Best trails in Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular natural parks featuring incredible mountain scenery. It is known for its alpine and subalpine lakes, peak hikes, and wildlife. You'll often catch a glimpse of an elk, moose, or marmot driving or hiking in the park. The park is also known for Trail Ridge Road, a jaw-dropping feat of engineering that takes visitors over the Continental Divide from Grand Lake to Estes Park. The road typically closes between October and June every year. The park features seventy-six mountains each over ten thousand feet tall. Equally enjoyable on foot or from your car. You can explore four stunning ecosystems within the park: montane, subalpine, alpine tundra, and riparian.
The park is easily accessible by shuttle from Denver International Airport and many shuttles run between the various trailheads, the Moraine Park Visitor Center, and even the Glacier Basin Campgrounds. Shuttles are a great way to get around the park since it is often crowded and parking is limited. There is no reliable cell service in the park, so it is a good idea to download your AllTrails maps ahead of time for hiking, biking, walking, and scenic drives within the park.
Like most National Parks, dogs are not allowed in most parts of Rocky Mountain National Park. Dogs are not allowed on any trails in the park, tundra, or any area off of a paved developed road. Dogs are only allowed on leash on roads, in campgrounds, and in parking lots.
Rocky Mountain National Park requires a permit and campsite reservation for overnight camping in the wilderness. Backpackers must also follow specific regulations when camping overnight. For more information, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/wilderness-overnight-backpacking.htm
Top trails
Visitor info
1-Day Motorcycle Entrance Pass. This pass is valid for one private motorcycle to enter RMNP for one day only. One pass is good for one motorcycle (including all riders). Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at the any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
7-Day Motorcycle Entrance Pass. This park entrance pass is valid for one motorcycle to enter RMNP for 7 consecutive days (including all riders). Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at the any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
1-Day Per Person Entrance Pass. This park entrance fee is for individuals, walk-ins, bicycles, and non-commercial groups to enter RMNP for 1-day only. Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at the any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
7-Day Per Person Entrance Pass. This park entrance fee is for individuals, walk-ins, bicycles, and non-commercial groups to enter RMNP for 7 consecutive days. Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at the any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
1-Day Vehicle Entrance Pass. This pass is valid for one private vehicle to enter RMNP for one day only. All passengers inside the vehicle are covered. Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
7-Day Vehicle Entrance Pass. This vehicle entrance pass is valid for one vehicle to enter RMNP for 7 consecutive days. All passengers inside the vehicle are covered. Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at the any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
RMNP Park-specific Annual Pass. This park pass is valid for entry to RMNP only for 1 year. One pass is good for one passholder and may be used in any personal vehicle. Park entrance passes may be purchased in person at the any of the park's entrance stations or in advance online at www.recreation.gov.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The visitor centers, bookstores, and information desks are all accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers. The visitor centers also have wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains. Park films at the Beaver Meadows and Kawuneeche Village Visitor Centers include closed captioning.
An all-terrain wheelchair can be checked out at no cost. Call the main park number (970-586-1206) for more information or to make a reservation.
The park brochure is available in braille and large print. Assistive listening devices and sign language interpretation services are available but require advanced notice to guarantee availability (two weeks is suggested for assisted listening devices and a month for sign language interpreters).
Additional information about accessibility at Rocky Mountain National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
The summer shuttle buses that operate along the Bear Lake corridor are wheelchair accessible. Call Rocky Mountain Transit at (970) 577-7477 to learn about Town of Estes Park shuttle buses.
Electric Personal Assistance Mobility Devices (EPAMD), such as Segways, are allowed for people with disabilities in certain areas, including sidewalks, parking lots, roads closed to motor vehicles, and four trails.
The visitor centers, bookstores, and information desks are all mobility equipment accessible. The visitor centers also have wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains. Park films at the Beaver Meadows and Kawuneeche Village Visitor Centers include closed captioning.
There are wheelchair accessible picnic tables and restrooms at several trailheads, including Lily Lake, Sprague Lake, and Coyote Valley. Many of the overlooks along Trail Ridge Road have designated accessible parking.
There are both “front-country” and “back-country” wheelchair accessible camping sites at various locations.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Trail reviews for Rocky Mountain National Park
This was one of our very favorite hikes in Rocky Mountain national Park! It wasn’t crowded, but it wasn’t empty either. So many waterfalls on the way up, you are definitely beside the river most of the way. The only part that wasn’t fantastic was from. Ouzel Falls to the signage for Bluebird lake. During that section, there was a little bit more sun exposure, no mosquitoes, but the flies were biting!!! The wildflowers were gorgeous. It had a great elevation game, but it wasn’t all at once. It was very spread out. And that last view when you come around the corner to the lake is just dropped dead gorgeous!!!!! Definitely a must do hike!!!!!
Absolutely beautiful hike! New favorite in Rocky Mountain National Park! Got here at 7am and easily found a spot. Great trail conditions.
This has to be one of the most underrated hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Ouzel Falls is fairly popular, but beyond that, there aren't many people at all. It's a long hike, but the incline is moderate until the end when it gets a bit steep there is a large snow field right before the lake at the end. We managed without spikes on the way up and then glissaded down. The lake is absolutely gorgeous. Ouzel Lake isn't quite as pretty, but I thought it was still worth a stop on the way back. We started at 6am and had no issue getting parking. There's an outhouse at the trailhead.
I went clockwise around the loop and I’m happy I did. Even though the initial elevation gain was significant, it was a very quiet 8 miles or so until I reached Gem Lake. At that point the number of people increased significantly and it changed the vibe. This loop goes through such beautiful landscape and there’s enough variation to hold your interest and draw your eye to new sights along the way. The wildflowers were especially beautiful and in an array of colors. The hard rating is well earned but I could see how this would make a nice overnight and allow you to savor the effort. Campsites in the meadow behind Lumpy Ridge looked really inviting. One important detail: timed passes to Rocky Mountain National Park are required if you’re going in the main gate. But at this particular trailhead a timed pass is only required until 2 PM. I arrived right at 2 so was able to park easily. There were ample spaces open by that point in the day.
I’ve been to Rocky Mountains NP multiple times and this trail was by far my favorite! Oh gosh those views!
The earlier the better, gets very crowded after a while, not strenuous hike but with stellar views and a true display of what Rocky Mountains really bring to offer 10/10 would recommend