Endless views, dramatic landscapes, beautiful waterfalls, abundant wildlife, some of the best hikes, and well-developed facilities — I could keep going about Rocky Mountain National Park.
As one of the most visited national parks in the United States, it’s easy to see why: it’s easy to reach, easy to explore, and hard not to fall for.
We had a short trip, spending just 4 days exploring the park, and here’s a detailed account of our experience so you can enjoy it as much as we did — or even more! 🙂
If you’re a fan of national parks, you might also want to explore Alaska, which ishome to eight national parks. We did a two-week road trip through Alaska and visited three of them, including Wrangell-St. Elias, America’s largest National Park. I can easly say it was one of our most memorable trips in the United States!
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First of all, follow me on Instagram @danae_explore – that’s where you can keep up with my trips, find lots of travel tips, and send me a DM anytime. I love chatting about travel!
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Why go to Rocky Mountain National Park
After visiting the US several times, I was looking for a destination that felt a bit different — easy to access, full of nature, and far from big cities.
If that sounds like your kind of trip, Rocky Mountain National Park is a great choice.
Located in Colorado, near Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) was established in 1915 and is one of the oldest national parks in the United States. It brings together a wide range of landscapes, including meadows, waterfalls, alpine lakes, tundra, and snow-capped peaks that show up around every bend in the road (and there are plenty of scenic drives to explore).
The park is also home to plenty of wildlife — we spotted elk, bighorn sheep, beavers, hares, squirrels, and several bird species.
As of 2025, it ranked as the sixth most visited national park in the US, with over 4.17 million visitors.
The park is vast and varied, and you could easily spend several days exploring it. We stayed for four days and still left several hikes and viewpoints unexplored. That said, even if you only have one day, it’s absolutely worth it — don’t miss the chance to visit one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States.
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How to get to Rocky Mountain National Park
The main airport for Rocky Mountain National Park is Denver International Airport, which is well connected to major cities across the United States and international destinations.
The town of Estes Park, which we used as our base, is about 120 miles (190 km) from the airport. The drive took us around one and a half hours in a rental car.
As usual, renting a car in the United States is essential — and with my code DANAE, you get 5% off any rental. Just check the box below.
To rent a car, I always use RentCars, where I usually find the best options, and with the DANAE promo code you still get an additional 5% off. Shall we go?
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Where to stay in Estes Park
We spent 4 days exploring Rocky Mountain National Park, staying in the town of Estes Park, right by the park’s eastern entrance. It feels like it’s straight out of an American movie.
We stayed at Alpine Trail Ridge Inn, a classic American-style inn. It’s nothing fancy, but the location is excellent, very close to the park entrance. The rooms were a good size, clean, and with two double beds, which worked well for our family of four.
Here are a few other well-rated options in the area:
The Estes Park Resort: A great option for families, with good amenities and a location close to Estes Lake.
The Inn on Fall River: Set right by the river, with a beautiful setting and also close to the park entrance. It was my top choice, but it was fully booked for our dates.
The Stanley Hotel: If you’re looking for something more historic and upscale, this is a great pick. It inspired Stephen King’s novel The Shining and is a beautiful property.
Check availability and prices directly on the map below:
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When to go to Rocky Mountain National Park
The park is open year-round, but from October to May, snow can limit access to some areas. For example, Trail Ridge Road, which leads to the park’s highest elevations, is typically open from late May to mid-October, while Old Fall River Road usually only opens in July (we weren’t able to visit that section).
We visited during the last week of spring (mid-June), and the weather couldn’t have been better. It was mostly sunny with a few clouds (although we did get some rain one afternoon — and even hail!), and temperatures ranged from 6°C to 24°C (43°F to 75°F).
There was still plenty of snow covering the higher parts of the park, and both kids and adults had a great time playing in it.
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How to enter the park – Tickets and Timed Entry Permit
Rocky Mountain National Park is open year-round, 24 hours a day. However, if you’re visiting during the summer season (in 2026, it runs from May 22 to mid-‘October), you’ll need a Timed Entry Permit in addition to the regular park pass or entrance fee.
You’ll need a Timed Entry Permit to enter the park between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and to access the Bear Lake area between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. You’ll have a two-hour window based on the time on your permit. For example, if your permit is for 2 p.m., you must enter between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
There are two types of Timed Entry Permit: one that covers the entire park, including Bear Lake Road, and another that does not include Bear Lake Road.
Ideally, you’ll want to get the permit that includes Bear Lake Road, as it gives you access to the full park. However, these are the most in-demand and sell out quickly. If you can’t get one, don’t worry — just book a permit for the rest of the park and visit Bear Lake outside the restricted hours.
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ATTENTION: It’s essential to secure your Timed Entry Permit as early as possible. Mark your calendar for the day reservations open and book your permit right away. Don’t wait — they sell out fast. They cost just $2 per vehicle per day, so even if something goes wrong, the loss is minimal. Still, please be mindful of other visitors and avoid booking more permits than you need.
I ended up buying mine about an hour after sales opened (time zone confusion 😫), and availability was already limited. For Bear Lake Road, I only managed to get one permit at 10 a.m. and another at 2 p.m. On the third day, nothing was available for Bear Lake, so I visited other areas of the park instead. Demand is high, and permits sell out in minutes — be ready!
In 2026, permit sales begin on May 1 at 8 a.m. MDT (Mountain Daylight Time, GMT -6) on Recreation.gov or via the official reservation link. Permits are released monthly based on your visit date, so check the schedule in advance.
At this link, you’ll find all the details about the Timed Entry Permit.
Outside these hours (5 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Bear Lake and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the rest of the park), you won’t need a Timed Entry Permit. Since daylight stretches well into the evening in summer, you can still enjoy a lot even if you arrive later in the day.
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Fees
Park entrance fees are $30 per vehicle, per day (regardless of how many people are inside), $35 per vehicle for seven days, or $70 for an annual Rocky Mountain pass. Each Timed Entry Permit costs $2 per vehicle, per day.
If you enter the park on foot, by bicycle, shuttle, or as part of a tour, you’ll need an individual ticket, which costs $15 per person, per day.
If your trip includes other national parks or areas managed by the National Park Service, it may be worth getting the America the Beautiful annual pass, which costs $80.
ATTENTION: Since 2025, all non-resident visitants age 16 and older must pay a $100 nonresident fee por day, in addition to the regular entrance fee, to enter in 11 selected National Parks, Rocky Mountain National Park included. If you use the Annual Annual or America the Beautiful Pass, this additional fee does not apply. More information is available at the official website.
Tickets can be purchased through the official website.
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Where to Eat in Estes Park and Grand Lake
Although American cuisine isn’t my favorite (apologies, friends from the US!), we tried some great restaurants:
- Sweet Basilico, a charming Italian spot very close to the town’s main street.
- Wild Rose, an American restaurant on Main Street (W Elkhorn Ave).
- Estes Park Brewery – we always enjoy checking out local breweries, and this one didn’t disappoint. It has great beer options, good food, and a fantastic view.
- Himalayan Curry and Kebob – Indian/Nepalese food, which we weren’t sure our kids would enjoy, since we’re not very used to these flavors. But it turned out to be a hit! We all loved the well-prepared curries and kebabs.
- Coffee on the Rocks – our go-to breakfast spot. Great coffee and American-style bagels, right by a small lake.
- Mountain Home Café – a great spot for a hearty breakfast, with delicious pancakes and waffles.
- Antonio’s Real New York Pizza – the pizza was good, but the long lines and wait times were a downside. Still worth it if you have extra time.
In Grand Lake, we had lunch at Sagebrush BBQ & Grill.
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What to do in 4 days in Rocky Mountain National Park
We spent 4 days in the area, but only had 3 full days to explore the park. As often happens with places like this, we could easily have stayed longer.
Here’s what we did, including the hikes and viewpoints we liked most:
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Day 1: Trail Ridge Road and Grand Lake
– We drove along Trail Ridge Road and stopped at several viewpoints along the way: Many Parks Curve Overlook, Rainbow Curve Overlook, Lava Cliffs Overlook, Forest Canyon Overlook, and Gore Range Overlook.
– Near the Alpine Visitor Center, we did the Mushroom Rocks / Tundra Communities hike (800 meters each way).
– In Grand Lake, we did the Adams Falls hike (700 meters each way). There are quite a few steps, but nothing too challenging. Our daughters, aged 9 and 11, had no trouble at all.
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Day 2: Bear Lake
– We walked the easy scenic loop around Bear Lake (800 meters), perfect for a relaxed walk with plenty of great photo spots. Parking is right at the trailhead.
– Nymph Lake (800 meters each way), a quiet, peaceful spot.
– Dream Lake (1 km from Nymph Lake, each way) – this section includes a few steps and still had some snow on the path (mid-June), but it’s manageable. An easy to moderate hike.
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Day 3: Other areas and waterfalls
– Alluvial Fan (400 meters each way)
– Lily Lake (1.3 km loop, very easy)
– Alberta Falls (1.3 km each way, with a few short climbs and steps, but overall easy)
– Bear Lake (800 meters walk) – we had already been there the day before but went back for more!
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Day 4: Enjoy Estes Park and prepare to leave
Our flight was in the late afternoon from Denver, so we spent the morning exploring Estes Park.
Main Street is great for a relaxed stroll, with charming shops, cafés, restaurants, bookstores, and ice cream parlors. It’s a classic small-town experience in the heart of the United States.
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Map of our itinerary in Rocky Mountain National Park
Here is our Google Maps with the full itinerary of our days in Rocky Mountain National Park. Click to save it to your Google account so you can use it while planning your trip — whether you’re staying 4 days or more, you’ll know exactly where to begin 😉
How to use this map: Click the menu tab in the upper left corner of the map to access different layers, including points of interest and routes. You can toggle layers on and off by checking the corresponding boxes. To see details about specific locations, click on the icons on the map.
To save this map to your Google Maps account, just click the star icon next to the map title. To access it later on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, tap the menu button, go to “Your Places”, select “Maps”, and you’ll find this map saved there.
Here are the websites I always use to plan my trips:
– 🛌 Accommodation: Booking
– ☀️ Tours & activities: Civitatis & Get Your Guide
– 📱 eSIM for mobile data: Airalo e-SIM – use promo code DANAE2375
– 🚗 Car rental: RentCars – use promo code DANAE
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All our posts about traveling in the United States of America:
- Christmas in New York: a complete guide to making the most of the season
- 4 days in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
- 2-week Alaska RV roadtrip itinerary – The best of the last frontier
- Wrangell-St. Elias: all you need to know to explore America’s largest National Park
- Everything you need to know to travel in a motorhome across America
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