One of the most popular national parks in North America, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is visited by more than three million visitors a year.

Thunder Lake in the Wild Basin Area of Rocky Mountain National Park

Spread out over 415 square miles, the park was established by congress in 1915. It is home to Longs Peak (which reaches 14,255-ft above sea level), one of the most well-known mountains on the U.S. mainland, as well as many glacier-made lakes and a plethora of wildlife. The Continental Divide also traverses the park from north to south.

Nearest major city: Denver, Colorado, to the east.

Famous for: Hiking; mountain climbing, photography, and wildlife spotting during the summer; snowshoeing and cross country skiing during the winter.

Park Hours: Open year round. The park has several visitor centers but only the Beaver Meadows and Kawuneeche are daily year round (except December 25 when all are closed). Average hours for the visitor centers are 9am to 5pm.

Admission: $20/vehicle or $10/individual for 7 days.

Families with young kids will like: Earning a badge in the park’s Junior Ranger program; hiking some of the easier trails.

Families with teenagers will like: The trails that lead to hidden lakes; horseback trail adventures; photography opportunities.

Other park highlights: The park has so many things to do for outdoors enthusiasts. Experienced hikers should try the Wild Basin area of the park, with trails that lead to beautiful glacier-created lakes and the chance to spot wildlife such as bighorn sheep, elk and more. Mountain climbers will also find a variety of challenges, as well as guides to take you there.

Easy site seeing: Take one of the scenic drives. Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest altitude continuous highway in North America, is the most popular. Or ditch the car and take one of the park’s free shuttle buses, which operate during the warmer months, spending a day letting someone else do the driving.

Armchair travelers can enjoy the park via two webcams positioned at the Continental Divide and at Longs Peak.

Best hotel in the park: There are no hotels within park boundaries. However, in nearby Estes Park, which serves as the main eastern entrance to the park, one will find a wide variety of lodging options.

Best campground in the park: There are five campgrounds within the borders of Rocky Mountain National Park. Three – Moraine Park, Glacier Basin and Aspenglen – take reservations; call 877-444-6777 to do so. The other two – Longs Peak and Timber Creek – do not, and are first-come, first served. Additionally, Apspenglen and Glacier Basin are only open from mid-May to mid-September. Rates are $20/site per night at all five campgrounds.

Other Lodging Options: As mentioned above, the town of Estes Park is your best bet for a variety of lodging options. Here you’ll find the historic Stanley Hotel. If the name doesn’t sound familiar, author Stephen King used the hotel as inspiration for his novel The Shining, as he vacationed there in room 217. It’s also rumored to be haunted.

Best months to visit for weather: Mid-May for warmer weather and less chance of snowfall than earlier spring months; September for the fall color change in foliage

Best months to visit to avoid crowds: Summer months when schools aren’t in session and families are on vacation are the busiest. Pick pre-Memorial Day or post-Labor Day to minimize the crowds.

Getting There:

  • Flying – Denver is the closest major airport
  • Bus – Greyhound services Denver.
  • Train – Amtrak services Denver to the east and the tiny town of Granby, CO, to the west.

A personal vehicle is the only ways to directly access Rocky Mountain National Park.

More info can be found at the always helpful NPS.gov site: Rocky Mountain National Park

Follow on Twitter: @RMNPOfficial

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[Photo courtesy NPS]