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Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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  • LeawoodCouple
    Leawood, Kansas281 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Even Outshines Its Great Reputation
    There are not enough superlatives to describe this place. We spent most of our time in the Bear Lake Road area which has numerous easy & moderate level hikes. Wonderful scenery at Bear and Nymph Lakes but the revelation was the somewhat strenuous/challenging hike to Lake Haiyaha. Be careful on the last 100 yards over a boulder field but the views are fantastic when you get there (especially that turquoise water!). Also don't miss the easy hike to Alberta Falls and a visit to Sprague Lake (very flat trail around the lake). Make sure you make a timed-entry reservation if you are visiting during the busy times of year. Our two day visit provided convincing proof that RMNP is one of America's outdoor treasures.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 October 2023
  • mtscribe
    Colorado Springs, Colorado1,072 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good roads and good views
    We entered from the southwest Grand Lake entrance. (Checkout the Kawuneeche Visitor Center before entering if you want a more modern bathroom.) Also, note that until October 22, there is pass-only access, so logon right at 5 pm the day before at recreation.gov to get your pass.) The first several miles are bleak with burn scarred trees to the west of the road. Once you get past Coyote Valley trailhead, the greenery returns. The Colorado River Trailhead hike is pleasant with a couple strenuous stretches. Heading northeast of the main road, US 34, you eventually reach the Alpine Visitor Center. Take the "killer" hike to the 12,000 ft lookout, but take your time. The next few miles past the Alpine Visitor Center are pleasant, high above tree line. Leaving the east park entrance can be tedious with lots of travel so plan ahead and take your time.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 October 2023
  • Linenminnesota
    Minneapolis, Minnesota321 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wow! No other words to describe this beautiful national park!
    We had the 6 -8 a.m.entry reservation for the Bear Lake Corridor and made it to Sprague Lake before sunrise. There were many cars already in the parking lot. The path/trail around Sprague Lake is kept up very well and it is easy walking. Even in the pre-dawn darkness. Finding a bench was easy and I Sar waiting for the magical sun rise. Not disappointed at all! I took photos about 5-10 minutes apart as the sky changed quite a bit. Walking further on the trail we saw a moose come out and walk into the Lake. After about 20 minutes the moose returned to the woods. Bonus photos were the double rainbow on the east side of the lake.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 October 2023
  • Chas87714
    Port Neches, Texas501 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Bational Park to visit
    We had a great time in the park. If you have time, be sure to take the Old Fall River Road, which is one way. It is gravel, and can be accessed with most vehicles. Great few of waterfalls and other vista's. We saw several elk and mule deer along the road. The drive over to the West side of the park was interesting. It drops into the Colorado River basin. We saw beavers, and some Moose. Check out the Sheep Lakes area, we saw a bunch of sheep there
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 November 2023
  • kui
    Oahu, Hawaii28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Go past the shops
    Make sure you have a battery charger for your phone. Loved in Colorado for years and didn’t make it past the shops in Estes until 2 years ago. WOW! I was missing out on the beauty right up the road. So this year’s trip we made a point to go again. Such a beautiful place to visit. We enjoyed the scenic drive, stops along the way, and got to see lots of wildlife. We hope to be back soon. The road was easy with lots of places to pull over to take pictures or walk around. There were several bathrooms in case you need to go, too.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 December 2023
  • JJ
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place but plan ahead (Timed entry May to October)
    Rocky Mountain National Park is a beautiful place but you need to be prepared. Make sure you have a backpack with snacks and water and warm clothes. Even on a warm sunny day rain and hail and wind can come in quickly and drop the temperature by 30 degrees. If you have small children with you make sure you have gear for them also. The storms can be scary for everyone but especially smaller folks. If you see clouds building up while hiking be sure to turn around and head down. Bear Lake is a very busy place. Expect hundreds of people there to hike on any given day. There is drinking water at Bear Lake but only in June, July and August. When temperatures drop the water is turned off for the winter cold. There is no food for sale at Bear Lake. Bring lunch and snacks and drinks with you in this park. There is food available in the towns just outside the park. Getting into the park can be a problem on all summer days. Even with the timed entry ticket there will be very long lines at the entrances. Plan ahead and be prepared for a 45 minutes line to enter the park. If you plan ahead and start your day early and carry supplies your day in Rocky will be a great experience for everyone.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 16 March 2024
  • Skeney57
    Sydney, Australia24,991 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful RMNP
    This beautiful National Park was declared in 1915 and owing to its proximity to Denver is one of the most visited. Therefore, it is busy all year round so you need to get in early to see all the sights. The RMNP is made up of three distinct areas, Montane, Subalpine & Alpine and each have a separate ecosystem dictated by their height. The landscape changes from Aspen, Ponderosa Pines, Spruce and Fir Trees to the Tundra of the Alpine heights. The wildlife varies as well from Elk, Beavers, Otters, Deer, Gophers, Squirrels, Marmots, Bighorn Sheep to name just a few. The birdlife is as varied from Woodpeckers, Jays to the hardy Ptarmigan which stays all through Winter! No flying south for them! Longs Peak at 14259ft is the highest point and part of the Continental Divide. Have been to the RMNP many times & looking forward to my next visit!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 4 May 2024
  • Christina H
    Marietta, Georgia448 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing
    This is such a beautiful place. Every turn is more beautiful than the other! We went May 26, 2024. Wanted to hike Bear Lake. Get there to find there’s still a good amount of icy-snow on the trail! We were not prepared for that. We hiked what we could and then went to Sprague Lake, Sheep’s Lake and Alluvial Fan. Going back tomorrow!
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 May 2024
  • Kristin W
    Portland, Oregon134 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun time spotting animals
    Despite Trail Ridge road being closed at Rainbow curve, we had a great time visiting the park. We are not used to high elevation, so we did shorter hikes: Cub lake, Bierstadt Lake and some strolls. A few highlights were seeing 2 bull moose in the Sheep Lakes area and then turning our heads and seeing 3 bighorn sheep walking across the rock face on the other side of the road. On the way to Cub lake, a very curious marmot took time to watch us as much as we watched him. Elk and deer were easy to spot and it was nice to see everyone was keeping the suggested distance away from them. To see the park (with the bear lake pass) took us 8 hours one day and 5 the next. We did not do any overly ambitious hikes, but stopped at every viewpoint, pullout and information sign.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 May 2024
  • 54tomas
    Coral Springs, Florida547 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Spectacular nature at its best
    There aren’t enough words to describe this treasure. We came just at the start of June and the snow banks on the Trail Ridge Road were spectacular. It was only the second day the trail was open. I mean the tree line, the wildlife and the tundra were just wonderful. It is a must see.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 June 2024
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Lynn Deanna A
19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
We drove the Old Falls River Road up, stopping at the Alluvial Fan (highly recommend) and Chasm Falls. Weather was actually very good, one of the warmest times at the top, so 3 of our group hiked to the very top. Continued on to Grand Lake and was disappointed in the large amount of the trees having been burned in recent fires, how sad. We hiked 2 other days and had family pictures taken in the Moraine Park area another day, which got us into the Bear Lake area that day without a timed entry. The timed entry was a pain and difficult to obtain when we exactly wanted to get in (sold out in less than 1 hour after opened up on July 1), but we were able to get in at another time. We noticed this has really cut back on the amount of cars, so easier to get around vs. past years going at peak visiting time. Highly recommend utilizing the Park & Ride if hiking or going to Bear Lake. The first day we went to Bear Lake, it was 1:30 and there were plenty of parking places, but the other day we went, it was full and Glacier Gorge Trailhead & Bierstadt Trailhead were full at 6:45 am, so we had to take the Park & Ride and it worked slick, didn't have to wait long at all for the bus.
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RandyC1963
Indianapolis, IN21 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
We spent the better part of 3 weeks in the Colorado/Utah area visiting seven different national parks. During this time there was never any communication that entry between 9am-3pm required a reservation.

Entering US34 coming from the west there is a 15 mile road which basically goes only to the park. No signage or warning about the closure. We stopped at the visitors center and spoke with rangers about things to do in the park without being told we couldn't get in, despite having paid for a pass which is supposed to grant admission. It wasn't until we got to the gate that we were told we couldn't access the park for 5 hours. And since the park is on a federal highway which was our route to where we were going, we not only missed the park but had a 2 hour detour which could have easily been avoided.

Astoundingly piss-poor communication on the part of RMNP.
Written 24 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Outdoorsbuff
Baltimore, MD104 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
Stunning scenery from high atop the Rockies. This park has something for everyone. If mobility is an issue, you can drive through the park. Multiple pullouts allow for breathtaking views of the Rockies. And speaking of breathtaking, if you are an east-coaster like me, the altitude can be troublesome. So take it slow unless you have already acclimated. Be aware of signs of altitude sickness.

For those in good health and fitness, the park affords a number of hiking options. On this visit, my wife and I entered through the less used Wild Basin entrance. Our goal was to hike to Oezal Falls about 5.5 miles roundtrip. What we didn’t know when we rented our car was that many of the roads to trailheads in the park are dirt roads, heavily rutted and pockmarked. The driving was extremely slow and bumpy. So if you plan to hike, spend the extra cash and rent an SUV. The hike was more challenging than I thought it would be. Since we had not acclimated to the elevation, we had a slow uphill hike. We only made it as far as the cascades when we ran out of time. But Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades were worth the effort.

On the way back to Estes Park you can hit Lily Lake, a small picturesque lake, with the Rockies as a backdrop, right off the road.

Special note: When we were there in August of 21 the park required reservations for entrance. You need to get these online at the beginning of the month, the month before your trip. We failed to do that. As a backup option you can enter before or after specific times set aside by the park. For us, we entered after 3 pm. Doing this, we avoided lines at the entrance gates and still had enough time to do the things we wanted.
Written 12 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nancy G
Boyne City, MI335 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
RMNP is lovely with many pull off spots to enjoy its scenic beauty. However, the park now requires a digital timed-entry permit to enter and the Bear Lake area, one of the most scenic in the park, requires an additional timed-entry permit. Unfortunately, we were not aware of this even though we accessed the park website more than once. While we were able to get the permit for general park admittance within about 30 minutes of arriving, permits for Bear Lake were filled for the entire day and through noon of the following day. Our visit would have been much more enjoyable had this information been highlighted on the website so permits could've been purchased in advance of our visit.
Written 23 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John T
Los Angeles, CA283 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022 • Couples
Did a sunrise hike at Bear Lake in RMNP. Arrived at the park entrance before 5am which allowed us access to Bear Lake Road before the timed entry kicked in. Otherwise you'll need to login the day before and try to obtain one of the limited entry passes with a 2 hour window and which does not guarantee you parking. But at this hour there was ample parking available at Bear Lake but I was still surprised at how many cars were already there. I was concerned about hiking in the predawn light but it was a super easy trail . Sunrise over the lake was peaceful and inspiring - well worth the early morning wake-up.

Afterwards we hiked to Emerald Lake, stopping by Dream Lake and Nymph Lake. This hike is still considered "easy" but it did have a few short steep sections especially near the end.
Written 21 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Spiderdog
Cheshire, UK8,240 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
Estes Park park was our last stop on a road trip before we flew back to the UK from Denver.
Our aim was to see what we could in RMNP in one day. I knew about the timed entry system and when I checked it by chance exactly a month out before our planned visit it was the day the time slots were released.
You could see the slots being booked up and by the time we booked ,the first entry times ( from 5-10am) were no longer available.
We opted for a 10am entry but we arrived at the entrance at least 15 minutes early. It seemed very quiet and we were allowed to drive straight in.
We went to Sprague Lake first and while on the short walk trail we got talking to a park ranger who asked us about out plans for the day. We had expected to have to take a shuttle bus to access bear lake but she suggested we drove there straight away as the car park wasn't very busy.
Sure enough we parked easily at bear lake which although busier was not crowded.
We found a similar pattern throughout the day in the park and managed to see all the sights on our itinerary and parked without problems at every stop.
There was a tourist information desk in the hotel where we stayed and we had spoken to the staff member when we were on our way to breakfast that morning.
She gave us all the park maps and suggested the best routes to take and this together with not needing to use a shuttle bus ,saved us time and enabled us to see as much as possible.
We drove up the Trail Ridge road,visited Grand Lake and stopped at the Continental divide markers. We saw some make elk very close to the road and amazing views from what is apparently the longest paved road at the highest level in the USA.
Interesting to see the tundra scenery and see the plants that have adapted to survive there.We also did several short trail walks.
Although this wasn't our favourite National Park this trip we felt we could have spent longer here and we would have liked time to do some more trail walking.
If we ever return we agreed that Grand Lake was a lovely place and we would choose to stay there rather than Estes Park.
I should mention that we visited the park on 5th September so after the labour holiday weekend and that will have accounted for it not being too busy anywhere.
I am sure that a week earlier we wouldn't have been so lucky!
Written 20 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RYC88
Centreville, VA1,318 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
We loved everything about this park - it's beautiful, easy to drive around, lots of great wildlife, and plenty of activities. We spent the day doing the Bear Lake hiking trails and visiting Dream, Nymph, and Emerald Lakes and thought the trails there were the perfect amount of hiking for us. Driving Trail Ridge road to the Alpine Center is wonderful with the amazing views. The waterfall at Lawn Lake Alluvial Fan is beautiful. We were happy/lucky to see marmots, turkeys, elk, and moose. For the timed entry tickets, we had not gotten them months before, so we had to log on at 5pm the day before and the system worked great. You do have to get on right at 5pm, but if you do, you should have no problem getting passes for the next day at any time you want. Just make sure you have your account set up and you get right in at 5pm. The parking at Bear Lake did fill up by 8am, but there were people going in and out, so a little patience means you can get a spot. There is so much to see, you can spend just a few hours or days, it's a fantastic park.
Written 8 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lauren B
Lexington, KY63 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
Awful experience. Stayed in Denver visiting family and decided to drive to RMNP for a day during the trip. Had done hours of research previously on the park but was completely unaware that there was timed entry from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. We drove 2 hours with 2 children 3 and under and were turned away at the entrance. Checked out Mary Lake in the interim and then went back to the park to enter in the afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Upon entering was told that we could not park at Bear Lake trailhead area. My brother and I had spent time the night before on the Alltrails app and picked out 7 different trail options in RMNP for us to do but they were all at this trailhead area. I asked if they had a shuttle for access and they said no, then I asked how far it would be to hike and they said 9 miles!! Apparently to park there you needed reserve timed entry tickets as well but they didn't open for free access until 6:00 p.m.! I was sorely disappointed. We ended up hiking Alluvial Falls and Chasm Falls but after having visited many other US national parks and trails in Italy and Japan we were less than impressed. We did see bighorn sheep and elk but we will not be going back. Additionally, my 3 year old said he had to go to the bathroom on the way back from RMNP and we were turned away from 3 different stores in Estes Park saying that they did not have any restrooms for him to use. I tried to explain that he was 3 and has difficulty waiting too long for the restroom but it did not matter to anyone. We had to walk to the Town Hall in the wind and spitting rain for a restroom. Overall very disappointing and frustrating experience.
Written 6 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

njoireading247
Johns Creek, GA456 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Make sure to make a reservation. We tried for 3 days as they open up at 5:00 pm the night before. By 5:03 pm they are gone! Also you will need to purchase a pass if you do not have an annual one for the national parks.

We went in a Bear Lake so that we could do an easy hike and then more strenuous ones. We found that the park rangers were very helpful and were accurate on the grades of the hikes. We had one person who really was not a good hiker, so we took the suggested "stroll" hike around one of the lakes, and then a short hike to another lake. The rest of us then went on a much longer hike that was elevated. Saw an elk and nice waterfall. Very few bugs. Beautiful views. After we were finished hiking, we wanted to drive to the Alpine Peak. Within a few miles of the peak we did need to turn around as there was driving rain and hail. Apparently this is not unusual at the elevation but we decided it was too much for us. Still stopped along the route and enjoyed the views.
Written 25 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Audrey B
40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
My husband and I drove through the night from NE Missouri and got to RMNP at about 4:30 in the morning. As we were entering at the Beaver Meadows entrance, we almost hit a herd of elk and a couple deer! Sunrise wasn't until about 7, so we parked at Bear Lake Trail Head and rested until 6:30. We started our hike to Dream Lake in the dark, but with the flashlights on our phones it wasn't too bad. That trail is supposedly the easiest. We're a bit out of shape (and carrying way too many extra pounds) so it was quite a "hike". The elevation, I'm sure, played a role too. I had it in my head that it was going to be more of a walk, I'm not sure why I thought that. But it wasn't. You were definitely hiking a mountain. Lots of steep steps, bumpy terrain, etc. We enjoyed the hike. The views were amazing. We saw lots of foliage. So beautiful! After the hike, which was at about 9:00, we drove around looking for animals. My goal was to find a moose (I never did). We weren't having a lot of luck finding anything at first. If we hadn't seen that herd of elk first thing, I would have been discouraged. When we had service I googled a few new spots to look and finally we found herds of elk. After that, we didn't stop seeing animals! We found lots of elk at Moraine Park. We saw lots of fall foliage at Sheep Lakes. That's where we were told a moose family spends a lot of time. Even a park ranger was there waiting to see the moose, but he never showed. As we were leaving the next morning, we saw tons of elk and longhorn sheep (which we hadn't yet seen). That was such a bittersweet moment, driving out of the mountains with all the scenery and then to come across more of God's creatures. It was like they were seeing us off. So magical. I wish we had more time to spend in the mountains, but honestly in just one day we saw a lot!
Written 20 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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