All the top things to do at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado during your next trip.
Rocky Mountain National Park is amazing and a wonderful choice for a family vacation! In one spot you might see subalpine lakes and waterfalls, in another mountains with snow in the middle of summer, and in another an alpine tundra. The park is located in northern Colorado and spans the continental divide.
After spending 7 nights exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, we didn’t even put a dent in everything that you can experience/do! The park is unbelievably beautiful!
Here are my family’s top 8 things to do at Rocky Mountain National Park in no particular order:
Hike to Emerald Lake – This was one of my favorite hikes that we did in the park. The three subalpine lakes along the trail are so beautiful! You can find out more information about hiking to Emerald Lake in this post.
Take in the View from Rainbow Curve – Along the Trail Ridge Road are several overlooks for you to pull off at, one of my favorites is Rainbow Curve. It offers amazing views of the park.
Go Horseback Riding in the Park – This was an amazing experience and such a fun and different way to experience the park! We used National Park Gateway Stables and did the two hour horseback ride. They are located right on the edge of the park with a backdoor entrance into the park.
Learn About the Alpine Tundra – Alpine Tundra is a unique ecosystem that only covers approximately 3% of Earth’s land surface (0.2% of US land), however, almost one-third of Rocky Mountain National Park is Alpine Tundra. This fragile ecosystem is located above the treeline. Be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms in the summer and for the temperature to be up to 30 degrees colder than the lower elevations.
Drive Across the Highest Continuous Paved Road in the US – Trail Ridge Road spans the park from east to west connecting the city of Estes Park to Grand Lake.
Spot wildlife – We found wildlife almost every time we turned around. It’s so exciting to spot an animal in the wild. We saw moose, elk, mule deer, coyote, bunnies, ground squirrels, pikas, chipmunks, and a variety of birds.
Hike to Gem Lake – This was another favorite hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is considered a moderate 3.4 mile out and back hike to Gem Lake. Be prepared for an almost constant uphill hike where you gain 990 feet in elevation on your way to the lake. During the hike, you will have views of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.
Enjoy a Picnic – There are so many places to enjoy a picnic in Rocky Mountain National Park. Our top three favorite spots are the picnic tables along the trails in Hidden Valley, the first picnic tables when you enter the Sprague Lake area by the creek, and the picnic area at Harbison Meadows.
Have you been to Rocky Mountain National Park? What was your favorite thing to see or do?
