Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park, established in 1915, is a living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Located outside of Estes Park, Colorado, Rocky Mountain is a great family vacation destination, offering outdoor experiences for all, from easy nature hikes around crystal clear mountain lakes to high peaks (Fourteener – Peaks that are taller than 14,000 feet). It is home to 72 peaks higher than 12,000 feet, and set in over 400 square miles of wilderness. You cannot actually stay in the park though (unless you are camping), so many travelers choose to stay in the nearby town of Estes Park or Longmont. These are just a few miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance, and has shops, hotels and restaurants, as well as a few attractions of it’s own.

Estes Park is a popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Below is the entrance sign of Estes park.

The trail head for the Sprague Lake Trail is located off Bear Lake Road, roughly 5.5 miles from the turn-off at Highway 36. Due to the extreme popularity of the Bear Lake Road area, you may want to consider using the free park shuttle to reach the trail head during peak tourist season. The lake is named after Abner Sprague, one of the original settlers in the Estes Park area.

The trail head for the Bear Lake Loop hike is located at the end of Bear Lake Road, 9 miles from the turn-off at Highway 36. As you proceed along to the north side of the lake you’ll have a spectacular view of Half Mountain sitting just in front of Longs Peak.

The hike to Nymph Lake begins from the Bear Lake Trail head, located at the end of Bear Lake Road, nine miles from the turn-off at Highway 36. Just beyond the trail head the Bear Lake Loop splits off towards the right, while the trail to Nymph Lake branches off to the left. Most hikers will stop at Bear Lake to check out the beautiful scenes from the east shore before proceeding to Nymph lake, Dream Lake and Emerald Lake.

At just over a half-mile from the trail head hikers will reach the south end of Nymph Lake. This pleasant lake is ringed by pond lilies, while the shore offers an ideal spot for a family picnic. If you continue up the trail for a short distance you’ll have a nice view of Hallett Peak standing sentinel over the lake.

If you wish to explore more of the Tyndall Gorge area you will have the option of continuing along this same trail for another six-tenths of a mile to visit Dream Lake, an incredibly beautiful subalpine lake.

Once you crossed the Nymph lake, in another 0.5 miles you will reach the Dream lake – this is my favorite lake.

If you have the energy and wish to explore more of the Tyndall Gorge area, you will have the option of continuing along this same trail for another two-thirds of a mile to visit Emerald Lake, another incredibly beautiful subalpine lake.

At roughly 1.8 miles from the bear lake trail head, and an elevation of 10,110 feet, hikers will reach Emerald Lake, a true jewel in the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park. 12,713-foot Hallett Peak will be the dominating feature almost directly in front of you. Off towards the right will be the jagged spires of 12,324-foot Flattop Mountain. Across the subalpine lake you’ll hear the sound of a waterfall rushing down the gorge between the two mountains, supplied by meltwater from the Tyndall Glacier.

Trail Ridge Road

The name “Trail Ridge Road” derives from it proximity to historic pathways used by native peoples to cross the Rocky Mountains. This 48 mile long road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, with a maximum elevation of 12,183 feet, well above the treeline! It has multiple scenic spots where you can stop, park safely and enjoy the view, and the drive itself is just spectacular. Trail Ridge Road is closed during the winter, and often remains closed until late spring or early summer depending on the snowpack. You will find incredible views along this stretch, and you will be stopping more than you might think.

Many Parks Curve Overlook – The first stopping point as you come up Trail Ridge Road, you will find the main parking point for Many Parks Curve Overlook a little way past the curve itself. Then you leave your car and walk a couple of minutes to the viewpoint. From here you get sweeping panoramic views across much of the south and eastern parts park, all the way back to Estes Park town and up to the mountains, including a view of Longs Peak.

Rainbow Curve Overlook – Four miles further up from Many Curves overlook, you will gain another 1000 feet in elevation. Time to stop at Rainbow Curve, which gives you a great view in a slightly different direction to Many Parks Curve, out towards the northern part of the park, as well as across Sheep Lakes and to the east.

Rocky Mountain National Park is known best for two reasons: mountains and Elk. A defining sight in Rocky Mountain National Park, Elk are large, loud, and highly visible.

Milner Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 10,758 feet above the sea level, located in the Rocky Mountain National Park. The pass is traversed by the Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the country. The road cuts through Rocky Mountain National Park between the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake, and is one of the best ways to see the Continental Divide as it cuts through Colorado.

Double Rainbow – While a primary rainbow is visible when light is reflected once off the back of a raindrop, a secondary and usually dimmer rainbow is spotted when light is reflected twice in a more complicated pattern. The colors of the second rainbow are inverted, with blue on the outside and red moved to the inside.

After driving a 48 mile Trail Ridge Road, I started driving to Snowmass Village which is around 200 miles away from Rocky Mountain National Park. I stayed in Wildwood snowmass hotel. Snowmass village is a popular winter resort location for skiing and snowboarding, the town is well known as the location of the Snowmass ski area, the largest of the four nearby ski areas operated collectively as Aspen/Snowmass.

The Snowmass Balloon Festival fills the sky with one of the highest-altitude hot air balloon events in the country. Over three days, 30 pilots compete in challenges and races, as spectators take in the stunning sight and capture spectacular photos. Special activities and events round out the weekend, including a Saturday evening Glow Show in Snowmass Base Village that features a balloon glow and a free concert.

An adventure to Aspen, Colorado is not complete without a visit to its main attraction, The Maroon Bells – a series of distinctively bell-shaped, wine-colored peaks towering 14,000 feet above the pristine, glacial Maroon Valley, remain the most photographed mountains in North America and offer some of the most spectacular natural views in the world.

From meadows of vibrant wildflowers, to airy groves of Aspen trees, to summit-based alpine tundra, the Maroon Bells promise a variety of natural habitats and a diverse, vivid representation of the wild Rocky Mountain range.

With six scenic hiking trails, various camping sites, and biking paths fit for all skill levels, visitors can enjoy multiple ways to access Aspen’s natural marvels and endless mountain adventure perfect for any season.

Aspen Silver Queen Gondola – This is a bestway to see the City from a different vantage point. The ride is about 20 min up. The views at the top were breathtaking! Food was good too. If you visit Aspen, add this to your bucket list! The gondola takes you out of the town to the top of the mountain. Whether you’re skiing in winter or going to yoga at sunrise, this view is worth the ride.

In the valley, the ghost town – Ashcroft – is worth the trip just for the scenery. The ghost town is fairly small and contained. The drive from Aspen is very pretty and you can see a nice fall colors. If you ever want to see how the early Colorado settlers and miners lived, the ghost town of Ashcroft is a great place to visit.

Devil’s Punch Bowl – I was on my way to Denver via Independence Pass, so I decided to stop on my way. This is a nice swimming hole but is dangerous too if you plan to jump. The water was very cold (as always in US)

Independence Pass, is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountain. It is at elevation 12,095 feet on the Continental Divide in the Sawatch Range. The pass is midway between Aspen and Twin Lakes, on the border between Pitkin and Lake counties.

Overall, this is one of the unforgettable road trips. Drove almost 600 Miles in 2 days. Planning to go to Colorado again during winter time to explore the state more. If you love driving, hiking and exploring, then Colorado is one of the best place for you.