Rocky Mountain National Park
Our journey through the land of extremes
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park truly has it all, from serene lakes and lush valleys to rugged peaks and beautiful trails, offering something for everyone. Whether you're a hiker, wildlife enthusiast, or simply looking for a peaceful retreat, the park ensures everyone finds their perfect slice of nature's beauty.
We enjoyed two full days in this beautful National Park, but we definitely could have stayed longer!
Where to stay?
If you’re not going to camp in the Park, Estes Park is the closest city to the park entrance. This town is really precious, and quite touristic. However, it can get expensive. We chose to stay in a nice AirBnB in Longmont, and it took us about an hour to get to the park entrance.
Our 2-day itinerary:
Day 1:
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We started our first day with this 7.2 mile long trail. In order to get to the starting point at the Bear Lake trail head, you need a permit to access the Bear Lake Road. Since there are not many parking lots, we parked the car at the park and ride parking lot, a few miles ahead, and the free shuttle took us to the trail head.
We started off by walking around the Bear Lake. Surrounded by mountains, and the shining morning sun, the views on the lake were epic.
Following the Emerald Lake trail, we soon arrived at this beautiful lake. On our way, a Park Ranger told us, he saw a Moose, so we kept our eyes open.
Right after, we came across the Nymph Lake, which is a rather small lake, and we soon continued our hike to the Dream Lake. This lake looks truly amazing with its blue water.
We really enjoyed this rather steep hike so far, but the best was yet to come. As we moved through beautiful terrain, and took the hike to the Emerald Lake, we made our way through the rocky Chaos Creek to the Lake Haiyaha. The color of this alpine lake was just incredibly turquoise! When you scroll through our pictures, you will see. It has been one of our highlights on this trail.
The next part of the loop lead through a forest. It was a rather calm part of the hike (except for when we ran away from all the bugs).
Finally, we reached the Alberta Falls, which were pretty impressive, and gave this trail the perfect finish.
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After our hike, which took us approximately 4 hours, we returned to the car, and made our way back to Estes Park.
In Estes Park, you have lots of opportunities to just stroll through the city, go window shopping, or take another walk along the river in Downtown.
We always love visiting the Visitor Center of every National Park, so this was our plan for the rest of this day, as we were quite tired from the hike.
Day 2:
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We spent the first part of the second day on the Trail Ridge Road, which led us to the highest point at 12,000 feet!
On the way up, we hiked the short scenic hikes with incredible views:
Forest Canyon Overlook
Mushroom Rocks and Roger Toll Memorial
Alpine Ridge Trail
When hiking these trails, please make sure to stay on the trails! The tundra is quite vulnurable, and it takes years and years to grow.
At 12,000 feet above sea level, you definitely feel the high altitude. So make sure to drink plenty of water, as your body works harder. Take your time on the hikes and take a rest, if needed.
Before we headed back down, we visited the Alpine Visitor Center. There is also a Cafeteria, where you can grab a bite. We loved the variety of the sortiment, and git ourselves some nice Souvenirs. We just can't resist!
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When we headed back down, we finally were able to see a Moose! Suddenly, there was a crowd of people at the side of the Road, which is always a good sign. We slowed down, and were fortunate to see a Moose, having his lunch. Although that giant was a bit shy and hid away behind a bush, we were lucky to be able to catch some views on this magnificant animal.
You can find one of our best shots in the gallery bellow.
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This 6 mile out & back trail has been the perfect ending for our stay in the Rocky Mountain National Park!
The trail takes you through a versatile landscape, starting at a sandy terrain, you will soon make your way up through a forest. However, the forest opens up many times, so you will have perfect views onto the valley.
When we reached the top, not only the views were absolutely worth the incline, but we were also blessed with dozents of butterflies, flying around. It was so peaceful, resting on this mountain top as it also hasn't been too crowded.
The hike took us about 3 hours, and we will definitely do it again. It has been one of our favorite hikes in the Rocky Mountain National Park!
Please let us know, if you have any questions regarding our stay at the Rocky Mountain National Park.
We would be glad to hear from you!
