Rocky Mountain National Park

Dad wants adventure! Trust us, dad doesn’t want another tie. He wants quality time with you, and to do something fun together in Estes Park, Colorado! Here are our top 5 Father’s Day ideas to do with dad in Estes Park: Rent an ATV Explore the backwoods near Estes Park off-road! Backbone Adventures will deliver the ATV right to the…

Trail Ridge Road is the nation’s highest continuously paved road. Viewing the spectacular alpine tundra from your vehicle as you drive the winding, high elevation roads is a sight to behold! It spans Rocky Mountain National Park to connect the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake, Colorado. At its highest point, Trail Ridge Road reaches 12,183 ft elevation. Typically,…

Timed Entry Permit – What’s New Rocky Mounting National Park will institute it’s timed-entry-permit system  – Friday, May 26th. This permit is required  (in addition to a park pass) in order to enter: the Bear Lake Road Corridor between 5am – 6pm or all other entrances between 9am – 2pm. A permit is not required outside of these timeframes OR if:…

Do you want to know the BEST WAYS to save money on your Estes Park vacation? As industry experts, we’ve compiled our TOP SAVINGS TIPS:

There are no bad times to visit Estes Park, but here are the top five reasons we think fall is a pretty fabulous time to come!

Question:  Why choose the Bear Lake option? Answer:    In addition to access to the rest of RMNP between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m., Bear Lake Road is arguably the most famous road in the Park! These are the popular areas you can access along the Bear Lake Road corridor:  Alberta Falls – spectacular falls with an easy hike. The…

Needed between May 26 and October 22, 2023 Timed Entry Permit Reservations are required along with a park pass/entrance fee in order to enter Rocky Mountain National Park if you’re visiting from May 26 through October 22, 2023. Permits issued using the Timed Entry Reservation system account for roughly 90% of the Park’s parking capacity, or approximately 20,000 visitors per…

Rocky Mountain National Park is a hiker’s park!  To really experience it you have to head out on foot.  It’s a place of stunning scenic beauty that is good for the soul. Here are five easy hikes to get you started, plus a walk in town.  Take time to stop, reflect, and enjoy the beauty that you’ll be surrounded with….

Get your wilderness camping permit online!

Mountain weather the world over is notoriously fickle and unpredictable, and Rocky Mountain National Park is no exception. Average temperatures in and around the park vary greatly from season to season and depending on elevation, ranging from well below zero in winter months to the high 80s in summer. To make sure your hikes here are as safe and enjoyable…

Join Ranger McIntyre, RMNP, nature-loving fisherman and WWI vet, as he solves mysterious puzzles that pop up in the Park in this Estes Park based Murder Mystery Series by local Colorado author James C. Work. Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park in the 1920’s are full of mysteries.  The Park is new and adventurous.  Americans are hitting the road…

Normally between the third week of September and mid-October! But here’s what affects these “normally” dates… A recipe for disappointing fall colors: Entering fall in drought or near-drought dryness (which causes fall colors to start earlier and be weaker). Fall storms with lots of wind and rain and even snow.  Early frosts cause leaves to turn brown and drop in…

A definitive guide to camping when visiting Colorado’s most popular National Park – Rocky Mountain National Park. First, I’ll talk about how to find and reserve the best campsites in the Park. Then, I’ll give you camping alternatives during the busy summer season. Finally, we’ll talk about “wilder” camping: backcountry, winter, and the ultimate adventure – cliff camping. Sound good?…

Tips to help you plan ahead! Rocky Mountain National Park is consistently one of the top five most visited national parks in the United States with over 4.5 million visitors. Popularity and high visitation during the summer and fall equals crowds. Particularly during 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. it can mean full parking lots, bumper to bumper traffic, busy trails,…

Why visit Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter? One of the best things about the winter season is the peace you can find in nature while the earth is blanketed in snow.  The park is less visited but still very much open and alive with activity. Reach beautiful backcountry areas on snowshoes, skis, and at lower…

Winter Full Moon Night Walk For an unforgettable winter experience, join Rocky Mountain National Park rangers for a Full Moon Walk on the night of the full moon in winter months (December through March). Call the Park for  scheduled dates and reservation.  Reservations are required no more than 7 days in advance.  Call 970-586-1223 between 9a – 4p daily.  There…

Take a virtual hike with Trekker! The trails listed below show up in Google Maps as Trekker 3D views. Select the trail you want, then use your cursor to move the yellow man symbol along the blue trail line to see the view from that point on the trail – a great way to preview your hikes!

Here’s a list of  some of the best guidebooks and books about Estes Park to help you plan your activities.  Learn more to enjoy and appreciate this special place! Many of these books can be found on Amazon and ship for free with Prime, however a local bookstore like Macdonald Book Shop on Elkhorn Avenue in Estes Park is a…

Learn interesting facts about wildlife and the natural world in Rocky Mountain National Park month-by-month from a local nature guide. Text and most photos provided by Jared Gricoskie of Yellow Wood Guiding.  Find out how you can book your own guided tour of RMNP by visiting his website. Choose a topic or month and learn a fact: Lichen Do What…

Did you know that the only place to buy food inside Rocky Mountain National Park is at the Alpine Visitor Center at the top of Trail Ridge Road? But you can always take your breakfast, lunch or dinner to a picnic area on a beautiful mountain day and enjoy being outside. . . There are lots of convenient picnic areas…

Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Inspire the Future From September 4, 2014, through September 4, 2015, Rocky Mountain National Park along with local and national communities celebrated the park’s 100th Anniversary. Speakers, special activities, and community events were coordinated to commemorate the Centennial. Whether you’re a regular visitor, a national park traveler, or a virtual explorer, Rocky Mountain National…