Was a fun park to take the kiddo while we were vacationing in the area. Lots of seating, not much…read moreshade on the playground itself in the morning.

Nice playground. We came by a couple of times to run out my toddler. Good sized basic playground.read more

Great service. No issues. Power outages minimal…read more Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Michael Cooper

I love coming here when I want to get away from the city and have a truly relaxing night or two. It…read moreis typically quiet, dark and can be very romantic. I personally love coming when it's snowing or when there is snow on the ground. In a clear night, you get the best view of the stars and sky. It's a hop skip and jump from Denver for a quick getaway, so I'm frequently here. There is no NO phone service, and please if coming in at night keep flashlights down to the ground as clothing is optional.

Obviously the location is amazing. Hard to beat hot springs in winter, especially since we were…read morelucky enough to be there while it was snowing. But service and accommodations? Negative stars. My husband and I just stayed two nights in the caboose for our anniversary. First impressions the caboose is adorable, but smells like the inside of a bong. Absolutely overwhelmingly rank. We opened all the doors and windows and used most of a bottle of febreeze we found under the sink to make it slightly more tolerable. Then when we pulled open the murphy bed we found someone else's dirty underwear. We let the attendant know, he apologized and told us he'd let his manager know and we should hear from her the next day. We watched him write a note for her. Heard absolutely nothing. No follow up whatsoever. We talked to another employee when we were checking out to let him know we left a pile of someone else's dirty laundry on the stoop and his response was "f***, I keep telling those guys they have to clean in there." Seriously not impressed for a $500 stay. On top of that the provided linens are one thin blanket, threadbare sheets and the saddest pillows you've ever slept on. I get that it's a rustic setting, but that's no excuse for a dirty, smelly room and cheapskate bedding. It was just gross.

Our goal was to hike to Emerald Lake, and let me tell you... It was 100% worth it. On this 3.6 mile…read moreroundtrip hike, you'll also encounter Nymph Lake and Dream Lake. While they're both beautiful in their own right, neither one of them compare to the sheer beauty of Emerald Lake with the snowy mountains as a backdrop. As I said, it is a moderate hike. We started around 930am - would've been nicer to start earlier, but it still beat the full heat of the noon sun. There will be intermittent shade, but make sure you bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water. We visited in mid June. Once we neared Dream Lake, we started encountering snow on the ground. I used hiking sandals, and I was able to do it in those - just be careful. That being said, with the amount of snow that was on the trail to Lake Haiyaha was completely un-doable in my shoes. Once you reach Emerald Lake, find a place to sit and just take it all in. I could've sat there all afternoon, just being at peace with nature. Absolutely gorgeous. To get to Emerald Lake, you'll need access to Bear Lake Road. Just be aware that Bear Lake Road requires a reservation SEPARATE from the reservation to the national park. There's a big lot at the trailhead, but it gets filled up. They do have a park & ride a few miles away with plenty of shuttles ready to bring you in. If you're able to make the hike, hiking to Emerald Lake is wonderful. The hike itself is gorgeous, and the final lake is beautiful. Plan it in your schedule, and you will not be disappointed.

After spending a part of my morning at Bear Lake, I decided to do this hike to Emerald Lake the…read moresecond part of the day. This hike starts at the beginning of the Bear Lake trailhead and is 1.8 miles one way (3.6 miles RT). I would say that it is a moderate hike that has some elevation climb to it. You will pass both Nymph Lake and Dream Lake along way. The views along the way are spectacular. Emerald Lake is nestled in between some mountains at an elevation of 10,111 feet. You can see Hallett Peak and the jagged spires of Flattop Mountain across this iconic alpine lake. In between the two mountains is the Tyndall Gorge. There were some small ripples in the water caused but a slight wind. Several people that hiked here jumped in and swam in the water. I ended up relaxing on a large rock and eating my lunch while enjoying the view. Emerald Lake starts at the beginning of the Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. To reach this trail, you must drive ten miles on Bear Lake Road after entering through the Beaver Meadows Entrance. There is a separate timed entry reservation that is required to access Bear Lake Road. If you are unable to find parking at the Bear Lake Trailhead, there is a free shuttle that you can ride to the trailhead.

The park was interesting, having a few springs on-site, the pond, and the riverwalk section. The…read moreplayground area and parking lot were small, but we had no issues at the time we arrived. The time-limited parking was a bit annoying, but the entire town has it so it is difficult to avoid. Others were having picnics and playing croquet in the large field. There's a huge elk status that was cool also.

Beautiful park with small parking lot and playground by the River walk. Large grass field and…read morebathrooms are further at Lincoln park

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!

The serenity and beauty are 5 star without a doubt. The lake is probably the single most visited…read morelocation in the entire RMNP. As such, it is incredibly over-crowded and over-touristed. The parking lots to the lake are full by 7am. The Park Service runs a shuttle from Estes Park (the visitor center) which is the way to go. You still need to buy an entrance permit to the park and a $2 permit to visit the lake, but avoiding the hassle of having a car in the park is worth it. The shuttle runs on a defined schedule which is available in the visitor center. They run a tight ship so buses leave promptly. If you do the shuttle (which is free) you need to buy a 1 day untimed pass to the national park (no vehicle). For the Bear Lake pass, you need to go online (recreation.gov) for RMNP the day before you intend to travel at 7pm. Do it quickly because spaces sell out quickly. You will want to reserve a specific time to get on the bus. For example, we did the 10am bus. The shuttle bus schedule is in the visitor center. They send your pass to your email that you show to driver. The lake itself is beautiful. The lake is a 256 feet "hike" from the entrance to the lake. In other words, it is so easy and accessible that everyone does it. When I say everyone, I mean imagine half the population of Manhattan. There are so many people that it is impossible to find any peace or quiet. Some people call this escaping to nature. At the Bear Lake entrance there are other hikes that range in length. The trip to Emerald lake is 1.8 miles and also very popular so expect large crowds. Overall, it is great to be in nature but the big downside is the crowds.

Weird name...is it a state forest, or a state park? Yes, yes it is. In any case, a ton of variety…read moreover the sprawling park, with hiking trails of all lengths, fishing, 4x4, and camping. Lake Agnes can be a bit crowded on the weekends, but for good reason; otherwise, crowds are pretty thin.

First of all, the drive from the Denver area is fantastic (once you get off of I-25). Stop at the…read moreMoose Visitor Center first to see where moose have been spotted and to chat with the staff. (The wire sculptor out front is worth the stop, too.) Note that there is great bird watching and chipmunk watching from the back patio of the Center and there's a great picnic table tucked away there as well. We went to the North Michigan campgrounds. The lake is beautiful, but our reserved camp site was beyond that, up the mountain on Franciscan Rd. Great spot and great group camping available. I really wanted to find the yurts but know that most of them are hike in only (even outside of the winter season). We saw lots of rangers making their rounds. Lots of long hiking trails are around (4+ miles one way), but there are a couple of short ones on this end of the park too---Moose View and Beaver Pond. This beautiful place is serene and feels isolated. Depending on your campsite, it is.

Steamboat! Glorious skiing or fabulous hiking....take your pick. I love Steamboat no matter the…read moretime of year. Summer is perfect weather (mornings can be a bit nippy, so prepare) and Winter provides the fantastic champagne powder. Good for skiing, tubing or snowshoeing. Downtown is fun no matter the time of year. We enjoyed Art In The Park and then some shopping at the famous F.M.Light. Photos are of the annual Hot Air Balloon Rodeo. A must attend event, especially the morning launch. Reserve a ticket to take the shuttle to Bald Eagle Lake and be sure to bundle up and get your camera ready. Breakfast donuts and coffee are available for sale as well as event merch.

Steamboat is one of my favorite ski towns. The snow is always great and the mountain is so big with…read moregood options for all levels. The downtown is a bit far from the ski village which is a bit of a hassle I think but the downtown is super fun and nice. Has so many amazing dining options and great shopping. I think that steamboat might honestly be the best ski town for the food because there are so many incredible restaurants. They also have hot springs and a tubing hill and great summer activities. Definitely a beautiful get away from the city that doesn't get too crowded because it's further away compared to the other resorts from Denver. There is also an airport that has direct flights from LA, Chicago, and NYC to name a few which is super convenient. There also flights from dia of course. Such a beautiful place with lots to do!

Amazing place to visit. I hike the Snowy range loop (22 miles over three days)…read more Easy to get to from Colorado and much different vibe. Highly recommend the experience.

Just Beautiful. Didn't get to see everything a storm rolled in with heavy rain and hail.read more

What a gorgeous park. Fee-free to get in and I recommend taking a linch or snack so you can sit and…read morelinger a bit. There are several park benches to use. There is a nice pond and the gardens are meticulously planned taking you on a winding route through the park. Grab a map and you can take notes about the plants and flowers that were your favorite. Highly recommend stopping by and chilling out for a bit.

A beautiful botanic garden with a wide variety of flowers! The grounds were very well maintained,…read morewith great walking paths and seating areas. A great little spot in steamboat!