Loved it! Better than most of the hikes in RMNP! Cool cliff formations & good elevation. Lake was…read morenot exciting...but the views were amazing!!

8.12.2025 I arrived at 7am on the dot to hike gem lake. I'm so thankful that I arrived early to…read moreavoid the crowds, and when I arrived to the lake I had the place to myself, the water was like glass and the sun was still not high in the sky which provided the most beautiful reflections off the lake which made for some wonderful photos. In all I enjoyed this hike very much, everything about it was very enjoyable. On the hike down I encountered a lot of people headed up at the 8 o'clock hour. So I feel I timed my hike perfectly.

With the mandatory timed entry to Bear Lake Road, we got lucky to secure a time to explore this…read morearea of Rocky Mountain National Park. This was our first stop on our hike heading into the forrest and it was an easy climb. These falls are loud and proud plus incredibly pretty. The falls thunder down Glacier Creek due to the heavy snowmelt. It's definitely a favorite spot for many people as it's only 1.6 miles so it's easy to access. Remember to pace yourself due to the altitude. I witnessed lots of huffing and puffing from people having to stop and catch their breath. We stayed long enough to take some pics and watch the falls and then moved on. Plenty of seating all around the falls for everyone. It's great short hike for those that just want to feel like they are "out there". Views are truly epic as is the entire park. Parking earlier in the day can be challenging. I recomment arriving very early or come later in the afternoon to secure a spot. Remember to pack in, pack out and LEAVE NO TRACE.

Super short walk to see falls off the super cool one-way dirt road up to the highest peak in RMNP!read more

This park is so heavily visited, so there are multiple visitor centers to help spread the load of…read moreaddressing all of the questions that tourists may have. Seriously, millions of visitors enjoy the park every year. I stayed in the gateway town of Estes Park, which is literally minutes away from the park entrance. I did the Nymph, Dream, Emerald, and Haiyaha Lakes via Nymph Lake Trail, as well as Bear Lake. The trails were in great condition, and even though the trails were heavily trafficked, everyone was pretty courteous. The views were simply amazing. Do note that you might need to be acclimated to the higher atmosphere (=thinner air) and so hiking may be more difficult than your usual if you're coming from lower elevations. I visited during elk mating season, and while I did see elk in the park, I saw even more in the parks of Estes Park!

Lived in denver for 17 years, traveled all over the world and this is my first trip to RMNP. Wow,…read morewhat was I thinking waiting so long. One of the Crown Jewels of the National Park Service, RMNP sits just outside of Estes Park and 90 minutes from Denver. We camped at Moraine Park and with that came a guaranteed timed entry and all access to the park. It was the perfect way to avoid booking entry to the park and separate booking for Bear Lake area. Our campsite had a phenomenal view on Long's Peak and was walking distance to Elk meadow. Every morning and evening we were front row to the bull elk bugling and enjoyed a great camping experience. We saw so much wildlife but the stand outs were, Moose. Elk. Deer. Coyotes. Fox. Marmot. Pika. Blue Jay. The park is a spectacular spotlight on the Rocky Mountains. We hiked from meadows to mountain tops and enjoyed many epic views and endless fresh air. Got caught in a big rain storm and watched a hiker find his missing keys!! Please note, elk meadow is restricted a bit during this time to let the elk mate. We watched a coupled disregard that and wander down to get wedding photos near the elk herd, wedding dress and all. Park security did not find that amusing. I'm sure those were very expensive wedding photos lol. So much to see and experience. Now I understand why every tourist coming to Colorado needs to see this park.

Twin sisters is a 7.5 mile 2500 feet elevation gain round trip hike. From end of may to mid…read moreoctober you will need a time reservation permit if arriving between 9 am to 3 pm. The parking lot is small. Lily lake is across the road and that also has a small lot. You can park up the road a bit closer to the TH on the right hand side of the road but there is also not a ton of parking on the road side. If you are in decent shape i would call this to be more moderate. It is a steady incline. The first stretch is in the shade. Once you get above treeline you get some really amazing views. Also above treeline the trail is very rocky. Be sure to wear good shoes. The views at the top are stunning, definitely worth it. The only sad part of this trail, and only reason i will not be back anytime soon is because no dogs are allowed.

Great trail! Definitely steep and difficult in some parts and moderate in others. The parking lot…read morewas surprisingly not full around 9 am on a Saturday. Beautiful views and nice trail for all the people but not too crowded. There are lots of bugs so definitely recommend bug spray at this time even though there isn't any water on the trail. Some shade but can get hot so wear lots of sunscreen.

A personal favorite of mine for hiking in RMNP, Lumpy Ridge is a go to all year long!…read more Enter the trail at the trailhead located outside of the park off of MacGregor Ranch. You will need to pass through some gates, and will pass through personal property- Pay Respect! There is some healthy ups and downs on the short circuit that loops you back to the parking lot, but the views are fantastic, the scenery and wildlife never disappoint, it's another beautiful day in the mountains!

We came in late to Estes Park and wanted to fit in a hike before dark. One of the locals…read morerecommended this trail, and after some research, saw it was highly rated for the area. It's a pretty easy hike, be warned it can be steep at times, but if you're mostly fit, you'll be able to do it. There were a few icy patches at times, but I was fine in regular boots. The views going up just keep getting better and better, they were all so beautiful. You HAVE to check out the bathroom near the top as that might be one of the best views the whole hike! The small lake at the top was pretty, especially iced over, but nothing compared to the views on the actual hike. It was a really awesome, cool trail in the middle of Estes park without having to pay to get into the Rocky Mountain National Park, and it was super easy to get to. I would highly recommend.

We had so much fun strolling about the lake looking for moose and yay saw two. It made our day. We…read morespotted a lizard in the water which was also very special.

I enjoyed visiting Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Not only is it a pretty lake, it is a…read moregreat spot for bird watching and to see wildlife up close. The ground squirrels were fun and entertaining to watch. Because they are used to people feeding them, they come right up to you and beg. The short trail around the lake is easy and level. It is about 0.8 miles round trip and offers great views of Longs Peak, Mount Meeker and Twin Sisters. If you want something more challenging, you can jump on the Storm Pass Trail from here. Rocky Mountain Park requires a online timed entry reservation made in advance during peak season.

Nice place to fish, get cooled down and for me hammock and read! My husband caught a handful of…read morefish near the power plant.

Beautiful lake in Estes park! There are lots of outdoor tables making this a great picnic spot…read more Also a great place for water sports on a warm day. It's even nice just to drive by and see the wildlife.

Sprague Lake is located on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park, along the scenic Bear…read moreLake Road Corridor. The lake sits at about 8,700 feet, with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks and the Continental Divide. The 0.7-0.8 mile loop around the lake is peaceful, scenic, and especially family-friendly. The trail is stroller accessible, which made it perfect for exploring with our baby. We loved the reflections on the water, the mountain backdrop, and the peaceful alpine setting. A wonderful, easygoing stop in Rocky Mountain National Park--especially if you're traveling with little ones and want beautiful scenery without a strenuous hike.

This lake has a nice scenic trail around it. The hike itself is half a mile long and easy to walk…read moreon. Sprague Lake is located off Bear Lake Road and has plenty of parking. It is a quiet peaceful lake to enjoy and is wheelchair accessible. Sprague Lake is one of the most popular places to fish at in Rocky Mountain National Park because it has an abundance of trout. I swung by here after spending most of my day at Bear Lake and enjoyed a nice walk around the lake after a long day. Sprague Lake is named after Abner E. Sprague who created this man-made lake. He once had a home here and opened a lodge for hunting and fishing. Sprague then added cabins to the property and made it a hotel in the early 1900's. This area eventually became a part of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Given the large group sizes, the last members to clip in after training lose up to 15 minutes while…read morewaiting on other participants getting onto the platforms ahead of them. The environment would also benefit from providing more observation seating and from mounting tarps above the course to provide shade. The obstacles themselves were mostly engaging and varied.

Professional and safety driven operation - Tim, Cindy, and Nicole were all awesome! My daughter (8)…read moreand I had an fantastic experience clearing the obstacles, there's plenty of variation and skill levels for all to enjoy. I liked that you can navigate the course as you wish, as there's no set path, and taking a bathroom or water break is easy. Staff are very friendly, encouraging, and obviously having fun themselves. Bravo!