Rocky Mountain Nat Park

All of Colorado is crowded in the Summer...it has perfect weather and beautiful. Trout fishing to hiking to relaxing in the pines. I visit every summer...

WE lived in Estes Park from 1995-2003. Went back twice by about 2008 and have not gone back since for a lot of reasons I won't go in to.

We do love CO, though, and once again this summer we will be spending time in the southwest part of the state with a few days over by CO Springs. We love that area and go back frequently.

Like so many other things, the changes in Estes - in our opinion - are not to our liking. Add to that are the crowds. But Rocky is beautiful in the Fall - that is when we went back.

My friend, 4runnerguy, makes very good points about Vail and Aspen. Been there done that and not on a list of any kind again.

Lauren

I rode through there on a motorcycle 35 years ago, and it was awesome. Be aware that it can get COLD at altitude--we started one day's ride at 7000 feet, temps were in the 70s. At 13000 temps were right around 40. This was in June.

2gypsies wrote:
There's a reason the national parks are so crowded - especially in the summer. They are unique and one-of-a-kind.

I agree, our parks are getting 'loved to death' - too many people but that's for another post.

.......!

For Zion, and Arches we're probably only a couple years from implementation of policies to limit people. Last I heard they are looking to make most hikes in Zion "permit required" to include Angles landing. For both Zion and Arches they've been taking input on rationing methodology to include options like a time based reservations system to both limit total visitors, and impact at the gates. There has also been considerable discussion on a rationed permit system for hiking many of the National monument and park areas and even more of the BLM areas using variations of the system they are currently using in the vermillion cliffs area (The Wave) How much it helps with crowds is anyone's guess.

Oh, I wouldn't miss a visit to RMNP! We usually go around July 4, and really haven't been that bothered by the crowds. It depends on what time of day you visit, too. We also stay away from the Estes Park area, as we hang near Grand Lake. I certainly wouldn't be in the area and not visit.

bakerkids makes an excellent point You will find my wife's and my one word answer to anything in full force - PEOPLE. The real key is get u0 and out to do things in the Park early. Estes itself is a zoo tourist town.

I'm glad I didn't miss this
Just a short way from the road...

RMNP offers a LOT of things to do for folks who want to get off the beaten path, and want to do more than about 90% of the folks going there do

What I'm referring to here is that, the majority of tourists stay on Trail Ridge Road, Fall River Road, or Bear Lake Road and don't stray more than the length of a football field from these roads. This is especially true if there's wildlife to be viewed from the roadway...the elk and deer, the bighorn sheep, the occasional moose, and the vast array of marmots, squirrels, birds, etc. This is one of the biggest reasons for traffic jams on the roads, folks just stopping in the travel lane to get a picture, instead of looking for a place to pull off safely and actually walk back for that photo op.
This is a reality of a visit to RMNP.

Yes, there are a goodly number of hikers in the park, especially the various trails off Bear Lake Road, but unfortunately I've seen a lot of "hikers" who will walk the 1/4 mile from the parking lot to Bear Lake, perhaps take the stroll around the lake, get some photo ops and then leave.

If one takes the time to hike some of the trails off the Bear Lake Road and really get back into the wilderness area, the pressures on the park are less obvious and the beauty comes out. Some hikes are easy, some are moderate, and some will challenge you, and some of the trails are a combo of all of this.

And this holds true for other areas of the park. The west side has been mentioned, and it has a very different look than the Estes side. Yes, the sad reality of the beetle kill is very evident, but there are still wonderful views, and great hikes. Don't forget, there's the headwaters of the Colorado River there, and one can hike along the river, either up- or down-stream, and get a completely different perspective of the river. There are fewer and longer hikes on the west side, but they are just as rewarding. In Grand Lake itself, on the east end of town, there's access to some hiking trails to get you in to that part of Rocky. And all around Grand Lake, Lake Granby and Shadow Mountain Lake, there are additional hiking trails and views of the park.

And as I mentioned previously, there's the Wild Basin entrance to the park and the hikes that are available from this area. This will get you in to some of the more pristine areas of the park, as well as a different perspective of Longs Peak, if one is up to the challenge. One doesn't have to actually climb Longs Peak to appreciate the beauty and majesty of the mountain from closer up.

All this to say...if one looks, there is more beauty to Rocky than just the vistas from Trail Ridge. One has to get out of the car/truck/RV and actually explore...on foot! This is my goal this year, after 35+ years of going up to Rocky. See more from different perspectives. Yes, I've hiked a goodly amount. There's still a LOT more to see, sometimes by doing it over again.

Just a suggestion, but drive up the dirt road - Old Fall River Road - to the summit. It is one way so you don't have to worry about on-coming traffic. Slow and easy. It is a great way to see the mountain close up. You can head back down to Estes Park on the highway.