Rocky Mountain National Park
We all are going a bit stir crazy these days. Staying home, inside, and safe has been the priority. With summer coming to an end fitting in one vacation was a must for my sanity. Going to a place of nature with fresh air and a chance to get my body moving was a must.
We decided Rocky Mountain National Park was the perfect getaway. The park has amazing COVID friendly areas, timed tickets to reduce the number of visitors, and of course plenty of outdoor space. Here are my review and recommendations for Rocky National Park, Colorado. Enjoy!
Roadtrip Essentials
We drove from Chicago, IL, the trip took about 15 hours. You can make the trip in one day if you leave around 4:00 AM and drive straight. The drive is a bit boring and doesn't have a ton of stops. We packed a cooler the night before with egg salad, turkey sandwiches, chips and hummus, and pretzels. This helped us avoid stopping as much and eating healthier food. The drive is very easy, you do not hit the mountains till the last hour of the trip.
Estes Park
Estes Park is a small mountain town right outside two of the Rocky Mountain National Park entrances. The town is filled with small local restaurants for breakfast and dinner, grocery stores for bars, fruits, and hiking snacks, and plenty of activities (horseback riding tours, kayaking, boating, fishing, biking, and off-roading). We stayed in at a lodge called the Wildwood Inn. I highly recommend this lodge, it was clean, quiet, and friendly.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Due to Covid-19 Rocky National Park has required you to purchase park passes, these are timed slots to enter the park. This really did reduce the traffic on popular hiking trails. Purchase your park passes in advance because they do sell out quickly. Once inside the park there are plenty of parking lots to park at for the day. You can walk to hikes near the lots or take the shuttle bus to popular hiking trails such as, Bear Lake, Emerld Lake, Alberta Falls, and more.
Packing for the Hike
Rain Coat/ Hat
Bug Spray/ Chap Stick
Portable Phone Charger
Hiking Shoes/ Extra Socks
First Aid Kit
Sun Screen/Chap Stick
Portable Phone Charger
Our Favorite Trails
Bear Lake to Emerald Lake- This trail was very family friendly, the perfect trail to bring kids and family memebers who do not hike often. The entire hike is a nice path. You enter at Bear Lake and get to see Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and end at Emerald Lake. These trails are scenic, filled with wildlife and places to stop to rest.
Deer Mountain- This trail was perfect for those of you who wish to get those legs burning! This hike is not as scenic and has fewer places to stop. It is a three mile hike with a steep incline. Bring plenty of water and snacks for this hike. I reccommend being a more experienced hiker. This hike is a bit more confusing with the trail, at one point you do not believe you will ever reach the top. Just keep going. You will see a sign right before the top of the mountain. The view is worth the hike. Chill and eat a snack!
Alberta Falls to The Loch Lake- This was by far my favorite trail! This trail has huges waterfalls, streams, lakes and is extremely scenic. This trail was three miles long to Loch Lake. The whole trail follows water bringing sounds of rushing water the entire time. The trail is a mixutre of steps and man-made paths along with true hiking of the rocks and mountain itself. It had great views to stop along the way. Once you reached Loch Lake it was peaceful, quiet, and perfect for a small snack.
I hope you enjoy your next hikes at Rocky Mountain National Park!