How is the hiking @ RMNP in late sept/early Oct?

Great time to go. Lower crowds, we havent gotten into the snowy season yet (though it can snow that early), and you might see some of the aspen color change.

I went the second week of October in 2020. Trail Ridge Road was still open at the time all the way to Grand Lake. I managed to hike Sky Pond and summit Hallett Peak. The wind was really bad at higher elevations. I think the week after I left there was a blizzard that dumped pretty good. The wildfires were bad that year too and everything was kinda hazy.

Shouldn’t be too bad absent freak conditions. However, I’ve hiked it in late May when it was still covered in snow and the Bear Lake area lakes were all frozen and even that wasn’t bad. May need some traction for shoes.

That’s pretty much the best time of year. Only concern would be wildfire smoke, but you can’t control that. Hopefully the west stays moist like we’ve had for the past year.