Rocky Mountain National Park

Visited: July 2015

Nearby city: Denver, CO; Estes Park, CO (eastern entrance), Granby, CO (western entrance)

"Going to the mountains is going home."

-John Muir

Sometimes we do crazy things in order to accomplish our goal of visiting all 59 National Parks. Fourth of July created a long 3-day weekend from work and we decided to drive all the way to Denver (a 9 hour drive) to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. So it was definitely a whirlwind tour, and a whole lot of driving, but I feel like we got a good taste of the Rockies. However, if we had a do-over we would set aside 2 or 3 days to explore the park.

To start the day we explored the Glacier Basin/Bear Lake region first. This region is accessed by Bear Lake Road, but during the busy months of summer you cannot drive a personal vehicle on the road. You have to take the Park Shuttle Bus. It was a crowded day due to the 4th of July weekend, but the buses come very frequently. We got off at the Glacier Gorge shuttle stop to take the nice half a mile hike (one-way) to Alberta Falls. You're at a high elevation here (over 9,000 ft) and the trail goes along a rushing river.

Although there were a lot of people on the trail, the sound of the water and the crisp mountain air made for a very enjoyable, short hike. Alberta Falls was incredible.

We then took the Shuttle Bus to the end of the road, which ends at the pristine and picturesque glacial lake, Bear Lake. It's just under a mile to hike around the lake. Great views of the lake and the mountains, particularly Hallett Peak (12,713 ft).

Bear Lake and Hallett Peak on the left

Next we tackled the engineering marvel and jewel of the Park, the Trail Ridge Road. This white-knuckle drive takes you above the tree line and all the way up to 12,183 ft. Up here, you are in an alpine wonderland, there are lots of overlooks and short walks to soak up the alpine atmosphere. Also make sure to stop at the Alpine Visitor Center. If you are super brave (and have a good reliable car) you can take the Old Fall River Road, a one-way dirt road, up to the Alpine Visitor Center. Obviously, both of these roads close in winter. Needless to say, the views along the Trail Ridge Road are spectacular.

We saw a lot of elk as we climbed higher on Trail Ridge Road. It slowed down traffic big time, but it was worth it.

Although we had a great time at Rocky Mountain National Park, I feel like we only scratched the surface of what this park has to offer. If you are short on time, the one thing to do is Trail Ridge Road. You will feel like you are on top of the world. Entrance fee is $20. Check for more info at: https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm