Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the United States, greeting more than 4.5 million annual visitors with rugged postcard-perfect peaks, glistening lakes and webs of trails through various ecosystems. Rocky Mountain National Park Basics Located between Estes Park and Grand Lake , the 415-square-mile high-country playground draws family vacationers, hikers, wildlife watchers, rock climbers and photographers all year. Rocky Mountain National Park is just under a two-hour drive from Denver and an hour’s drive from Boulder . The park boasts a wide range of activities that include summiting 14,259-foot Longs Peak, camping in the expansive backcountry, hiking to waterfalls and alpine lakes and, of course, wildlife viewing.
Things to Know
Explore by Topic
Everything you need to know before you go. Don’t see your question? Our AI concierge is one tap away.
The park does charge an entry fee that ranges from $15 to $35 (and it’s free if you have a valid U.S. Park Pass). In addition, there’s also a reservation system in place during its peak season of early May to October that requires timed-entry permits. Learn about Rocky Mountain National Park’s timed-entry permit system
A seasonal Bustang route will take you to Estes Park and the national park from downtown Denver from late May to early October. Additionally, the park runs a Hiker Shuttle seven days a week from late May through early September and weekends through October. The shuttle runs from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the RMNP Park & Ride Transit Hub, where you can transfer to other park shuttles. A park-entrance pass and reservation for the Hiker Shuttle are needed.
Though the park is open year-round, certain sections are closed seasonally due to snowfall and hazardous conditions or to protect wildlife habitats. Check for RMNP closures before you head out
Colorado Wildlife at Rocky Mountain National Park Large herds of elk, flocks of bighorn sheep and numerous mule deer and moose live in the park. For the best photography lighting and opportunities to spot massive bugling elk, head to Moraine Park just after sunrise in autumn. View bighorn sheep at Sheep Lakes from May to mid-August and try to catch a glimpse of RMNP’s elusive moose population along the Colorado River in the Kawuneeche Valley on the park's west side.
Find tips for keeping both you and Colorado’s wildlife safe In addition to big game, the park is also home to many smaller creatures. It’s likely you’ll hear the chirping whistle of yellow-bellied marmots before you see them, especially at the Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road . Throughout the park, you might also spot pika scrambling through alpine rocks, along with chipmunks, snowshoe hare and tufted-ear Abert’s squirrels.
Plan Your Visit
Soak up the beauty of the park’s landscape on some of its 350 miles of hiking trails. Choose from flat lakeside walks to steeper, more challenging mountain climbs. The easy .6-mile Bear Lake Trail is a popular hike featuring an interpretive nature trail hugging a subalpine lake at the end of Bear Lake Road. Or trek a moderately challenging 4 miles round trip to Lake Haiyaha — a mountain-rimmed gem that turned a milky sapphire color after a 2022 rockslide.