Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the biggest highlights of Colorado. It has one of the most spectacular views and gives you an immersive experience into the Rockies.
However, there is one thing when it comes to planning a trip to a national park: there is no perfect way or order in which you can plan it.
I will tell you all the best things to do at Rocky Mountain National Park, but I cannot say that there is a perfect order to do it, or if one attraction is better than the other.
Because everyone has a different taste, and one site might not suit one person, but it may suit someone else.
Also note that this guide is for a trip in the summer.
So here is my guide to Rocky Mountain National Park.
What to Bring to Rocky Mountain National Park
Make sure to bring each of these when planning your trip.
- Sweatshirt or jacket (It gets really cold at the top, even in the summer!)
- Water (To drink while on trails)
- Full tank of gas (The road is 60 miles, but you only drive at around 30 miles per hour, using a lot of gas)
- Food for the day (There is only one place to get food, which is at the Alpine Visitor Center, and food is very expensive there)
Things to Note
To get from the south side to the north side, it takes around 2 hours. And to get a hotel that is affordable, you need to travel an hour outside the park. So make sure to keep this in mind when planning your trip.
There is a lot of wildlife in National Parks, and Rocky Mountain National Park is no exception. Respect the wildlife, and don't get too close to them.
Also, be sure to take a lot of photos! This is an experience you will never forget.
Popular Attractions
One of the most popular places to go is the Alpine Visitor Center. You get awesome views of the mountains from up top, and you get small hiking points where you can see even more sights.
At one point, you can see a field where there are over fifty deer grazing the hills.
Below is a photo from one of the hiking points.
Drive along the road at the top of the mountain, and you will find some awesome points to go and see the edge of the mountains!
Another popular attraction is actually at the bottom of the mountains. This is at a location called Bear Lake. If you walk up a trail, you will reach a waterfall, which is a really wonderful sight.
However, keep in mind that parking is very tough to find there. If you don't find parking, there is a shuttle from a nearby location.
Wildlife at Rocky Mountain National Park
Wildlife is also very common in the park. You will see a lot of deer, elk, and other fun creatures. And if you are extremely lucky, you might spot a bear! We spotted a bear on our trip, and the park rangers told us that only one is ever spotted each season!
However, my bear pictures are very blurry so I don't think I am going to put them on here.
Here are some of the wildlife you will find!
I hope you enjoyed this guide to Rocky Mountain National Park. If this post helped you plan your trip, let me know! Thank you for reading.
Click here if you are in Colorado and are looking for more places to go: https://mydreamadventures.com/maroon-bells/
The Rockies look so so beautiful! Thanks for sharing your trip and some of the different photographs you took. Looks like you had a blast!
Thank you! The Rockies look amazing!
I was just in the park today and got rained on in my hike! Glad you enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park as well.
Aww that’s too bad! Hopefully it was still fun!