Planning a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park

Tips for Families

The park offers a variety of special hikes and programs for children, including an especially popular trip to the park's beaver ponds. There are numerous ranger-led programs for kids from 6 to 12 years old covering the park's geology and wildlife through hands-on activities; read the park newspaper for a full schedule. The park's Junior Ranger Program lets kids earn badges by completing activities that teach them about the park's plants and animals and environmental concerns. Most of the activities are scheduled during the summer; check on schedules at any park visitor center.

Getting There

Entry to the park is from either the east (through the town of Estes Park) or the west (through the town of Grand Lake). Connecting the east and west sides of the park is Trail Ridge Road, open during summer and early fall, but closed to all motor vehicle traffic by snow the rest of the year. Most visitors enter the park from the Estes Park side. The Beaver Meadows Entrance, west of Estes Park on U.S. 36, leads to the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and park headquarters; it is the most direct route to Trail Ridge Road. U.S. 34 west from Estes Park takes you to the Fall River Visitor Center, just outside the park, and into the park through the Fall River Entrance, which is north of the Beaver Meadows Entrance. From there you have access to Old Fall River Road or Trail Ridge Road.

Estes Park is about 71 miles northwest of Denver, 44 miles northwest of Boulder, and 42 miles southwest of Fort Collins.

The most direct route from Denver is U.S. 36 through Boulder. At Estes Park, that highway joins U.S. 34, which runs up the Big Thompson Canyon from I-25 and Loveland, and continues through Rocky Mountain National Park to Grand Lake. An alternative scenic route to Estes Park is Colo. 7, the "Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway" that transits Central City (Colo. 119), Nederland (Colo. 72), and Allenspark (Colo. 7).

Heading south from Estes Park on Colo. 7, you can reach two trail heads in the southeast corner of the national park, but there are no connecting roads to the main part of the park from those points. These are Longs Peak Trailhead (the turnoff is 9 miles south of Estes Park and the trail head about another mile) and Wild Basin Trailhead (another 3 1/2 miles south to the turnoff and then 2 1/4 miles to the trail head).

Every day from late spring to early fall, free national park shuttle buses take hikers to some of the more popular spots and trail heads on the park's east side. There is a Park and Ride parking area west of Glacier Basin Campground; one route goes to Bear Lake, and the other goes to Moraine Park and several nearby trail heads. Contact park offices or visit the website for the current schedule.

From late June to Labor Day, the town of Estes Park also operates a free summer shuttle service (www.estesparkcvb.com) that connects the Estes Park Visitor Center with downtown, the surrounding campgrounds, and the Rocky Mountain National Park's hiker shuttles.

Those who want to enter the national park from the west can take U.S. 40 north from I-70 through Winter Park and Tabernash to Granby, and then follow U.S. 34 north to the village of Grand Lake and on into the park.

The Nearest Airport -- Visitors usually fly into Denver International Airport (tel. 800/247-2336 or 303/342-2000; www.flydenver.com), 90 miles southeast of the park's east entrances. It's served by most major airlines and car-rental companies. From the airport, travelers can also get to Estes Park on Estes Park Shuttle (tel. 970/586-5151; www.estesparkshuttle.com). The 2-hour trip costs $45 per person one-way or $85 per person round-trip.

Getting Around

Although Rocky Mountain National Park is generally considered the domain of hikers and climbers, it's easy to enjoy this park without working up a sweat. For that we can thank Trail Ridge Road, built in 1932 and undoubtedly one of America's most scenic highways. This remarkable 48-mile road rises to over 12,000 feet in elevation and crosses the Continental Divide. Along the way it offers spectacular vistas of snowcapped peaks, deep forests, and meadows of wildflowers full of browsing bighorn sheep, elk, and deer. Allow at least 3 hours for the drive, and consider a short walk or hike from one of the many vista points.

To get a close-up look at the tundra, pull off Trail Ridge Road into the Rock Cut Parking Area (elev. 12,110 ft.), about halfway along the scenic drive. You'll have splendid views of glacially carved peaks along the Continental Divide, and on the .5-mile Tundra Nature Trail you'll find signs identifying and discussing the hardy plants and animals that inhabit this region.

Trail Ridge Road is left unplowed and closed by winter snows. In recent years, it has usually been clear by late May and closed sometime in October, depending how fast winter comes. But even well into June and again in September and through early October, the road can be closed for snow for hours or even days at a time.

There are two other roads within the park. Old Fall River Road, 9 miles long and unpaved, is one-way uphill only (you'll return on Trail Ridge Rd.). It's usually open from July 4 through mid-October. Bear Lake Road, the access road to Bear Lake, is open year-round.

Visitor Information

Contact Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 U.S. 36, Estes Park, CO 80517 (tel. 970/586-1206; www.nps.gov/romo). There's also great information on the Internet. Start at the park's main website, but check out the Environmental Education Department's site, www.heartoftherockies.net. Park visitor centers sell U.S. Geological Survey topographical maps. Also available is Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park, by Kent and Donna Dannen, which gives detailed trail descriptions.

The Rocky Mountain Nature Association, P.O. Box 3100, Estes Park, CO 80517 (tel. 800/816-7662 or 970/586-0108; www.rmna.org), offers a variety of trip-planning tools. The association sells a number of park maps, guides, books, and videos.

Visitor Centers

When entering the park, it's wise to make your first stop one of the visitor centers. Except as noted, all can be contacted through the main park phone number (tel. 970/586-1206). Visitor center hours vary seasonally and are based on available staff; the following hours are subject to change. Visitor centers are closed on December 25.

The Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, on U.S. 36 on the east side of the park, has a good interpretive exhibit that includes a relief model of the park, a free film on the park, a wide choice of books and maps for sale, and knowledgeable people to give advice. A self-guided nature trail just outside the visitor center identifies many of the park's plants. It's open daily year-round from 8am to 5pm.

Just outside the park on U.S. 34, just east of the Fall River entrance on the east side of the national park, is the Fall River Visitor Center. In a beautiful mountain lodge-style building, it contains exhibits on park wildlife, including some spectacular full-size bronzes of elk and other animals, plus an activity/discovery room for children, an information desk, and a bookstore. It is open daily 9am to 5pm from late spring through early fall, with slightly shorter hours on weekends only the rest of the year. Next door is a souvenir and clothing shop, a grocery store, a laundromat, and a cafeteria-style restaurant that serves snacks and sandwiches.

The Kawuneeche Visitor Center is at the Grand Lake end of Trail Ridge Road. In addition to exhibits on the geology, plants, animals, and human history of the park's west side, there is a small theater where a film on the park is shown, and a short self-guided nature trail. The center is open daily year-round, with varying hours; hours are 8am to 5pm in the heart of summer. Kawuneeche (Kah-wuh-nee-chee) is an Arapaho word that translates as "Valley of the Coyote."

The Alpine Visitor Center, at Fall River Pass, has exhibits that explain life on the alpine tundra and a viewing platform from which you are almost certain to see elk. Next door is the Fall River Store, open in summer, with a snack bar and gift shop that has a good selection of souvenirs, gifts, arts and crafts, and clothing, at surprisingly reasonable prices. The center is usually open late May through early October, weather permitting, and closed the rest of the year. Hours vary; the center is open 10:30am to 4:30pm from mid-June to early September.

The Moraine Park Visitor Center and Museum is a great spot for families. It is on Bear Lake Road, about 1 1/2 miles from the Beaver Meadows entrance station, in a log building that dates from 1923. It has full visitor-center facilities, in addition to excellent natural-history exhibits that describe the creation of the park's landscape, as well as the plants and animals of the park. There's also a half-mile nature trail outside. The museum is open daily from late spring to early fall, with hours of 9am to 4:30pm from mid-June to early September.

The Holzwarth Trout Lodge Historic Site is off Trail Ridge Road -- it's a half-mile walk -- about 7 miles north of the Grand Lake entrance station. It consists of several historic buildings you can view (but not enter). The site is open in summer only. A trail guide is available.

Learning Vacations

The Rocky Mountain Nature Association offers a wide variety of seminars and workshops, lasting from a half-day to 1 full day, to several days. Subjects vary but might include songbirds, flower identification, edible and medicinal herbs, painting, wildlife photography, park animal tracking, and edible mushrooms. Rates are $70 to $100 for full-day programs and $160 and up for multiday programs. There are also kids' programs, including guided children's hikes and other special kids' programs starting at $10.

When to Go

Even though the park is open year-round, Trail Ridge Road, the main east-west thoroughfare, is always closed in winter. Assume that you will not be able to drive clear across the park from mid-October until Memorial Day -- even into June and again in September, snow can close the road for hours or even a day or more. That's not to say that travelers can't enjoy the park in winter. All park entrances are open, trails accommodate snowshoers and cross-country skiers, and roads to a number of good view points and trail heads are plowed. Those with the proper skills and equipment can cross-country ski into the high country, although they need to be aware of storm and avalanche dangers. Always check with rangers before setting out.

Weather is a key factor that will affect your trip to the park in any season. In summer, temperatures typically climb into the 70s (20s Celsius) during the day and drop into the 40s (single digits Celsius) at night, but because of the park's high elevation and range of elevations, temperatures vary greatly. The higher into the mountains you go, the cooler it gets. Rangers say that for every 1,000 feet in elevation gain, the climate changes the equivalent of traveling 600 miles north. The tree line in the park -- the elevation at which trees can no longer grow -- varies but is at about 11,500 feet.

Winters usually see high temperatures in the 20s and 30s (below 0 Celsius) and lows from -10°F (-23°C) to 20°F (-7°C). Spring and fall temperatures can vary greatly, from pleasantly warm to bitterly cold and snowy. For this reason, spring and fall are when you need to be flexible and ready to adjust your itinerary to suit current conditions. Particularly at higher elevations, wind-chill factors can be extreme. Hypothermia can be a problem at any time, even in summer, when afternoon thunderstorms sometimes cause temperatures to drop dramatically and suddenly.

Seasonal Events

The elk rutting season in September and October brings hundreds of elk to the lower elevations, where you can often hear the bulls bugle and watch them trying to keep other bulls away from their females.

Avoiding the Crowds

The park is fully accessible for only half the year, so few of the park's almost three million visitors come in the off season. The busiest time is from mid-June through mid-August -- essentially during school vacation -- so just before or just after that period is best. But winter is gaining in popularity, too, because it is the quietest time. You won't be able to drive the entire Trail Ridge Road, and the park can be bitterly cold, but it is also beautiful. Regardless of when you visit, the best way to avoid crowds is to head out on a trail.