Touch the clouds over 3 days in Rocky Mountain NP

3 day itinerary

Traverse the stunning Rocky Mountains over 3 days as you glide along Trail Ridge Road, hike to a beautiful lake, and see wonderful wildlife in their native habitat! Three days in one of Colorado's finest parks should be the perfect amount of time for most!

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Day 1

Rocky Mountain is home to thousands of species of organisms, with biodiversity spread across montane, sub-alpine & alpine tundra eco-systems. Outside of Yellowstone NP, we think it's one of the best places to observe wildlife in the Lower 48!

What better way to see it than with a local expert, who can take you to all the best spots, including those that are more off the beaten track! Private morning tours will take you back up some of Trail Ridge Road in summer, while those really wanting to increase their chances for animal encounters can take a half or full-day tour! As ever with wildlife, the animals are truly wild, so there's no guarantees what you'll see. All you can do is keep fingers crossed & eyes peeled! These tours are also a great way to orientate yourself on your first day in the park!

A word of caution though - visitors every year end up injured and risk the safety of

animals by not respecting their space in an attempt to get the 'perfect picture'. Please make sure to stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards from all other animals, ideally more. These wild animals are unpredictable and always deserve our respect.

In the afternoon, ascend Deer Mountain for some lower elevation views of Estes Park and some of the valleys of the park. At 6.2 miles round trip and around 10,000 ft in altitude at its summit, it acts as a good warm up for the hike to Mills Lake later in the trip! As you cross the meadows you'll have more opportunities to see deer and elk, before the spectacular mountains that make up the Continental Divide come into view.

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Day 2

One of our favourite days that you can spend in the entire national park system, conquer the highest paved road in the USA as it crosses the Continental Divide. Reaching a peak of 12,183 ft, Trail ridge Road begins near Estes Park and concludes after 48 miles at Grand Lake. If you fancy improving your photography in one of the finest of settings, consider having a local experienced photographer enter the skies with you!

There are numerous great spots to stop at on the way! As you gain altitude, you may feel a few changes such as dizziness or a little shortness of breath depending on your level of fitness. Make sure to be aware of any signs you might be struggling a bit high up in the mountains so you can play your day accordingly.

One of the first stops is Beaver Ponds shortly followed by a great view out east from

Many Parks Curve. Rainbow Curve offers another fantastic opportunity for a panoramic photo. At this point you'll be above the tree line, with vast views of the incredible Rockies.

The road weaves along the top of this section of the mountain range, reaching the highest point just before the Alpine Visitor Centre. Have a walk around here and if you come early in summer, take a minute to appreciate the massive ice walls that line the road. Formed by the snowploughs which enabled the road to be opened, you'll get a rough idea of the incredible amount of snow that falls across the winter months!

A relatively steep descent starts with Medicine Bow Curve. Crossover the Continental Divide (it's signposted, so you won't miss it!) before you drive through Kawunechee Valley. This is a good opportunity for a flatter hike and to stretch the legs. Holzwarth Historic Site & Harbison Meadows have some short out-and-back options.

At Grand Lake, grab an ice cream at Cearia's Sweet Shop as a reward for your adventure! Grand Lake Marina is located on the lakeshore. Here, visitors can rent paddle boats, leisure boats, small fishing boats and kayaks. When you've finished exploring, head back the same way you came and see the amazing road from the opposite direction! If you can get the timings right, find one of the overlooks to watch the sunset out west!

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Day 3

Mills Lake is just one of almost 150 lakes in the park, most of which are formed by snow melt which readily shifts in the summer months from the mountains that make up the Continental Divide. Start relatively early in the morning to beat the crowds and possible summer thunderstorms. The hike begins with a short undulating section to reach Alberta Falls - particularly powerful in early and mid-summer as the snow melts at a rapid pace!

Continue up the trail and you'll notice it begins to become quieter as other trails branch off. Crossing a river via a wooden bridge will bring you to a steeper section likely covered with ice fields unless it is late summer - so it might be best to check with a National Park Service Ranger before starting the hike to check the full trail is entirely accessible!

Beautiful Mills Lake will then greet you as you approach the view along a rocky outcrop, with calm water sheltered in a valley carved by ancient glaciers. This mountainous amphitheatre is a stunning location to enjoy a snack at the edge of the lake before descending back down into Estes Park. This cute mountain village has plenty of small shops, bars and restaurants to enjoy on your last afternoon. Give Egg of Estes a try for lunch, a tasty way to end the trip!

If you want to spend more time in one of America's finest parks, check out our 5 day complete itinerary. Or if you're looking to visit Colorado as part of a longer adventure, have a look at one of our suggested road trip itineraries - Continental Divide & Colorado Plateau are both epics!