Rocky Mountain National Park will send you a free park brochure, map, and other information on the activities available at the park. To get these items, you can contact Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 U.S. 36, Estes Park, CO 80517-8397 (tel. 970/586-1206). You can also get an abundance of information on the Internet. Your first stop should be the park's main website -- www.nps.gov -- but also check out the Environmental Education Department's website, www.heartoftherockies.net.
Another good source of information is the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Nature Association, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO 80517 (tel. 800/816-7662 or 970/586-0108; www.rmna.org). The association sells a number of park maps, guides, books, and videos -- many in both VHS and PAL formats. Members of the association get a 15% discount on purchases at Rocky Mountain and many other national parks. Membership has an annual cost of $25 for individuals and $35 for families. Videos and interactive CD-ROMs are also available from a number of private companies. Our favorite is INTERpark, Inc., 20596 CR P, Cortez, CO 81321 (tel. 800/687-5967 or 970/564-9985; www.petroglyphtrail.com).
Information on the national park, as well as activities and facilities just outside the park, can be obtained from the Estes Park Chamber of Commerce, 500 Big Thompson Ave., Estes Park, CO 80517 (tel. 800/378-3708 or 970/586-4431; www.estesparkresort.com). You can also contact the Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 57, Grand Lake, CO 80447 (tel. 800/531-1019 or 970/627-3402; www.grandlakechamber.com). Estes Park is adjacent to the national park's east entrance, and Grand Lake is just outside the west entrance.
The national park is practically surrounded by national-forest lands. The Roosevelt National Forest borders the park on the north and east, the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area is to the south, and the Arapaho National Forest and Arapaho National Recreation Area lie along the west side of the park. To obtain information on camping, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and numerous other activities in the national forests, contact the Forest Service Information Center, 2150 Centre Ave., Building E, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (tel. 970/295-6700), and the Arapaho National Forest's Sulphur Ranger District office (P.O. Box 10, Granby, CO 80446), 9 Ten Mile Dr., off U.S. 40 about 1/2 mile south of Granby (tel. 970/887-4100). In Estes Park, a Forest Service Information Center is located at 161 Second St. (tel. 970/586-3440); it's usually open daily from 9am to 5pm in summer. The U.S. Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region office, P.O. Box 25127, Lakewood, CO 80225 (tel. 303/275-5350), can also provide you with information. The U.S. Forest Service website for this region is www.fs.fed.us/r2.
Of the hundreds of outdoor recreation sites on the Internet, we usually like GORP (Great Outdoor Recreation Page), www.gorp.com, or you can go directly to the Colorado section at www.gorp.com/gorp/location/co/co.htm, which provides an abundance of detailed information about hiking trails, fishing holes, watersports, and other activities on Colorado's public lands. Lately, however, that site has been getting a bit too cluttered and too commercial for our tastes, so we've been checking out the very informative and user friendly Public Lands Information Center website, www.publiclands.org.
Camping reservations are accepted for two of the park's campgrounds during the summer. Lodging reservations are recommended in both Estes Park and Grand Lake, especially in July and August. Those planning horseback trips or other excursions with local outfitters will want to make reservations as early as possible.
