Rocky Mountain National Park and surrounding area advice

will be there around the same time, after some research there are a few websites that rank and describe the hikes. The 3 hikes you mentioned are discussed on those sites/forums. One common theme seems to be the diffuculty finding parking unless you're bright and early at the trailheads

You should be paying attention to elevation gain as well as distance. If you're from flat sea level hiking up here will hurt. If you are in bad shape these will damn near kill you.

In the Bear Lake area of the park I like these hikes. You need to get there early or you'll be taking the shuttle.

Emerald Lake. About 4 miles round trip with 900' elevation gain. You'll pass Nymph and Dream Lake on the way. It's the best shorter hike in the park.

Lake Haiyaha. Its about 4.5 miles round trip with about 1000' of elevation gain. You'll pass up Nymph and Dream Lake on the way up. Extremely rocky shore you'll have to scramble on some.

Loch Lake. About 6 miles round trip with about 1400' elevation gain. You'll pass Alberta Falls on the way up. If you're feeling it then keep going up to Sky Pond.

Bierstadt Lake is pretty on the way up and short. Like 3 miles round trip and about 700' elevation gain.

If yall are in good shape then Chasm Lake out of the Longs Peak trailhead is amazing but has like 2500' gain is about 9 miles roundtrip.

Twin Sisters hike on that side is a good one also.

Ute Trail in the middle of the park is nice without much elevation gain and you do as an out and back.

Stay away from Estes Park Brewing, it is pricey with meh beer and awful food. Rock Cut is pretty good. If you drive through Lyons to get to Estes then you'll pass the original Oskar Blues if that interest you.

I'm assuming you'll drive through the park on Trail Ridge over to Grand Lake and get to Evans that way. If you don't have that planned then change your plans. You'll pass through Grand Lake(SUP, Canoeing), Granby(DH Mtn Biking), and Grand Lake(DH Mtn Biking).

Westbound and Down in Idaho Springs has good food and beer. Don't go to Beaujos or Tommyknockers, they both suck.

What are you planning on doing at Evans? Its a ride to the top and back down, takes about 4 hours or so.

Sand Dunes is far, like 4 hours or so. You could be in Aspen or Steamboat in less time.

Very well thought-out & written, thanks.

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1. white water rafting - must have rapids and good scenery

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A few years back, we did a really good one. It was a little bit of a drive from Rocky Mt. National Park, it was just outside of Ft. Collins. Worth the trip.

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Also, I'm looking at doing the Stanley Hotel "Night Spirit Tour". Has anyone done this?

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mother, wife, daughter love it.

I’ve done Gem, Bear and I think it was Emerald lake. Great hikes but not a ton of wildlife. Those trails are very popular and I guess it tends to scare off the animals. Except for the chipmunks. They are everywhere. I don’t recall ever seeing significant wildlife at Gem lake and I’ve done that at least 4 or 5 times.

Not saying the hike isn’t worth it, just letting you know you should temper your expectations on wildlife

I would strongly suggest driving Trail ridge Road. I remember doing that with my dad for the first time when I was a small child. Now I drive it with company and always brings back memories. The drive is more scenic than hey 1 in Cali for my money. If you don’t want to do the entire road, go as far as the the visitor station at the highest point. Walking paths from there. And good lookouts to see a bunch of wildlife. From far away however. Might catch a glimpse of something on the drive up or at look out points. Pack a lunch for a picnic

Head toward echo canyon for good water rafting. It’s a bit of a drive but Colorado Springs is a nice resting point.

Have fun

Special thanks to 8thyearsenior for lending such great insight and taking the time. Thanks to all and if you have any more you think of please post them.

just got back from that area

Rocky Mtn National Park is about a 4 hour ride through the park in the car making some stops for lunch/pics and it went by in seemingly 15 minutes, amazing. Take the one-way road back (Old Fall River Road) to the Alpine Center also - beautiful. Check a map and you'll see what I mean.

Kodi Rafting was pretty great - about an hour above Breckenridge. We left from Kremmling and did the Upper Colorado (about 4 hours overall, about 2 hours on the water) and enough adventure for ya I assure. Saw bald eagles and some cool wildlife (when you have time to look up haha). Ride the kayaks (duckies) instead of going on the raft, much more run.

Didn't do Mt Evans on this trip but I've been before and it's great - just not as great as Rocky Mtn and too similar to do both on one trip. Do RMNP.

Relish was the best meal we ate in Breck, one of the best I've ever had. Pricey but worth it.

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One common theme seems to be the diffuculty finding parking unless you're bright and early at the trailheads

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It's also compounded with the need to be done hiking early if doing much altitude. Afternoon lighting in the mountains is serious business if up high.

For Mt Evans stop at Summit Lake near the top and walk over to the Chicago Lakes overlook. It' maybe a quarter of a mile and I've never not seen mountain goats or big horn sheep there. Look for mountain goats from there to the Summit. At the summit lot actually walk up to the summit. Like quarter mile walk with 150' of elevation gain. You can say you did a 14er. Bring a coat.

I say this all the time but you should take 40 over Berthoud Pass and get to RMNP that way. Grand Lake is a cool little town and the Adams Falls hike there is about a half mile with no elevation gain. Short, not crowded and pretty.

In the park drive through and over to the east side. Stop at the pull outs and see it all. West side usually has moose around the Colorado River(more of a creek there). Great views of the Never Summer range from the West side. The hikes on the west side are long. On the East side the there are shorter hikes near Bear Lake. Emerald Lake is a great hike if you are up to it. If not Alberta Falls from the Glacier Gorge lot is short and great. Maybe 1.5 miles round trip and 300' gain. You'll see a ton of elk on the east side of the park and in Estes.

A cool drive home from Estes is to take Hwy7 south down to Peak to Peak Hwy. It'll take you through Allenspark, Ward and Nederland. Take 119 from Ned into Boulder.

Bison is pretty meh. Elk tastes like beef.

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I say this all the time but you should take 40 over Berthoud Pass and get to RMNP that way.

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When I was looking at the map, I thought that would be a logical way to see the park, especially since most people are going east to west along trail ridge Rd. A friend said the drive to Grand lake this way is not very scenic though.

We're staying near Golden, so I figured one day we could spend some time going to Red Rocks, Mt Evans, and St Mary's Glacier (if it's worth seeing). Then the next day make the look through Winter Park, Grand Lake, head east on trail ridge, double back up the old fall River Rd, then head back taking Hwy 7.

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Bison is pretty meh. Elk tastes like beef.

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I was thinking about going to Smokin Dave's BBQ in Estes and having the Buffalo ribs. I don't know a good place to eat elk. I saw Biker Jim's has elk sausage.