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Rocky Mountain National Park

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Overview

Rocky Mountain National Park's 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Landscapes on either side of the Continental Divide feature alpine lakes, forested valleys and a wide range of plants and animals. Iconic summer thunderstorms and persistent winter winds are among the forces that continue to shape this majestic landscape. Enjoy Trail Ridge Road, which crests over 12,000 feet including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds, along with over 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife, starry nights, and fun times. In a world of superlatives, Rocky Mountain is on top!

To learn more about Rocky Mountain National Park, visit www.nps.gov.

Local Info

Visitor Centers:
Opening and closing dates and hours vary seasonally for visitor centers at Rocky Mountain. Check the park's website for current operating hours.
  • Alpine Visitor Center: Hours vary by season. Open year round.
  • Beaver Meadows Visitor Center: 8 am to 4:30 pm. Open year round (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas).
  • Fall River Visitor Center: 9 am to 5 pm through October 12. Winter hours and days vary.
  • Kawuneeche Visitor Center: 8 am to 4:30 pm. Open year round (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas).
  • Moraine Park Discovery Center: 9 am to 4:30 pm through October 12.

Visiting Tips

Rocky Mountain National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permitting. Summer and fall are the busiest seasons in the park. Parking lots can be full and roads congested. Arriving early or coming into the park in the late afternoon can help.

Due to the high elevations and exposure, park roads are subject to rapid weather changes and strong winds. Road conditions in and around the park can change quickly, particularly in the spring and fall, and some roads in the park are closed seasonally. Information on current road closures and conditions can be found here.

Fees & Passes:
To learn more about park fees, click here.
  • Purchase an annual pass for all national parks sites, $80
  • Camping & Lodging

    If you are planning to camp overnight in the park, you must be in one of the designated campgrounds or backcountry campsites. Camping reservations are strongly recommended during the summer and fall. Call 1-877-444-6777 or reserve online at: reserveamerica.com or recreation.gov.

    • Aspenglen Campground: Open May 26 through September 26
    • Glacier Basin Campground: Group sites are also available.
    • Longs Peak Campground: Seasonal closures vary by year.
    • Moraine Park Campground: Open year round.
    • Timber Creek Campground: Seasonal closures vary by year.

    Additionally, there are a wide range of backcountry camping experiences available in Rocky Mountain. Overnight travel in the backcountry requires a permit which is available at two backcountry offices. These offices are open seven days a week, seasonal hours vary. Call 970-586-1242 or visit www.nps.gov for more information regarding backcountry camping in the park.

    Food & Drink

    The Trail Ridge Store, which includes a café and coffee bar and is adjacent to the Alpine Visitor Center, is the one restaurant inside the park and is open from approximately late May through early October. There are no grocery stores in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Rocky Mountain Conservancy sells very limited food items in the park visitor centers and bottled water at Bear Lake and Park & Ride during summer and fall.

    Restaurants and grocery stores can be found in the local communities of Grand Lake and Estes Park. If you prefer to bring your own food into the park, there are several picnic sites that provide tables and, sometimes, restrooms and fire grates.

    Other Activities

    Those looking for other ways to explore Rocky Mountain National Park will not be disappointed by the variety that the park offers. Road biking, rock climbing, bouldering, fishing, horseback riding, backcountry camping, and wildlife viewing are among the many activities that the park affords in the summer. In the winter, you can continue your exploration by snowshoeing or cross country skiing or by sledding at Hidden Valley. Visit Rocky Mountain's website for more information on the park's other activities.

    Maps & Guidebooks

    To download a variety of free brochures to help plan your visit, click here.

    Gems in Rocky Mountain National Park - 23

    Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Gems

    gem Favorite The view to Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain from Dream Lake.

    Dream Lake

    (140) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Alberta Falls

    Alberta Falls

    (104) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Bear Lake.

    Bear Lake

    (117) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Looking south across Gem Lake on a calm spring morning

    Gem Lake

    (76) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite View towards Never Summer Mountains, Rocky Mountain NP

    Trail Ridge Road Summit

    (58) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite The Loch, Rocky Mountain NP CO

    The Loch

    (43) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite The edge of Chasm Lake

    Chasm Lake and The Diamond

    (37) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite Ouzel Falls, Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado with permission from Richard Ryer

    Ouzel Falls

    (43) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite View of Longs Peak, looking west from Lily Lake. Lily Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park, Colorado.

    Lily Lake

    (31) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite View of Chasm Falls

    Chasm Falls and Old Fall River Road

    (30) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite The Roaring River.

    Alluvial Fan

    (34) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Bighorn sheep ram

    Bighorn Sheep Viewing - Sheep Lakes

    (18) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Tundra Communities Trail.

    Tundra Communities Trail (aka Toll Memorial Trail)

    (19) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Start of East Inlet Trail RMNP 3/16.

    Adams Falls

    (21) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite Sky Pond early spring

    Sky Pond

    (5) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite Cub lake

    Cub Lake

    (20) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite The sheer rock walls of the Continental Divide loom majestically over open meadows and early summer snow.

    East Inlet Vista

    (3) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite An elk grazing near Coyote Valley Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

    Coyote Valley

    (13) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite West Creek Falls

    West Creek Falls

    (8) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Beaver Meadows

    Astronomy in the Park

    (4) Estes Park, CO
    gem Favorite Estes Park

    Holzwarth Historic Site

    (10) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite Colorado River, Lulu City remains. with permission from Ed Ogle

    Lulu City

    (10) Grand Lake, CO
    gem Favorite Beaver!

    Beaver Viewing at the Beaver Boardwalk

    (10) Estes Park, CO

    Recommended Routes in Rocky Mountain National Park - 28

    Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Recommended Routes

    Favorite The Loch, Rocky Mountain NP CO
    Difficult Difficult

    Sky Pond

    8.3 mi 13.3 km • 2,000' Up 609.68 m Up • 1,999' Down 609.26 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite The view to Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain from Dream Lake.
    Intermediate Intermediate

    Emerald Lake

    3.3 mi 5.4 km • 661' Up 201.34 m Up • 651' Down 198.3 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite Sunrise summit of Longs Peak looking East. AMAZING!
    Difficult Difficult

    Longs Peak - Keyhole Route

    14.0 mi 22.5 km • 5,241' Up 1597.49 m Up • 5,231' Down 1594.51 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite Mt. Meeker at Dawn, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado with permission from Richard Ryer
    Difficult Difficult

    Chasm Lake

    8.2 mi 13.3 km • 2,766' Up 843.04 m Up • 2,766' Down 843 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite The Loch, Rocky Mountain NP CO
    Intermediate Intermediate

    Loch Vale

    6.0 mi 9.7 km • 1,083' Up 330.25 m Up • 1,086' Down 331.15 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite The view to Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain from Dream Lake.
    Intermediate Intermediate

    Best of Bear Lake Area Loop

    5.7 mi 9.1 km • 1,293' Up 394.25 m Up • 1,309' Down 398.84 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite It feels like there are more than 3 defined waterfalls along this trail.
    Intermediate Intermediate

    Ouzel Falls & Back

    5.3 mi 8.5 km • 921' Up 280.83 m Up • 921' Down 280.77 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite Bear Lake.
    Easy Easy

    Bear Lake Trail

    0.6 mi 1.0 km • 45' Up 13.78 m Up • 39' Down 11.84 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D
    Favorite September 5, 2013 - Elk Rutt
    Intermediate Intermediate

    Cub Lake Loop

    6.1 mi 9.9 km • 629' Up 191.66 m Up • 626' Down 190.66 m Down

    Estes Park, CO
    Explore in 3D

    Rocky Mountain National Park Running

    • 288 Miles 463 Kilometers of Trail
    • 28 Recommended Routes
    • 23 Gems Gems
    • 35 Easy Trails Easy Trails
    • 110 Intermediate Trails Intermediate Trails
    • 54 Difficult Trails Difficult Trails
    Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Share what you know about this area!

    Areas Within Rocky Mountain National Park

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    Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park - 171

    Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Trails

    3.2 mi 5.2 km #1Mills Lake - Black Lake Trail
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO 57 
    0.9 mi 1.5 km #2Lake Haiyaha Trail
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO 50 
    1.0 mi 1.6 km #3Dream Lake Trail
    Intermediate Intermediate
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate Intermediate
    Estes Park, CO 48 
    4.2 mi 6.8 km #4Flattop Mountain Trail
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO 49 
    4.1 mi 6.5 km #5Loch Vale Trail
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO 35 
    9.2 mi 14.8 km #6East Inlet Trail
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Grand Lake, CO
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Grand Lake, CO 30 
    6.3 mi 10.2 km #7Lawn Lake Trail
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
    Estes Park, CO 29 
    0.7 mi 1.1 km #8Emerald Lake Trail
    Intermediate Intermediate
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate Intermediate
    Estes Park, CO 26 
    3.5 mi 5.7 km #9Fern Lake Trail
    Intermediate Intermediate
    Estes Park, CO
    Intermediate Intermediate
    Estes Park, CO 35 
    0.8 mi 1.3 km #10Sprague Lake Loop Trail
    Easy Easy
    Estes Park, CO
    Easy Easy
    Estes Park, CO 35 

    Photos of Rocky Mountain National Park - 751

    Trail Run Project is built by runners like you. Add Your Photos

    Milky Way from the park
    Jan 8, 2015 near Estes Park, CO
    Mt. Meeker at Dawn, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado with permission from Richard Ryer
    Jan 15, 2015 near Estes Park, CO
    The edge of Chasm Lake
    Jan 26, 2015 near Grand Lake, CO
    Mills Lake early spring sunset
    Jan 30, 2015 near Grand Lake, CO
    Tilted ice, rosy sunrise
    Feb 9, 2015 near Grand Lake, CO
    The view to Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain from Dream Lake.
    Dec 8, 2015 near Estes Park, CO
    Sunrise summit of Longs Peak looking East. AMAZING!
    Sep 26, 2017 near Grand Lake, CO
    Lion Lake with Summer Wildflowers mid-July
    Jul 11, 2018 near Grand Lake, CO

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