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Howdy, Flock! This month we’re excited to highlight Rocky Mountain National Park in our Roofnest home state of Colorado! If you’ve never been to this park before, now is the time to start planning your trip! RMNP spans over 415 square miles and boasts over 300 miles of hiking trails. To plan your trip to the top of the world, check out our tips below!
Hiking
Hiking in RMNP is an experience unlike any other. The park’s official hiking guide categorizes the hikes in three categories: lake, waterfall, and summit. The hikes throughout the park range in distance and elevation gain, so there’s something for the whole family. The Alberta Falls hiking trail is one of the most popular in the park, with a distance of 1.2 miles roundtrip and an elevation gain of 210 feet. The hike showcases Glacier Creek, which thunders down into a picturesque waterfall. For those who are looking for more of a challenge, the Flattop Mountain hike is one to explore. With an 8.8 miles roundtrip and elevation gain of 2,849 feet, this hike offers panoramic views up this mountain located in the middle of the park. Any hike in the park is sure to show you all the beauty Colorado has to offer.
Camping
There are five campgrounds within the park to choose from when planning your stay. The campgrounds range in campsites numbering from 26 sites to 244. An important note, as we enter fall in Colorado the campgrounds will begin to close for the season. Check the website here to make sure your campground of choice is still open. As in any National Park, these sites tend to be booked rather quickly- so book today! Moraine Park Campground is located inside the park, and is home to 244 sites to choose from. A base elevation of 8,160 is sure to bring you the full Colorado camping experience. This campground is open the longest, through October 15th. The Aspenglen, Glacier Basin, and Moraine Park grounds are all reservation based. First come first serve camping is available in Longs Peak and Timber Creek campgrounds. Be sure to tag @roofnest so we can follow along with your RMNP camping adventures!
Park Activities
If Hiking isn’t your favorite outdoor activity, there are tons of other adventures to have while in RMNP! Wildlife watching and photography, scenic drives, picnicking, ranger led tours, fishing, horseback rides, visitor centers, and wilderness camping are all at your disposal. A few things to know: For fishing, there are over 50 lakes and streams for sport fishing. You’ll need to bring or get a Colorado Fishing License before jumping in! For horseback riding, there are two stables located within the park. Be sure to contact Glacier Creek stables or Moraine Park stables to reserve your tour in advance. Finally, for those looking for some scenic views, be sure to take a drive down one of the parks famous roads. Old Fall River road and Trail Ridge road allow you to experience and see the park quickly and without all the hiking! Be sure to drive carefully and slowly while winding through the park, as roads were designed to curve around natural attractions and wildlife often cross the roads to get a better look at visitors.
So there you have it, Flock! Get on out to Rocky Mountain National Park as soon as you can before the summer sun fades away. We’re lucky to call Colorado our home, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Be sure to tag us @roofnest with all of your RMNP adventures. Happy adventuring!
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