Rocky Mountain National Park stands as a majestic testament to the breathtaking wonders of nature. With pristine alpine lakes, snow capped peaks, and abundant wildlife, Rocky Mountain National Park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. In this post, we will discuss our must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park and help you start planning your next adventure today!
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
1. Trail Ridge Road
Driving the famed Trail Ridge Road is widely considered the top choice for must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. Soaring to a high point of 12,183 feet, Trail Ridge Road offers spectacular views of the surrounding Rocky Mountains as well as a glimpse into a beautiful and unique alpine world rarely visible to the casual traveler. It’s actually the highest continuous paved road in the entire USA as well.
Trail Ridge Road pierces through the heart of the National Park from Estes Park in the east to Grand Lake in the west. The road is 48 miles in each direction and typically takes visitors 2-3 hours each way depending on how often and long you plan to stop along the route. The road is seasonal and opening and closing dates vary depending on weather conditions. Overall, visitors can typically enjoy this road from Memorial Day until later October, we just recommend you check the National Park website (HERE) to make sure the road is scheduled to be open during your visit. Before continuing note that the park is now on a timed entry system for the summer and fall months. Check the current timed entry specifics HERE if needed.
The main draws of Trail Ridge Road are the many breathtaking viewpoints and abundance of wildlife along the journey. Wildlife commonly seen along the road include Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, Deer, and Marmots just to name a few. Regarding scenic viewpoints, our top two not to miss spots are Many Parks Curve and Forest Canyon Overlook; however, many other spectacular views are spattered along the road as well!
In addition to views and wildlife, other unique features that make Trail Ridge Road the top choice for must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park include an abundance of early summer alpine wildflowers, visiting the Alpine Visitor Center (the highest National Park Visitor Center in the US), and exploring Milner Pass at the Continental Divide.
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
2. Emerald Lake Trail
The Emerald Lake Trail is a very popular hike and one of the top must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. From the Bear Lake Trailhead, the Emerald Lake Trail climbs through groves of aspens and ponderosa pine, past two other picturesque alpine lakes, and along numerous scenic vistas before ending at the famed Emerald Lake.
Here are some last few notes on the Emerald Lake Trail. The trail begins at Bear Lake, where parking fills up fast. Plan on arriving early especially during the peak months of summer and early fall. Secondly, fishing is permitted and actually quite popular at Dream Lake, so consider bringing a pole and planning for a little mid-hike fishing break if interested. Lastly, note that even during the early summer months, the trail is over 9,500ft and may have some to possibly even a lot of snow. Consider contacting the National Park prior to your visit and even consider buying or renting over the shoe crampons if ice and snow seems to be a problem. Your unbruised bottom will thank you! We went in early June and the trail between Dream Lake and Emerald Lake in particular was covered with snow and ice prompting slow going and falling people everywhere.
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
3. Alberta Falls
Alberta Falls is a thunderous 30 foot waterfall ranking as one of our top must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a beautiful and very popular hiking destination for all ages and abilities. Alberta Falls are at their most majestic during early summer during the snow melt as well as during fall (when everything is just more beautiful). Large sun soaked slabs of rock also offer visitors the perfect opportunity to enjoy a rest or even a picnic when enjoying the sights and sounds of the falls.
Alberta Falls is accessible in two ways. The most common route is from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. This route is an easy 1.2 mile round trip hike with only 160 feet of elevation gain. The second route descends approximately 1 mile from the Bear Lake Trailhead. This moderate trail somewhat steeply descends from the Bear Lake Trailhead and some would find it challenging to hike back up. On our last visit, we parked at the Bear Lake Parking Lot, hiked the Bear Lake and Emerald Lake Trails and then proceeded to end with hiking to Alberta Falls from the Bear Lake Trailhead. After hiking down to the falls, rather than hiking the 1 mile back up to Bear Lake, we decided to hike the flatter 0.6 miles to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead where we took the free park shuttle back up to the Bear Lake Parking lot.
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
4. Bear Lake Trail
The Bear Lake Hike is perhaps the most popular in the park and is certainly one of our must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Bear Lake hiking trail is located in the Bear Lake Corridor portion of the park. Due to the popularity of the “Bear Lake Corridor” a different timed entry (known as Park Access +) is required to access this part of the park (found HERE). The Bear Lake Corridor is basically a road with several popular destinations including Moraine Park, the Glacier Gorge parking lot (access to Alberta Falls and other hikes), and the Bear Lake parking lot (which provides access to several trails including the Bear Lake, Alberta Falls, and Emerald Lake trails).
The Bear Lake hike itself is short and simple. The 0.6 mile loop takes approximately 30 minutes and is perfect for small children and less mobile folks. On a clear day, this pristine alpine lake is surrounded by mountains and is a peaceful and beautiful place. There are bathrooms and a small visitor stand at the trailhead. The visitor stand typically has some interesting relics from the park (like elk antlers and such) and the enthusiastic rangers are eager to provide information and recommendations on making the most of your day in the area. The Bear Lake trail is quite short however several other trails also leave from the same trailhead making the quick jaunt around Bear Lake worth the 30 minutes, even for experienced hikers, in our opinion.
The Bear Lake parking lot is VERY BUSY so consider arriving early to best obtain a spot. For those unable to find parking, fear not. The Bear Lake shuttle leaves every 10-15 minutes throughout the summer/fall season making a loop stopping along other parking lots on the way. For the shuttle, the easiest parking would be found at the “Park and Ride” lot, however you could park at the Bierstadt Lake or Glacier Gorge Trailheads for shuttle pickup as well. Shuttle schedule found HERE!
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
5. Moraine Park
Moraine Park is an awe-inspiring place where visitors look out upon an expansive meadow flanked on all sides by the towering rockies. Moraine Park is beautiful in its own right however is mainly known as the quintessential spot for wildlife viewing. During September and October, innumerable elk descend into the valley during the rut putting on a performance bringing visitors from far and wide.
Even outside of the fall rut, Moraine Park is one of our must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park due simply to its unrivaled vastness and beauty. Moraine Park has its own campground, provides access to the Club Lake and Fern Lake Trails, and is a great spot for viewing sunsets. There is also an interesting Discovery Center at Moraine Park. The Discovery Center provides sweeping views of Moraine Park, ranger programs, and a small museum and gift shop.
Lastly, note that Moraine Park is also a park of the Bear Lake Corridor and therefore requires a “Park Access +” reservation to enjoy.
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
6. Alpine Visitor Center
As previously mentioned, the Alpine Visitor Center is another of our must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. Located at 11,796 feet, the Alpine Visitor Center is the highest in the National Park Service and truly makes one believe they are on top of the world.
The Visitor Center is located along trail ridge road and as such is open seasonally (Typically from June to October). The center offers sweeping views of the surrounding valleys, food and beverages at the gift shop, as well as other displays providing information on the park. The Alpine Visitor Center also provides access to the Alpine Ridge Trail. This 0.6 mile round trip hike is easy, but due to the elevation of up to 12,000ft, prepare accordingly.
Must Do Activities in Rocky Mountain National Park
7. Spot Wildlife
Spotting Wildlife doesn’t require much effort in Rocky Mountain National Park. Simply driving the Trail Ridge Road, we saw marmots, elk herds, moose, mule deer, and many different species of birds. Guests also often see bighorn sheep and occasionally mountain goats as well.
Wildlife spotting is a main tourism draw and one of our must do activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. The best spots for wildlife spotting are Moraine Park and simply driving over the expanse of Trail Ridge Road. Fortunately, the wildlife is virtually in abundance everywhere and visitors are often lucky spotting fascinating creatures along most other roads in the park as well.
Please note that approaching or feeding wildlife is illegal and can result in a fine. It’s also not particularly ethical and often results in animals becoming habituated to people until they are eventually either put down for aggression or struck by traffic. If you’re looking to view any particular animal, we’d recommend asking some park rangers who may be able to direct you to specific hot spots for that time of year.
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