In Rocky Mountain National Park, the alpine lakes and dreamy snowy peaks surrounded by trees give this place a position in the top 5 most visited parks in the US. A trip to Rocky Mountain NP will definitely make you feel recharged, since it has a variety of things to do: easy strolls, strenuous hikes, and scenic drive through the Continental Divide. If you want to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, then read on to find some information and tips to help you plan your days in this park, including how to get here, where to stay, and more.
Guide to visiting Rocky Mountain National Park
Where is it and how to get here
Rocky Mountain National Park is located on the northwest side of Denver, Colorado. It can be reached via two entrances: the town of Estes Park, on the east side, and the town of Grand Lake, on the west.
If you aren’t in Colorado and need to fly here, you can fly to Denver International Airport, rent a car, and then drive for approximately 2 hours until you get to the Estes Park area.
What is the closest city to Rocky Mountain National Park
The nearest city to stay and to visit Rocky Mountain National Park is Estes Park, where you’ll find hotels, lodges, restaurants, stores, and bars.
How to get around the park
If you are visiting Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer or fall, you’ll be able to count on the free shuttle service that operates around Estes Park and the Bear Lake Area.
However, the shuttle only operates after 7 am. So, if you want to have an early start, it’s better to have your own car.
Where to stay in Rocky Mountain National Park
Since the closest city to Rocky Mountain National Park is Estes Park, in it you’ll find many hotels and inns to stay.
Here are some options of places to stay when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park:
Also, you can camp inside the national park itself, in campgrounds such as Aspenglen Campground, Glacier Basin Campground, and Moraine Park Campground. Just make sure to check the availability before going.
How much is the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park
The daily access to the Rocky Mountain National Park is US$ 25 per vehicle, US$ 15 per person, and US$ 25 per motorcycle.
If you live in Colorado and/or are planning on visiting the park more than once, you can get the Rocky Mountain National Park Annual Pass for US$ 70 per vehicle.
Now, if you want to visit more national parks in the US, you should consider buying the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass., which costs US$ 80 and is valid for 1 year (starting at the date of purchase).
How many days should I stay in the park
There is always a lot to do in Rocky Mountain National Park, so you can stay an entire week and still have plenty to do.
If you are short on time, in 2 days you can have an overview of the park. If you have 3 days, you can see the highlights, such as Bear Lake, Emerald Lake, and drive along the Trail Ridge Road – an impressive 48-miles scenic road that is considered Colorado’s “highway to the sky”.
Best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is open year-round, depending on the weather. Summer and fall are very busy, with most visitors going from June to September.
We were in the park in late September and it wasn’t very crowded – we started the hikes before sunrise and made sure to leave early afternoon.
Note: During September, because of Covid-19, it was necessary to have a reservation with a time slot to enter the park between the hours of 6 am and 5 pm. Before or after this window you would have to make sure to get a spot in the parking lot to be able to enter the park. We arrived in the parking lot around 5 – 5.30 am and managed to find parking spots.
What to do in Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park has some awesome hikes that range from easy to strenuous. If you want some easy hike/stroll, check out Bear Lake and Dream Lake. For a moderate hike, Odessa Lake and Fern Lake hikes are the best. Now, if you are looking for a strenuous hike, then Chasm Lake and Sky Pond are the ones for you.
Also, one great activity within Rocky Mountain National Park is to drive along the Trail Ridge Road – a 48-mile scenic road that is on an elevation of more than 12,000 feet. The drive offers some unique and magnificent views as it goes along the Continental Divide.
You can also read my 3-day itinerary to Rocky Mountain National Park with the best hikes in the park.
What to pack/bring
Considering the hikes are the highlights of Rocky Mountain National Park, you definitely have to bring your hiking gear. Hiking boots, clothes that include a fleece jacket, windbreaker jacket, hiking pants/leggings, and wool socks must be part of your packing list. Hiking poles can be very helpful too if you use them.
If you are camping, you’ll also want to bring your tent, tent pad, sleeping bag, cooler, food supply, and other personal items.
If I am camping, what type of food should I bring
Camping food can be very personal, but I recommend bringing bread, protein or granola bars, pasta, canned tuna, canned chickpea, water, coffee, cup noodles, fruits, and premade meals that you can find in stores such as REI.
If you have any questions about visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, drop it here in the comment section and I’ll be happy to get back to you.
And if you want to visit more places in Colorado, head to Boulder, Vail, or Aspen.
