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Best trails in Rocky Mountain National Park

Best trails in Rocky Mountain National Park

4.6(246,810 reviews)

·

United States
#4 of 60 national parks

Want to find the best trails in Rocky Mountain National Park for an adventurous hike or a family trip? AllTrails has 231 great trails for hiking, camping, and backpacking and more. Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. Ready for your next hike or bike ride? Explore one of 31 easy hiking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park that are great for the whole family. Looking for a more strenuous hike? We've got you covered, with trails ranging from 0 to 7,519 feet in elevation gain. Whatever you have planned for the day, you can find the perfect trail for your next trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Visitor info

Contact
Passes & fees
Starting at $15
Accessibility
Phone
(970) 586-1206
Entrance pass
Motorcycle

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.

$25
Purchase pass
Motorcycle

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.

$30
Purchase pass
Per Person

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.

$15
Purchase pass
Per Person

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.

$20
Purchase pass
Private Vehicle

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.

$30
Purchase pass
Private Vehicle

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.

$35
Purchase pass
Annual pass
Park

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.

$70
Purchase pass
All U.S. national parks

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.

$80
Purchase pass
2025 Fee-free days

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

Overview

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.

Transportation

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.

Facilities

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.

Camping

There are both “front-country” and “back-country” wheelchair accessible camping sites at various locations.

Service animals

Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.

Trail reviews for Rocky Mountain National Park

188,547 trailgoers Busiest in July
Jun 21, 2025Hiking
Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableGreat conditionsGreat views

Make sure to bring a wide brimmed hat as there’s no shades in lots of portions of the trail. There’s no water facilities at the trail head so come prepared and or bring a water filter. It was probably just me but Google Maps led me astray after awhile so when you see the BIG: « Rocky Mountain North Inlet » sign go in that direction. The « Sides » of these trails are on private property….and you have to actually leave the « main » Rocky Mountain National Park area in order to get to the North Inlet Trails.

Conditions: Blowdown, Bugs, Muddy, Overgrown, Rocky, Scramble, Private property, Dusty, Obstructions, Wildflowers, Dry ground
Cascade Falls
Jun 18, 2025Hiking
Great conditionsGreat views

We loved this easy going hike to Ouzel Falls in RMNP's Wild Basin area. Saw Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades on the way and made note of the different campsites in case we want to revisit for a future, short backpacking trip. Wildflowers are making themselves known. We reached the parking lot by 8:15 and got one of the last spots. Would recommend showing up by 7 AM during the week in the summer before it gets warm. We would totally do this hike again. Timed entry reservations are only needed from 9 AM to 2 PM this year. So if you arrive earlier, no problem though. You do need a Park pass for Rocky Mountain national Park though.

Conditions: Wildflowers, Well maintained
Ouzel Falls via Wild Basin Trail
Jun 16, 2025Hiking
Easy to parkNot crowdedGreat conditionsGreat views

Beautiful variety of valleys, forests, and mountains. Great trail conditions, but some rocky areas and high stairs. Amazing views of Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park.

Parking: Permit required, Entry fee, Free, Medium lot
Deer Mountain Trail
Jun 10, 2025Hiking
Bathrooms availableGreat conditionsGreat views

Tundra Community Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park

Toll Memorial Trail
Jun 12, 2025Via ferrata
Great views

A real sense of the Rocky Mountains!

Parking: Permit required, Entry fee, Large lot
Mills Lake, Black Lake, and Frozen Lake via Glacier Gorge Trail
Jun 8, 2025Hiking

The ice on Emerald Lake is breaking up. Nymph and Dream lakes have no ice.The snow makes great memories and photos. Plenty of hikers did not have shoe chains and went slower with far more slipping. Lots of people but no real complaints. Epic Rocky Mountain experience!

Emerald Lake Trail
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Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park?

According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park is Emerald Lake Trail, which has a 4.8 star rating from 21,992 reviews. This trail is 3.2 mi long with an elevation gain of 692 ft.

What is the longest trail in Rocky Mountain National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Rocky Mountain National Park is Grand Ditch. This trail is estimated to be 29.9 mi long.

How many trails are in Rocky Mountain National Park?

There are 231 trails in Rocky Mountain National Park. These trails have an average 4.6-star rating from 246,810 AllTrails community reviews.

Which trail has the most elevation gain in Rocky Mountain National Park?

If you're looking for elevation gain, Rocky Mountain National Park has you covered. Lake Nanita and Nokoni via Flattop Mountain and North Inlet Trail boasts the most elevation gain with 7,519 ft of total ascent. The park's runner-up is Longs Peak via Storm Pass and Longs Peak Trail, which will get you 7,112 ft of elevation gain.

Are there camping trails available in Rocky Mountain National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 106 camping trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and the most popular is Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge Trail with an average 4.9 star rating from 15,216 community reviews.

Are there running trails available in Rocky Mountain National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 95 running trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and the most popular is The Loch via Glacier Gorge Trail with an average 4.8 star rating from 5,338 community reviews.

Are there biking trails available in Rocky Mountain National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 4 biking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and the most popular is Chasm Falls via Old Fall River Road with an average 4.4 star rating from 957 community reviews.