The Never Summer Mountains sit on the western side of the park and consist of 10 distinct peaks, all rising well over 12,000 feet. Winter wildlife watching: The quiet winter months are a spectacular time to spot wildlife. Over the last few years, the trails have become so busy that not only are the trails and surrounding forest damaged, but the busyness has greatly detracted from the visitor experience. Passes that are part of the America The Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series are not available for purchase via Recreation.gov. America the Beautiful The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series. Copyright 2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. These may include snow chains, cables, tire/snow socks, or studded tires. Feds sue Fort Collins water company for a Grand River Ditch These include: Vehicle or motorcycle entrance passes valid for 1-day only, Vehicle or motorcycle entrance passes valid for 7-consecutive days, The Rocky Mountain National Park Annual Pass. Off-road mountain biking is prohibited inside the park. If you have improperly rated tires on your vehicle, then you must use an approved traction control device. Youll trek across frozen mountain lakes and through alpine meadows. Rocky Mountain National Park Boondocking There are no electric, water or sewer hookups at any campsites. Estes Park This bus will take you from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Park & Ride Transit Hub in Rocky Mountain National Park where you can connect with the park shuttle system that runs in the Bear Lake Corridor, as described above. Rocky Mountain National Park Site Pass - Recreation.gov You can call Rocky Mountain National Park's Information Office at 970 586-1206. NOTE: While the park is open year-round, the Trail Ridge Road closes in the winter and may not open until the late spring or early summer, depending on the snowpack. Be aware that these last-minute permits are in high demand and tend to sell out within a minute or even less. Applies to walk-ins, bicycles, and non-commercial groups. If you were not able to obtain a permit, you are not completely out of luck. You can also call the Recorded Trail Ridge Road Status Line at (970) 586-1222. Entrance Stations and Visitor Centers - Rocky Mountain National These park passes can be purchased at the entry station or online. This is one of the most popular trails in Rocky Mountain National Park with good reason. WebA valid entrance fee or park pass is always required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This road is very narrow and steep, with sharp turns. Click here for information on Rocky's Shuttle System and Public Transportation, 1000 US Hwy 36 The large meadow valleys and gentle slopes of the montane ecosystem in Rocky Mountain National Park are the most accessible and arguably the most approachable for winter hiking. WebRocky Mountain National Park's 415 square miles (265,807 acres) encompasses a spectacular range of mountain environments. Along the way explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing. Text is available under [http://wikitravel.org/shared/Copyleft Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0] images are available under [http://wikitravel.org/shared/How_to_re-use_Wikitravel_guides various licenses], see each image for details. A week pass entrance fee is $30 for a private vehicle. Available / Book (866) 611-6114 Details Visit Site River Retreat Cabin Stunningly beautiful, fully restored classic Colorado Cabin on the Big Thompson river just 5 minutes from Estes Park. It may still seem busy when you visit, but it was much busier before this system was implemented. This is a new requirement for visiting the national park during the busy summer and autumn season. Timed-entry permits are required from late May through mid-October during peak hours (9am-3pm for most of the park, 5am-6pm for the Bear Lake Road area), unless you have a camping permit, are part of a guided tour, or are entering via the Hiker Shuttle. Highway 34 connects Grand Lake and Estes Park across the Continental Divide, giving you awesome views of the western and eastern sides of the park. The Information Office is open 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Located at 9,500 ft elevation and open year-round, this tent-only campground has 26 sites. Old Fall River Road was built over 7 years, beginning in July 1913 and dedicated on September 14, 1920. Park streams may contain Giardia and other water borne diseases, so always purify water before drinking. A bookstore offers items for purchase, and there are handicapped accessible restrooms available. CO Trail Ridge Road closed Monday after being open since May 27, according a park news release. The timed-entry permit system could change as the national park refines the system. Rocky Mountain National Park The projects completed in 2013 include the following: 1000 US Hwy 36 The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter. The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter. The Bear Lake Route shuttle makes the round trip between the Park & Ride and Bear Lake. So, if you want to enjoy watching animals or enjoy the view, dont stop in the middle of the road and block traffic. Handicapped accessible and family restrooms are available. Wear and reapply sunscreen often. The permits are always for the following month. QGIS Geographic Information System. Along the way explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing. Before you take that trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, make sure you have secured a timed-entry permit for each day you want to enter the park. Reservations accepted and recommended from May 26 to October 4, 2010, and it is first-come, first-served the remainder of the year. WebWildlife bill moose sighting on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park from the Estes Park, Colorado Fall River Entrance. The day pass was implemented back in October of 2015. Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222. Weather and temperatures can vary greatly in Rocky Mountain National Park. You can still get dehydrated even when its cold out! The small sites fit 10 - 15 people, medium sites 16 - 25 people, and large sites 26 - 40 people. The following fees are valid for 2019. The nearest major airport is Denver International Airport (IATA: DEN) [3] located about 1 hour and 45 minutes away from the park, with connecting service to most major US cities. Grand Lake is a better option for the summer months (June September) but there is still plenty to see and do on the west side of the Park. There is a recreational vehicle and trailer length limit is 40 feet. Covers single, non-commercial vehicle with capacity of less than 16 passengers. http://www.qgis.org), Temporary Closures In Lumpy Ridge And Loch Vale Areas Begin February 15 to Protect Nesting Raptors, Winter Adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park, RMNP continues pilot timed entry permit reservations from May 26 through Oct 22, Winter Pile Burning Operations On Both Sides Of Park, All material copyright by Morning Light Photography, Inc. All rights reserved. You can either print this out to show at the park entrance station or you can show them the confirmation email on your phone. Chartering an appropriately sized vehicle will make keeping your group together during travel easy. at Fall River Pass at the junction of Trail Ridge and Old Fall River roads, Open daily May 28 - October 11 (2010 season). Both routes are based at the Park & Ride shuttle bus parking area across from the Glacier Basin Campground. Take US34 ( Big Thompson Canyon) from Estes Park to Loveland. WebAll visitors at Rocky Mountain National Park are required to pay an entrance fee. To address these problems, the National Park Service created a timed-entry permit system that limits the number of people who can enter the park each day and spreads out the time of visitor arrivals to limit congestion. 22. Since 1997, over $60 million of entrance and camping fees has been spent on various improvements and projects in Rocky. Temporary road closures may be put in place at any time for motorist safety, based on weather and road conditions. This campground is open year-round starting on May 28, 2010. Rocky Mountain National Park #CapCut photo dump: Rocky Mountain National Park, Fall River Most of the visitor centers offer books and other items for purchase, and there is a gift shop located next door to the Fall River Visitor Center. Many visitors use Bear Lake or Glacier Gorge as their starting point into the park, both of which can be accessed via the Bear Lake Road. If you choose the second option, you can visit everywhere else in the park except for the Bear Lake Road Corridor. There are a couple of exceptions to this. The park is dominated by Longs Peak, one of Colorado's 54 "Fourteeners" at 14,259 feet and dubbed the "Monarch of the Front Range". From meadows found in the montane life zone to glistening alpine lakes and up to the towering mountain peaks, there is something for everyone to discover. Just past 4th Street, veer right onto U.S. 36 and follow it for 20 miles to Estes Park. The western side of the park is wetter, is heavily forested, and is less developed, but still contains excellent trekking and backcountry opportunities. Visitor Information | Rocky Mountain National Park Rocky Mountain National Park With Kids Use Trail Ridge Road to return. Flagstaff, Arizona 86004, "Wildland Trekking is about Inspired Exploration. Wildflowers seem to be everywhere throughout the park, including the popular Indian Paintbrush and Columbine, Colorado's state flower. WebThe fastest way to get to the park from the airport is via the E-470 toll road, up I-25, then west on highway 66, and from Lyons head up Highway 36 to Estes Park. Conditions at 5,000 feet are dramatically different from conditions above 8,000 feet. Keep in mind there is no machinery allowedonly hand augers are permitted to cut the ice. WebYou could take Peak to Peak Hwy from I70 to Estes Park - that one is open year round. Youll have views of Little Horseshoe Park and the Mummy Range on your left as you travel east. If youre new to high elevations and alpine and sub-alpine exploration, consider booking aguided snowshoe tour. Fees are good for the same group for seven days. Be advised that visiting Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter months takes proper prior planning. The Continental Divide cuts almost directly through the center of the park, creating two areas with very different landscapes - a drier and heavily glaciated eastern side, and a wetter, more forested western side.