Things to do & places to visit in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United States

Rocky Mountain National Park cover image

One of America's premier national parks, it boasts 355 miles of hiking trails.

Rocky Mountain National Park national park in Colorado, United States. Timezone: America/Denver, current date and time: Monday, May 06, 2024, 6:49.

Top things to do (16)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Trail Ridge Road (3.446 reviews)
- Great Rocky drive
Scenic Drives

Get in before 9 without a pass and use the gypsyguide for the best tour. It will take all day if you go to Grand Lake but you cannot renter without a timed pass. Lot’s of places to stop along the way great scenery. Bring warm clothes for the top. It’s windy and cold at Alpine. Also good to bring food for a picnic. Sheep meadow was good for seeing moose. Visitor centerS were not that helpful See more..
5.0 Emerald Lake Trail (550 reviews)
- Beautiful Hike!
Hiking Trails

We spent a few days hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, and this was the best we encountered. The trail begins at Bear Lake and proceeds mostly at a moderate climb to Nymph Lake, then Dream Lake then Emerald Lake. Although it's not an easy trail by any means, we did see a lot of older and novice hikers taking it on, so any healthy individual should be able to complete the round trip even if you have to take a lot of rest stops. The scenery is well worth the effort, especially around Emerald Lake. As you trek along Dream Lake, look for cutthroat trout swimming along the shallow shoreline. The total distance is about 3 1/2 miles roundtrip, so I'd commit a half day to this adventure so you can take your time and enjoy the beauty. Bring lots of water! As for parking, do yourself a favor and just park at the Park and Ride. The busses are frequent and parking in a closer and smaller lot is almost impossible unless you get there really early. See more..
5.0 Sombrero Ranch (108 reviews)
- Fantastic Ride!
Ranches

My husband and I visited in June of this year. We called in advance to get reservations and were taken on a ride with just the two of us by one of the wranglers. We rode up into the mountains along a beautiful trail for 2hrs. The horses we rode were beautiful and extremely well behaved. I have visited RMNP several times and have done three other horseback rides and I have to say that while the views are always beautiful in Colorado, this ride was the best we have been on. It was peaceful and our guide was A+. This is a smaller outfit off of the beaten path and I could tell the staff and Compass absolutely loved their jobs and the horses they worked with. It is about a 20min drive from Estes. Well worth it. I will definitely visit here again on my next trip to the park. See more..
5.0 Sky Pond (104 reviews)
- Amazing Scenery
Bodies of Water

Located at the bottom of Colorado's Petit Grepon. See more..
5.0 Ouzel Falls (81 reviews)
- Waterfalls and Great Views!
Waterfalls

I hiked the Ouzel Falls Trail last month while visiting RMNP. If you are a fan of waterfalls then this is your hike. The trail follows rivers that have several falls and many areas of rapids. The trail gradually ascents up to Ouzel Falls and is not really difficult if you are in reasonable shape (labeled as moderate). There were many families and groups of young people on the trail which was great to see after COVID. The trail is heaviliy trafficked and you need to get there early (or like I did) later in the afternoon or you will likely have a long walk to the trailhead. This is an out and back trail- not a loop. Up all the way there and down on the way back.! Great trail with lots for cool views! See more..
5.0 Dream Lake (66 reviews)
- Very crowded but very scenic
Bodies of Water

This is the middle lake in the Emerald Lake Trail triad. It is gorgeous, clear water (you can see fish ) and very scenic — great views of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. It is also very easy to get to — 1.1 miles on the trail with 425 feet of elevation rise. We hiked in the morning and the lake and the train near were very crowded — tons of people taking selfies and group pics. It did not get better on our way back from Emerald Lake, the final lake, which was 0.7 miles away up the trail. See more..
5.0 Longs Peak (65 reviews)
- Through the keyhole....
Mountains

Unlike most people who summit longs, we decided to make it part of a backpacking trip.
We spent the night before the summit in the boulder field, which was an awesome experience and I would highly recommend it! It was windy, but the sunrise was worth it.

The summit climb was fun, and once through the keyhole you are treated to awesome views of the mummy range. It is a decently strenuous climb, especially the middle section known as the trough. After an hour or so stay on the summit, we descended as it began it cloud up. We made it back to our tents just in time for a afternoon hail storm, which worked well as "rocks" in our victory scotches. See more..
5.0 Forest Canyon Overlook (60 reviews)
- Incredible
Lookouts

It's the first week of October. We left our hotel at around 6 p.m. to enter the Park and drive to Forest Canyon Overlook to view the sunset. We were not disappointed. It's about halfway to the Alpine Center and a bit of a walk from the parking area to the Overlook. We arrived just in time to see the sun beginning to set. It was incredible. There were not very many people there so it was easy to take great photos. We were unable to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends due to the pandemic, so we took this five day trip by ourselves to one of our favorite places that we have visited many times before. It was freezing cold up at the Outlook and the wind was icy . But we wouldn't have missed it for the world. Enjoy the photos. See more..
5.0 Mills Lake (46 reviews)
- Loved this hike!
Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water

We did this hike on an early morning in July. With our timed entry reservation, we thought we'd have no trouble parking, but we were wrong. At 6:30 am, the parking lot at Glacier Gorge and at Bear Lake were completely full. Luckily, I remember a small parking lot about a half-mile before you get to Glacier Gorge. It only has about 5 spaces, but we got one of them. So we then walked along the road (a bit dangerous but very doable) to get to the Glacier Gorge trailhead. The hike itself was wonderful. Great scenery and not too crowded. It passes Alberta Falls. Very nice! Easy trail to follow until you get right near the top when you are just walking on large rocks. Notice your way up this last part so you can find the trail coming down again; we were a bit lost until we saw some other people coming up. Took us a little under 2 hours to get to the lake at a fairly leisurely pace. Wear your mask and enjoy! See more..
5.0 Lake Haiyaha (35 reviews)
- Beautiful Lake on Less Traveled Trail
Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water

Added a hike to Lake Haiyaha on the return from Emerald lake and it was well worth the extra effort. The trail from Bear Lake Trailhead to Emerald Lake is quite popular. It was nice to veer off on the trail to Lake Haiyaha which is much less traveled, The views of the Bear Lake area and Morraine Valley are quite spectacular as you make the tough ascent to the lake. When arriving at the lake , getting a good view is challenging as it requires scaling up the rocks surrounding the lake. Although I found this quite fun, it may create a challenge for some. See more..
5.0 Chasm Lake (15 reviews)
- Worth the effort
Bodies of Water

Located in Rocky Mountain National Park along the Key Hole Route. See more..
4.5 Bear Lake (1.669 reviews)
- Beautiful, and an easy hike
Bodies of Water

We visited late afternoon/early evening in July. I didn’t think it was very busy. Many people just walk a few yards on the trail to take pictures of the lake, and then turn back. The lake with the mountain backdrop is gorgeous. The water is flat, clear, and peaceful. See more..
4.5 Alpine Visitor Center (586 reviews)
- Visitor's Center High Up
Visitor Centers

This visitor’s center is at the peak altitude of Trail Ridge Road. Aside from the usual visitor’s center, there is an adjacent store with a large selection of items and a cafe serving hot food and snacks. From the visitor’s center, there are nice views into a valley. Given the high altitude, take it easy and dress appropriately. When we visited in September, the plumbing had been turned off in preparation for the winter and hence only the vault toilets were available. See more..
4.5 Old Fall River Road (514 reviews)
- Spectacular If Terrifying Drive
Scenic Drives

This dramatic and scenic roadway built in 1913 followed an old Indian pathway that climbed over 3,000 feet. See more..
4.5 Alberta Falls (416 reviews)
- Very pretty and peaceful
Waterfalls

This was our first stop on our hike up to Sky Pond. We started out at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 17th. The Glacier Gorge trailhead was already filled by 7am so we had to use the park and ride. If you see the sign saying Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge is full, believe it. I saw a review that said this was a downhill hike and that is definitely not the case from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. It is pretty much a slow continuous incline. It was 45° when we started our hike in the middle of August. So dress in layers. You can pretty much hear and see water throughout the hike. Very pretty and peaceful. See more..
4.5 Sprague Lake (402 reviews)
- Very user friendly walk with everything wonderful RMNP has to offer in one stop!
Bodies of Water

This was my favorite hike in the park and I would consider us intermediate hikers. I felt like oh this is just a quick stop at sunrise but wow, was it wonderful. Super flat wide path around the lake so more of a walk but it had so many treasures. Parking super close, picnic area. The path meandered over streams, the lake view grew more spectacular with each new vantage point we walked counterclockwise and went to watch the sunrise. A momma moose and her calf were feeding, flowers, trees, Mountain View’s, sounds, smells, breezes. Everything you imagine National park to be in this walk that was very easy and would be great if not up for a hike. See more..
4.5 Bear Lake Trailhead (390 reviews)
- Beautiful- we walked on frozen Bear Lake
Hiking Trails

This easy, half-mile hike will take you past beautiful alpine lakes and forests. See more..
4.5 Lily Lake (365 reviews)
- Always Beautiful Lily Lake
Bodies of Water

Lily Lake is always beautiful but due to the apparent drought the area has been experiencing, it is several feet down from what one would normally see in the spring and early summer months. There are restrooms available and parking at the lake and also across the road. There are several trails to walk. We especially like the one that encircles the lake. It's an easy walk so almost anyone could do it. There are benches available with beautiful views of the lake if you need a break in your trek. The lake is part of Rocky Mountain National Park which due to the Pandemic is requiring visitors to make reservations at a cost of $2.00 per day to access the park in order to keep crowds at a minimum. There was a sign at Lily Lake indicating that the reservation was required to visit the lake. There was no one on duty to check for reservations so people were just walking in. See more..
4.5 Alluvial Fan (330 reviews)
- Accessible to all, pretty falls and short trail
Geologic Formations

The day we went (Tues. Aug. 16th) it was raining and not many people there at 10 a.m. The rain had the falls roaring and muddy but still beautiful. This is a very easy, accessible path. We parked at the first parking lot and it was less crowded. A little more of a walk but you can walk over to the other parking lot as well. See more..
4.5 Adams Falls Trail (251 reviews)
- A Good Reason to See the West Side of the Park
Hiking Trails

We entered the park through Grand Lake so this was the first thing we saw in the park. The trail is very short, not even a mile round trip and only 100 feet in elevation. However, that 100 feet was enough to great a beautiful rapids fall as water cascades from the mountain just before entering the lake. It is really pretty and be sure to see it from both the bottom and the top. For most sights in this park it is a lot of reward for minimal effort, good for kids and more senior members of your party. See more..
4.5 Wild Basin Area (126 reviews)
- Excellent engaging hike
Historic Walking Areas

Scenic walking area through lush forest. See more..
4.5 Chapel on the Rock (118 reviews)
- St. Malo (Chapel on the Rock) now has a coffee house!!!!
Spent < 1 hour Religious Sites

Right on the property of the Chapel on the Rock, Tahosa Coffee Shop (check web for open days/times) is located in what once was a stone storage building, but remodeled and a deck was added. This building, north of the driveway to the Chapel, houses a gift shop and coffee house that serves Boulder OZO coffee, pastries, burrito, and most importantly offers, cow, almond and oat milks! The interior of the building is calm and serene, the staff super friendly and the coffee/tea is very good. This just makes St. Malo a great stop when visiting the area. Tahosa Coffee Shop just opened Summer 2023. See more..
4.5 Bierstadt Lake (116 reviews)
- Tough hike but fabulous view
Bodies of Water

We did a morning 1-1/2 mile hike in mid-August to Bierstadt Lake from the shuttle bus stop. Pls note that there are two other trails available for this lake: from Bear Lake, 2 miles and from the Park & Ride point, 1.5 miles. The bus stop trail was a moderate one, basically hugging the mountain, going uphill (566 ft) via switchbacks. Not only was the incline challenging but the exposure to the sun made the trek “more than moderate”. However the last 10 percent of the hike was under tree cover and flat which was a great culmination to a fabulous view of the lake, the surrounding trees and the mountains in the background. IMO, one of the best photo ops in the RMNP. See more..
4.5 Glacier Creek Stables (111 reviews)
- Very pretty and worthwhile
Ranches

This was a really fun experience! It was cool to see another side of the park and the views were great! Sienna was our guide/wrangler and she was really fun. We enjoyed her company and most of all she was so knowledgeable! In fact, all the employees we interacted with were helpful and friendly. We learned a lot about the park so it really was a nice tour. Not to mention, I researched some other stables, and the price can’t be beat! Make sure to try to plan your day so you can spend time in the park afterwards since your reservation with the stables counts as your park entry pass for the day! Would absolutely recommend Hi Country Stables and Sienna. See more..
4.5 Lily Lake Trailhead (68 reviews)
- Make the short drive from the main park - totally worth it!
Hiking Trails

As a person with a disability (above knee amputee) I always appreciate being able to see beautiful sites that are accessible. This has to be one of the best accessible trails I've ever seen with regard to scenic views. While Lily Lake gets its fair share of visitors, it never has seemed all that crowded to me unlike Sprague Lake (fully accessible) or Bear Lake (accessible for a pretty able bodied amputee). It's a short drive from Estes Park, but so worth it. My recommendation would be to go about an hour or so after sunrise so the sun comes over the peaks in the distance and illuminates Longs Peak in the background. Though I've been there a number of times I still go each and every time I visit the area for that beautiful touch of solitude. Highly, highly recommended. See more..
4.5 Flattop Mountain Trail (68 reviews)
- A Must
Hiking Trails

If you want to hike a mountain, this is the one to do. If Longs Peak is not an option (which it isn't for most people), do Flat Top Mountain but continue up to Hallett Peak. It's another 45 minutes up to the peak but well worth it. It took 3.5 hours up and 2.5 down. We were moving most of the time but did take short breaks to ensure we did not over do it. On a clear day, you can see Grand Lake, Wyoming and the Never Summer Range. I really enjoy the waterfalls, but this surpassed every waterfall I found by quite a bit. It is a must for anyone in decent shape. See more..
4.5 Many Parks Curve Overlook (57 reviews)
- Great Overlook on Trail Ridge Road
Spent < 1 hour Mountains • National Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Forests • Valleys

This was an unexpected stop for us but offered a beautiful overlook. Driving Trail Ridge Road can bring a lot of anxiety so this was a great way to take a break and relax. I highly recommend making this stop. See more..
4.5 Tundra Communities Trail (46 reviews)
- Spectacular Views in the Alpine Tundra
Hiking Trails

Great experience hiking on the Tundra Communities Trail. Less travelled and more enjoyable than the Alpine Ridge Trail at the Alpine Visitor Center. Gradual ascent and not overly strenuous. Views are spectacular. Bring a jacket even in the summer as its quite cold and windy at this elevation. Make sure you find the marmots on the south side of the road across from the parking area near Rock Cut See more..
4.5 Horseshoe Park (39 reviews)
- Beautiful Park / Wildlife Viewing Guaranteed
Parks

An area within the park where visitors can see many elk, especially in late October. See more..
4.0 Beaver Meadows Visitor Center (177 reviews)
- Restrooms and portable open, main building closed
Monday: 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM Visitor Centers

This center is close as of June 12th, 2021. There is an incredibly small modular building set up in the parking lot, which contains little. This is outside the entrance gate. Nothing to eat or drink. It's worth stopping by to talk to park rangers, who were very helpful, and to look at large scale maps. You actually receive msps when you get to the access gates and show them your reservation. The full service restrooms, with water flushing toilets, soap, etc. are available. The buildings were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and resemble Taliesin West. Just getting to pee in a Frank Lloyd Wright building is worth something. See more..