Estes Park, Colorado is home to bighorn sheep, alpine lakes, and the most charming downtown area. Rocky Mountain National park is located in northeast Colorado starting in Estes Park on the east and extending to the town of Grand Lake on the west. Find out why it is one of the most visited National Parks and a great vacation destination that incorporates movement and adventure for the whole family.
If you're planning a trip soon, be sure to check out Ten Survival Tips for Travel with Kids.
Downtown Estes Park
What makes downtown Estes Park one of the best places to dine and shop? One main reason is that it is surrounded by natural scenic wonders. Stroll down paved paths with shops on one side and a rolling river on the other. Let kids scramble on rock formations and statues in the small park next to an outdoor gear shop and bookstore. Downtown is a great basecamp with a new parking garage, playground areas, green space to relax, coffee shops, and restaurants. And in the summer months you'll probably hear a John Denver sound-alike near the library.
The ambiance and spirit of the town of Estes Park just draws you in. To keep kids engaged on your walk through town, there's even a scavenger hunt called Pikas in the Park. After they have used clues to find all 12 pika statues, head to the Estes Park Visitor Center for a prize.
Rocky Mountain National Park Entrances
Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) covers an amazing area of 416 square miles! It boasts 114 peaks that are above 10,000 feet, perhaps the most famous being Longs Peak coming in at 14,259 feet. Although that is definitely a hike you'd have to work up to, there are many hikes at varying levels of difficulty that make this the perfect spot for both beauty and exercise. The park uses a timed-entry reservation system from late May-mid October, their most popular season. You'll want to check out the release date schedule to make sure you've reserved your tickets well in advance.
Here are your options for accessing the park:
- The east side of the park is the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and is the most popular entrance. Remodeled and now with a better traffic flow, this entrance offers the best access to the most popular hikes and scenic views. Stop in at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center for any info, bathroom break, or to catch a hiker shuttle.
- The Wild Basin entrance is about 17 miles south of Estes Park.
- Also popular is the Fall River entrance and Fall River Visitor Center located to the north of the Beaver Meadows entrance.
- Then you have the Grand Lake entrance and the Kawuneeche Visitor Center.
- Of all of these visitor centers, the one you can't miss is the Alpine Visitor Center. It is located along Trail Ridge Road at almost 12,000 feet. This is the highest elevated visitor center in the National Park system. It is not open in every season, though so check before you go. Curious what it looks like there currently? Check out the Alpine Visitor Center webcam. Here's a fun fact: Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuously paved road in the United States. Driving on it you'll enjoy seeing forests, being above tree line, and seeing the alpine tundra. It reaches a high point, then crosses the Continental Divide. Then it goes down to the town of Grand Lake.
First Visit Top Tips
- Firstly, do you have a 4th grader in your traveling party? If they complete a short series of questions at Every Kid Outdoors they will receive a free pass to tons of parks, including National Parks like this one. If you get an especially kind park ranger, they may even make your student feel super special by presenting them with their own plastic park pass and having them sign the back of it. They'll feel proud that their family members get into the park without paying an entrance fee because of THEM!
- Before you go, consider the high elevation. If you're not used to the altitude, be prepared to take it slow and drink lots of water as your body adjusts to the high elevation.
- Surely one of your goals is to see a moose on this trip. It's been our experience that your best bet is at Sprague Lake. This is a very family friendly hike good for all ages with picnic tables and parking areas.
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