Rocky Mountain National Park sits at the top of Colorado — literally. Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved highway in the United States, crests at 12,183 feet and crosses through alpine tundra where elk graze and pika dart between rocks. Below the treeline, the park holds glacier-carved valleys, emerald lakes, and over 300 miles of hiking trails.
The park divides into two distinct sides separated by the Continental Divide: the busier east side accessed from Estes Park, with the famous Bear Lake corridor and most visitor facilities; and the quieter west side in Kawuneeche Valley, where the Colorado River begins its 1,450-mile journey. This 4-day itinerary covers both.
Highest Paved Road in the US
Trail Ridge Road
Free with park entry · Open late May–October
Fifty miles of highway that climbs above the treeline and traverses the alpine tundra at over 12,000 feet. Stop at the Alpine Visitor Center (11,796 ft) for panoramic views and watch for elk, bighorn sheep, and marmots along the road. The road typically closes by late October due to snow and reopens Memorial Day weekend.
Rocky Mountain National Park Trip Overview
- Duration: 4 days
- Base town: Estes Park, CO
- Entry fee: $35/vehicle (7-day pass); timed entry permit required May–October
- Best months: June–September (hiking); October (elk rut)
- Drive from Denver: ~1.5 hours · Boulder: ~1 hour
Day 1 — Bear Lake Corridor
Arrive in Estes Park and secure your timed entry permit for the park (required May–October — reserve on recreation.gov up to 60 days in advance). Head to the Bear Lake Corridor via the park shuttle from the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. Bear Lake itself is a short stroll with a backdrop of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain.
From Bear Lake, hike to Dream Lake (1.8 miles round trip, easy) — a glacially carved lake surrounded by talus slopes and reflected peaks. Continue up to Emerald Lake (3.6 miles round trip from Bear Lake) for even more dramatic views into a cirque carved during the last ice age.
Day 2 — Trail Ridge Road
Dedicate Day 2 to driving Trail Ridge Road from east to west, stopping at every pullout. The Many Parks Curve overlook gives a sweeping view of the eastern valleys. Continue to the Alpine Visitor Center at 11,796 feet — walk the short tundra trail and look for yellow-bellied marmots, pikas, and ptarmigan. On clear days, you can see across to the Never Summer Mountains.
Descend the west side into Kawuneeche Valley, where the headwaters of the Colorado River wind through meadows. Walk the short Colorado River Trail (4 miles round trip) through spruce-fir forest before turning back east for the night.
Day 3 — Longs Peak Views & Moraine Park
Longs Peak (14,259 ft) is Colorado's northernmost fourteener and one of the most climbed. The full summit via the Keyhole Route is a serious 15-mile, 5,000-foot gain endeavor requiring an early 3am start and good weather. For non-technical hikers, the trail to the Keyhole (8 miles round trip) offers spectacular views without the Class 3 scramble above.
In the afternoon, drive through Moraine Park — a broad glacially carved meadow where elk are frequently seen grazing near the road. In late September and October, this is one of the best spots in the park to witness the elk rut, when bulls bugle and chase harems through the meadows at dawn and dusk.
Day 4 — Chasm Lake & Estes Park
For a final morning hike, try the Chasm Lake Trail (8.4 miles round trip, strenuous) — a stunning route that passes through wildflower meadows, a waterfall, and ends at a glacial lake below the sheer east face of Longs Peak. Even in July, snow can linger near the lake. Head back to Estes Park for a browse through the shops on Elkhorn Avenue before heading home.
