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
There is not a parking lot at the trailhead. There is simply dedicated parking along the road at the trailhead but the parking lane wide enough that I was able to comfortably park my RV. We arrived fairly early to ensure that we got a place to park. The trail is easier than you might think when looking at the trail profile. Yes, there is a bit of elevation gain but it's gradual. So there is nothing terribly steep. The most steep part is at the very end, where there are some steps. There are beautiful views off BOTH sides of the trail on the way up and down and 360 degree views once you are at the top. Stunning. There were others on the trail but not nearly as many as what I experienced on some of the more popular trails in the park. So not overly crowded. Of course, this trail is inside the Rocky Mountain National Park, so you need to pay an entry fee or have a pass.
09/02 & 09/03 - 2 Day Backpacked (had to pick up permits in Estes, reserved Goblins Forest but they had Boulderfield availability) We started at 5:30pm backpacking up. Nobody else was hiking up at this time, we did see a handful hiking down. At Chasm lake turn off we took a break, ate some more food to recharge and use the restroom (bring TP). Four miles in we turned headlamps on, with a half moon, at about 8:30pm. Took our time and arrived at 10pm, camp set up and in sleeping bags by 10:45. Great conditions, minimal wind. Good to have long underwear and puffers. Gloves are a must! 6.11 miles and 3,344ft of elevation gain to Boulderfield. Day two we woke at 6:30am, had a slow start, filtered some water at the site, had breakfast, and did a half clean up of everything before starting at 7:45am. Most of the day hikers had passed us at this point. It was a slow trek to the top! We averaged .52mph for the 3.17miles up to the summit and back to the site. Summited at 11am and back to site at 2pm. Lots of exposure, the last 300 feet of the homestretch we found was the hardest, especially mentally, with it not having a lot of footing and it being a smooth, steep slab. Wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing the last part if any sort of ice or it being wet, we had amazing weather. Amazing 360 views at the top, you can see all of Rocky Mountain, Blue Lakes area, the front range and Indian Peaks Wilderness area! The trail itself was not as hard as we were expecting but did a lot of research and we also wouldn’t have felt comfortable going any faster. We finished down at the trailhead at 5:30pm. We were one of the last to summit and off the trail altogether. Wasn’t busy on a Wednesday, would’ve been nervous passing people on a crowded weekend at many spots between the keyhole and summit. Wonderful friendly group out hiking, checking in on and encouraging everybody! Everything went right, we were definitely nearing our physical limit on both days. Grateful to camp at the boulderfield, probably would’ve turned around trying to do it all in one day. Definitely recommend camping at the boulderfield, pending good weather! Any sort of strong winds, rain, ice build up or thunderstorms and we would’ve bailed. Make sure to listen to your body and not push it! It is long hike and the last mile and a half is the hardest technically and being at such a high elevation it’s good to repeatedly check in with how you’re doing. Remember it’s okay to bail!
Beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains and unique rock formations. The trail is mostly shaded. Friendly rangers are at the trailhead to answer questions, and midweek they don’t seem to check for passes or timed entry.
Loved this trail! Great way to avoid long lines at Rocky Mountain or needing a reservation during peak seasons, while still getting a great hike in the park!
This trail was rocky, prepare with appropriate shoes and strong knees. But the views are utterly stunning. The Rocky Mountains on either side of the valley offer beautiful views and it’s so quiet. No crowds, very few people. For the explorer with good shoes and patience for the rocks, it’s the best and most underrated hike in the park. Go enjoy it!