This is the first stop and Visitor Center when you enter the park. We checked with a Ranger who…read moregave us a map and information about things to see. There is also a short movie about the park which we found very interesting. Don't miss it.

The staff was amazing and the Ranger was so helpful and was able to give us tips and guidance…read morethrough the Rocky Mountains to maximize our visit. I told her exactly what I was looking for and she was able to point us in the right direction. The only reason I did not give a 5 Star is because the store was compact for such a popular National Park. It needs more floor space and better flow.

Elk hang out around the surrounding area here! I've never seen Elk up close, so this was a treat!…read more This Visitor Center is great for tourists as well as locals. Parking is plentiful. There's a parking lot out front which fills up with people watching the Elk, walking around here, & taking the shuttle buses into town and to the Rocky Mountain National Park. You can obtain lots of free information on the Estes Park area including outdoor activities, lodging, activities around town, dining, & shopping. During the peak summer season, you can take the free town shuttles to this Visitor Center, then transfer from here to the free RMNP shuttles. Avoid parking and traffic issues during the busiest times of the year. Outside are some green areas (parklets), a pedestrian bridge that will take you across the river (where we saw Elk), some art, and the Estes Park Veterans Monument. It's a nice place to wander while stretching your legs.

A fantastic resource for visitors that offers free parking, free trolleys with a diversity of…read moreroutes, restrooms, and a nice gift shop. It's located on the river walk that gives you access to shops and restaurants. Or catch a trolley for venues further afield. The elk also tend to show up near the center.

This is a great visitor center to learn more about the seasons and how it intersects with the…read moreecology of the park, as well as a starting point if you are overwhelmed with what to do in the park and its surrounding areas. As you enter, you're greeted with a large statue of a bull elk. Great place to take photos. Meander through the exhibits, and stop at the gift shop which has the usual offerings of shirts, mugs, post cards, books, and trinkets. The information desk is staffed with rangers who are more than happy to answer your questions. I got some great restaurant recommendations from them. The visitor center is located right outside one of the entrances of the park, so you can also pay for an America the Beautiful Annual Pass if you're so inclined.

We stopped here thinking it was an information center but it is mostly a gift shop. We did get some…read moregood information from one of the Rangers about entering the national park, so the stop was worth it. The visitor center is located just a few minutes from the Fall River entrance. There are some small exhibits but mostly it is a gift shop. While in the gift shop, the wife found a very cute t-shirt of RMNP that was on sale. So it was a worthwhile stop all the way around.

Nice scenic overlook from Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. At around 12,000 feet…read moreelevation, this overlook gives you a nice view of the Never Summer Mountains and the Gore Range. The jagged peaks of the Gore Range are named for Sir St George Gore, an Irish aristocrat who went on a hunting expedition in the area in the 1850's. The Never Summer Mountains were created by volcanic activity between 29 and 24 million years ago. There is a small parking lot near the overlook that you can park at. I made a short stop here after visiting the nearby Alpine Visitor Center. The overlook can only be accessed in the summer months because Trail Ridge Road closes during the winter season.

A mile from Lava Cliffs Overlook, passing the Trail Ridge Summit, you arrive at Gore Range…read moreOverlook. Gorge Range is the highest point of the road at 12,183 feet and naturally offers dramatic snow-covered mountain views. Up ahead is the Alpine Visitor Center which makes a great stopping point if you're ready to head back. This is one of the best places to get a view of the west of the park, with spectacular views of the Gore Range mountains, which run for sixty miles. next stop--the Alpine Visitor Centre

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.

This a beautiful small town located at the foot of the Rocky Mountain National Park. There is a…read morefree trolly that will take you around town and stop at various places to let you off to tour around and then you can get back on when you want to. There are small stops everywhere that are fun to shop around in at your leisure.

While visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, I spent some time in Estes Park after each day in the…read morepark. You have to go through this town to get to a couple of the park entrances. I grabbed dinner at a few restaurants and spent some time in Stanley Park. The view of Lake Estes from the park is stunning. The downtown area in Estes Park has a number of restaurants and retail stores. For activities, there is an Aerial Tramway to Prospect Mountain's summit or you can jump on a jeep tour. If you love outdoor activities, this is a great place to visit. Sadly, there was a huge wildfire going on when I was here that caused a lot of smoke. But overall, Estes Park is a great town to visit and has lots to do.

Bear Lake is the signature trail to do at Rocky Mountain National Park, and for this very reason,…read moreit's extremely crowded! I opted to eat a light, quick breakfast, and hit the road early in the morning to beat out the crowds. That way, I could enjoy lunch back in town in Estes Park too. To help manage crowding, if you're planning a visit you might need a timed entry + bear lake road reservation depending on the season you're visiting. This is not something you want to do on the fly unless you want to risk not being able to visit. This stroll isn't very long and it gives amazing views of forests, mountain peaks, and of course Bear Lake. Continue on the trail to Nymph, Dream & Emerald Lakes. I would say that these hikes are definitely worth the effort!

Bear Lake is located on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park, in the popular Bear Lake…read moreRoad Corridor. It was absolutely beautiful, with the lake surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks and a peaceful alpine setting. We spotted adorable chipmunks and beautiful blue-feathered birds along the way, which made the experience even more memorable. The roughly half-mile walk around the lake was manageable with our baby in a stroller and was a wonderful family-friendly way to experience the park. A beautiful and easy-to-enjoy stop that I would definitely recommend when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park!

We've been to Estes Park several times and I can't believe that I have not reviewed the Riverwalk…read morebefore because it is one of my favorite aspects of Estes. You pick up the walking path at the Visitors Center and it will take you along the river to downtown. Aling the way there are restaurants and lots of stores. The best part for me are the benches where I like to sit and listen to the river as I meditate. Along the walking path there are chimes for kids (and adults) to play. To me this is a must-do if you are in Estes. It is an about one mile walk that is thoroughly enjoyable. The beauty of the river makes the walk peaceful and serene.

Beautiful shady walk! Lots of pretty bridges to cross. Lots of benches next to creek for stopping…read moreto take in the view. I was able to breastfeed my son at one of the benches which was nice.

The trail around the lake is busy but beautiful! We were captivated by all of the views and cute…read moredogs on leashes. The trail is smooth and pretty flat overall especially on the first half. There is parking all around the lake. There was not a lot of shade but fortunately it was in the mid 70s so not too bad. We opted to park at the visitor center and walk over. The center has nice bathrooms and a gift shop so that was a nice thing for us too. If you like easy walks or bike rides with great views be sure to add this to the list!

My absolute favorite running trail! I ran in the morning and it wasn't too crowded, weather was…read moregreat, felt safe, and it was beautiful. The only issue I had was wanting to stop and take pictures instead of running. There were elk a couple mornings, but I didn't see them everyday :( The trail is 3.7 miles around with a few big hills. There's a parking garage and a few lots throughout, including a camping area. The welcome center is nearby to get water or use the bathroom, and there are bathrooms near the bike/ boat rental place but their water fountains weren't working. I love this trail and recommend running here if you're visiting the area!

We signed up for the Panoramic Peaks Tour for Tuesday September 15. When we got there we found out…read morethat we would be the only 2 on the tour. We lucked into a private tour of Roosevelt National Forest. Our guide, Jay was very personable, friendly and knowledgeable. He seemed like a cool guy, relatable and interesting. He took us to a "super secret" spot, showed us some incredible views and schooled us up on the trees and animals who live there. The tower was impressive. We heard a lot more stories and facts there. As we left the tower he asked us, "since it's just the two of you, you can chose, do you want to go back and see more panoramic views or do you want to take the roller coaster back?" We chose the later. It was an absolute crazy time! Jay was really good at reading "the room". As we finished that segment he told us that he usually drives twice that fast. Holy wow. What he offered during the whole 3 hour adventure was perfect! This was definitely a highlight of our trip!

C.E was an amazing host/ tour guide. We had the best time and saw the most beautiful scenery ! We…read morehighly recommend and also the gal inside was so pleasant and helpful