Rocky Mountain National Park has some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the United States. The park is filled with snow-capped mountain peaks with tiny lakes nestled in the valleys between them, and gushing waterfalls cascading down their side.
The park is a hiker’s paradise and you can do anything from short flat strolls to long mountain treks. It is also teeming with wildlife and the elk rut in the fall is especially impressive!
Rocky Mountain National Park Travel Guide
Rocky Mountain National Park at a glance
- State: Colorado
- Main attractions: Mountains, lakes, waterfalls
- Best time to go: Summer-fall
- Hotels/ Airbnbs: There are no lodges inside the park, but plenty of accommodation options in Grand Lake (west side of the park) and Estes park (the more popular east side of the park)
- Campgrounds: There are five campgrounds inside the park
- Dining: Grand Lake and Estes Park
- Shuttle: Yes (free) in summer
Rocky Mountain National Park Guide
Navigate this Rocky Mountain National Park guide by clicking on the articles below to read in-depth information about each aspect of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Best Tours of Rocky Mountain National Park
To save this guide to Rocky Mountain National Park for later, Pin It to your National Parks board:
About the Author
James Ian has dedicated his life to travel and has traveled to 82 countries and all 7 continents. He’s visited all of the main national parks in the United States, as well as many national monuments and state parks.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including Time Business News, Savoteur, and Wired. He also has several published detailed itineraries in addition to many free online guides.
James has rafted through the Grand Canyon; rappelled down slot canyons near Zion and Arches; hiked among the hoodoos in Bryce and the enormous trees in Sequoia; admired the waterfalls in Yosemite and the colored hot springs in Yellowstone; seen moose in Grand Tetons and seals in the Channel Islands, and much more.
