The Best Activities Outside the Park

Bowen Gulch Interpretive Trail: An easy walk leads to an old-growth spruce-fir forest, where there's a good chance of seeing wildlife, and a free brochure helps explain this unique ecosystem.

Cache la Poudre Wild and Scenic River: It's hard to imagine a better way to spend a hot summer day than bouncing through the rapids on this wet-and-wild roller coaster, while admiring the beautiful scenery surrounding Rocky Mountain National Park.

Enos Mills Homestead Cabin (Estes Park; tel. 970/586-4706): A prime supporter of the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, Enos Mills may be less known than other prominent conservationists of his day, such as John Muir, but he was no less influential. A visit to his 1885 cabin takes you back to a much simpler time, and an informal talk with a member of the Mills family provides much insight into the character of this region 100 years ago.

Lake Granby: Catch a trout from either the shore or a rented boat. The fish are almost always biting at Lake Granby, which is stocked with rainbows and browns.