, the Old Fall River Road, or others. This is a diverse park, where you'll see meadows and mountains, tundra and streams all along the way. These roads are not speedways, with posted limits of 15 MPH at certain places, and without guardrails at many spots. Take care and enjoy the beauty.
3. Let the rangers be your guide. Take one of the many free ranger guided walks or talks. There's a great variety on both sides of the park, from the four hour long Tundra to Trees walk at Alpine to the evening programs and campfire talks at the various Visitor Centers and campgrounds.
Open from late May to early October, this visitor center near Fall River Pass includes ranger guided walks of the Land Above the Trees, exhibits, and snacks.
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
Year round. Located three miles west of the town of Estes Park on Route 36 near the eastern entrance to the park. There's a twenty-three minute film, Spirit of the Mountains, here to help orient you to the park.
Fall River Visitor Center
Year round. Located five miles west of the town of Estes Park on Route 34.
Kawuneechee Visitor Center
Year round. Located one mile north of Grand Lake near the western entrance to the park. Ranger walks and a twenty minute film plus more about the Colorado River here.
Moraine Park Visitor Center
Late April to early October. Located 1.5 miles from Beaver Meadows entrance. Natural history exhibits and a nature walk.
There are five campgrounds within the park. Backcountry camping is also available.
Aspenglen - Just west of the Fall River Entrance Station, 54 sites. open late May to late September.
Glacier Basin - Six miles south of the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, 150 sites. open late May to mid September. Group sites also available.
Longs Peak - Nine miles south of the town of Estes Park, 26 sites, open year round.
Moraine Park - Two and one half miles south of the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, 245 sites, open year round. Group sites also available.
Kenuweekche - Ten miles north of Grand Lake on the western side of the park along the Colorado River, 98 sites, open year round.
Lodging
While there is no lodging within the park itself, the town of Estes Park near the eastern entrance has 150 hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and other lodging choices.
On the western side of the park, small towns like Granby have lodging choices, as well, that might meet your needs.
Colorado Tourism
Estes Park Convention and Visitors Bureau
Granby, Colorado Lodging
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest and Pawnee Grassland
Mesa Verde National Park
2. Take your time and drive through the park on your own, whether that be on the Trail Ridge Road, the Old Fall River Road, or others. This is a diverse park, where you'll see meadows and mountains, tundra and streams all along the way. These roads are not speedways, with posted limits of 15 MPH at certain places, and without guardrails at many spots. Take care and enjoy the beauty.
3. Let the rangers be your guide. Take one of the many free ranger guided walks or talks. There's a great variety on both sides of the park, from the four hour long Tundra to Trees walk at Alpine to the evening programs and campfire talks at the various Visitor Centers and campgrounds.
What is There Now
Alpine Visitor CenterOpen from late May to early October, this visitor center near Fall River Pass includes ranger guided walks of the Land Above the Trees, exhibits, and snacks.
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
Year round. Located three miles west of the town of Estes Park on Route 36 near the eastern entrance to the park. There's a twenty-three minute film, Spirit of the Mountains, here to help orient you to the park.
Fall River Visitor Center
Year round. Located five miles west of the town of Estes Park on Route 34.
Kawuneechee Visitor Center
Year round. Located one mile north of Grand Lake near the western entrance to the park. Ranger walks and a twenty minute film plus more about the Colorado River here.
Moraine Park Visitor Center
Late April to early October. Located 1.5 miles from Beaver Meadows entrance. Natural history exhibits and a nature walk.
Lodging and Camping
CampingThere are five campgrounds within the park. Backcountry camping is also available.
Aspenglen - Just west of the Fall River Entrance Station, 54 sites. open late May to late September.
Glacier Basin - Six miles south of the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, 150 sites. open late May to mid September. Group sites also available.
Longs Peak - Nine miles south of the town of Estes Park, 26 sites, open year round.
Moraine Park - Two and one half miles south of the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, 245 sites, open year round. Group sites also available.
Kenuweekche - Ten miles north of Grand Lake on the western side of the park along the Colorado River, 98 sites, open year round.
Lodging
While there is no lodging within the park itself, the town of Estes Park near the eastern entrance has 150 hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and other lodging choices.
On the western side of the park, small towns like Granby have lodging choices, as well, that might meet your needs.
Rocky Mountain National Park Links
Rocky Mountain National ParkColorado Tourism
Estes Park Convention and Visitors Bureau
Granby, Colorado Lodging
Nearby Attractions
Arapaho National Recreation AreaArapaho and Roosevelt National Forest and Pawnee Grassland
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park Then and Now
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Rocky Mountain National Park Then |
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For
nearly one hundred years, since 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park has
been set aside to allow visitors to view its natural wonders and scenic
peaks. But there is history, not only in the land itself, but
within the 150 structures that dot the park, as well as Trail Ridge
Road. The first section of Trail Ridge Road was completed in
three years, from 1929 to 1932, and was 17.2 miles long, reaching from
Deer Ridge to Fall River Pass. By 1938, it reached Grand Lake.
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Rocky Mountain National Park Now |
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From the modern conveniences available just outside the park in the town of Estes Park to the various wilderness trails and peaks that dot the Rocky Mountain National Park itself, there's a wide variety of things to do in so many areas of the park, you'd have to spend the entire summer there just to hit the highlights. But whether you like to tour the scenery on foot, in a car, on a guided bus, or even a bike, you'll marvel at the scenery just outside that window. The guided walks and talks cover a wide variety of topics, of various lengths as well for the experienced hiker or novice Rocky Mountain visitor who likes a seat to listen to his guide. With over 265,000 acres, and those 60 mountains over 12,000 feet high, there's a whole lot to discuss and see. Photos courtesy of the National Park Service. Trail Ridge Road archive photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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