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Featuring 60 peaks soaring over 12,000 feet, more than 100 glistening alpine lakes, hiking trails for all levels, and wildlife from marmots to moose, Rocky Mountain National Park—RMNP to the locals—offers an extraordinary outdoor escape just an hour and a half from downtown Denver.
Over four million people visit RMNP each year, making it one of the top five most-visited national parks in the US. Due to its popularity, the park has a timed entry reservation system during the busiest months (late May to mid-October)—more on that in our full guide.
When visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, remember you’re exploring at high altitude, from about 7,500 feet in Estes Park up to 14,259 feet at the top of Longs Peak. Even if you don’t plan to summit a 14er, the altitude could affect you. Give yourself time to acclimate (maybe spend a night in Denver or Boulder before heading to the park), and stay hydrated.
Rocky Mountain National Park is a vast wilderness of over 265,000 acres. You could easily spend a week exploring all that it has to offer, but this two-day itinerary showcases some of the highlights, including popular hikes with postcard-worthy views of the peaks, the highest paved road in the country, and the best local restaurants.
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Day 1
Winding roads and soaring peaks
Start your first day in Rocky Mountain National Park with a scenic drive along the highest continuous paved road in the US, Trail Ridge Road (closed in winter), which peaks at an elevation of 12,183 feet. As you drive along it, you’ll get acquainted with the varied landscapes of RMNP, from the many mountain peaks to the vast open meadows, meandering rivers, and alpine lakes.
The entire road is 48 miles one way from Grand Lake including the loop all the way to Estes Park (about 39 miles if you end your drive at Deer Ridge Junction) and is a great way to spend several hours exploring the park. The Alpine Visitor Center (the highest visitor center in the National Park System, sitting at 11,796 feet) is a good turnaround point about halfway through if you don’t want to drive the entire road there and back.
Along the way, you’ll pass lots of overlooks to stretch your legs and take in the scenery. Many Parks Curve is a must-stop to catch an impressive view of open meadows and the 14,259-foot Longs Peak, the tallest mountain in the park, in the distance. A few miles farther along, Rainbow Curve offers views of Fall River winding through Horseshoe Park.
When you’re ready, turn around and head back toward the east side of RMNP—it’s time to hit the trails! One of the most popular trails in Rocky Mountain National Park is Emerald Lake. This 3.2-mile, out-and-back hike actually takes you to three alpine lakes: Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and lastly Emerald Lake. While you shouldn't expect complete solitude, it’s worth braving the crowds to take in the unbeatable scenery on this moderate trail.
You’ll make your way through an evergreen forest, which opens up throughout the hike to reveal each alpine lake. When you reach Emerald Lake, have your camera handy to capture the towering peaks of Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak that frame the lake.
Still have energy? Add on Lake Haiyaha for an extra mile and a half of hiking. In 2022, the waters of Lake Haiyaha changed color from a clear blue to a milky turquoise due to a massive rock slide in Chaos Canyon that sent debris down into the lake. No one knows how long Lake Haiyaha will stay this unique color, so it’s worth making the hike to try to catch it while you can.
The trail to Emerald Lake starts at the Bear Lake trailhead along the Bear Lake Corridor, the most popular area in the park. Because of this, from late May through mid-October, a Timed Entry+ Bear Lake Road reservation is required to access this area every day from 5am–6pm. The reservation also includes entry to all other areas of the park. For full details, visit Rocky Mountain National Park's Timed Entry permit webpage.
To cap off the day, stop for dinner at Bird & Jim. This local gem just minutes outside the Beaver Meadows park entrance serves elevated Colorado cuisine in a mountain setting that feels special but not overly fancy. The pheasant chowder is a standout start to your meal, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the well-curated menu.
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Day 2
Off-the-beaten path adventures
Now that you’ve seen some of the most popular sights in Rocky Mountain National Park, spend your second day exploring somewhere a bit more secluded. (Still, you shouldn’t expect to be totally alone on these trails, especially on weekends in the busy summer season.)
Before heading into the park, stop by The Country Market in Estes Park to pick up sandwiches and snacks for a picnic lunch later.
For a day hike, head about 30 minutes south on Highway 7 to RMNP’s Wild Basin entrance. Here you’ll find the trailhead for Sandbeach Lake. The 8.4-mile, out-and-back trail takes you to the shores of an alpine lake where you can picnic on the sandy beach or take a refreshing dip in the cold water if you’re up for it. This is a challenging hike with about 2,000 feet of elevation gain, so plan for it to take all day, especially if you spend some quality time at the beach.
If you’re looking for a more moderate hike, check out the Lumpy Ridge area. The Gem Lake Trail and Lumpy Ridge Loop is about four miles long with around 1,000 feet of elevation gain. The trail runs through the granite rock formations of Lumpy Ridge to Gem Lake, a lovely place to stop for a lunch break. You’ll also get amazing views of the Diamond, the sheer east face of Longs Peak that’s famous for its alpine climbing routes, from Lumpy Ridge.
Or, for a relaxing, family-friendly way to spend the day, visit Lily Lake. It’s a great spot to kick back and enjoy the views of Longs Peak, Mount Meeker, and the Twin Sisters without much effort to get there. You can walk on the trail around Lily Lake, hike up Lily Ridge, or simply hang out in the picnic area for an al fresco lunch with a mountain view.
For something a bit more adventurous, hire a guide to go rock climbing in Lumpy Ridge or at Lily Lake. KMAC Guides offers 4, 6, or 8-hour climbing days to show you the ropes and get you on some of the amazing granite that Rocky Mountain National Park is known for.
After you’ve worked up an appetite on your second day in Rocky Mountain National Park, a trip to Ed’s Cantina in Estes Park is in order. Fill up on fish tacos, bison enchiladas, or poblano cauliflower grilled cheese, and be sure to top your meal off with the legendary avocado margarita, a unique creamy twist on the classic tequila cocktail.
Securing timed entry reservations to Rocky Mountain National Park, when to visit, where to stay, and more: Find it all online.
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With local expert:
Kate Sedrowski
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Kate Sedrowski is a native Michigander who has lived in every time zone of the contiguous US and now calls the Front Range of Colorado home. After a career as a camera operator in sports television (including a stint with the Chicago Bulls), she fell head over heel hooks for rock climbing, pivoted to outdoor adventure writing, and recently became a certified climbing guide.
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