Truly conquer Rocky Mountain NP: 5 day itinerary
- christopherwanstal
- Aug 28, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 11
5 day itinerary
A stunning corner of what is already one of America's most beautiful states, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado has more than enough to see for you to spend 5 awesome days there! Choose from some great hikes and keep your eyes out for spectacular wildlife sightings throughout!
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Day 1
Depart from your base for the trip, usually either Denver, Estes Park, or a campground within the park itself, to start one of the best hikes in the park - of which there are many! The trail up to Mills Lake is a perfect way to orientate yourself with the park, and gives great opportunities for wildlife encounters along with fantastic views.
Mills Lake is just one of almost 150 lakes in the park, many of which are formed by snow melt that readily shifts from the mountains that make up the Continental Divide during summer. The hike begins with a short undulating section to reach Alberta Falls - particularly powerful in early and mid summer as that 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 trail is entirely accessible!
Enjoy a snack at the edge of the lake before descending back down into Estes Park. This cute mountain village has everything you need to allow you to stock up for the next few days, as well as some nice food options - give Egg of Estes a try for lunch!
Close by is an open air adventure course where you can get strapped in and conquer a series of obstacles high above the ground! Or take some time to explore more of Estes Park before heading back to your accommodation for the evening to plan all your stops on an epic day tomorrow!
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 plan and make changes to 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 Rocky mountains.
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 snowploughs which enabled the road to be opened, you'll get a rough idea of the amount of snow which falls on these mountains in 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!
Day 3
The fantastic assortment of hikes that Rock Mountain NP offers continues today, ending in one of the more unique lakes. The striking turquoise colour has faded a little in recent years, but originates from a small rockslide in 2022 which now reflects the light brilliantly.
To reach Lake Haiyaha, start at the Bear Lake Trailhead just like on Day 1, but this time take the fork right, passing Nymph & Dream Lakes on the way. The 3.9 mile round trip hike is a great length to tackle in the morning, giving you time to drive and explore the lesser known shorter trails of Lily Lake & Wild Basin on the eastern edge of the park.
Day 4
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!
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 slightly lower elevation views of Estes Park and some of the valleys of the park. But maybe you fancy taking a day off hiking and the park to see Colorado's capital city? Denver is just 1.5 hours east of Estes Park. Here you can enjoy small breweries, tasty treats from Voodoo Doughnuts, or experience a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre if you can get your dates to line up! Colorado really is a state that has it all! You could also head south of Denver on a small group tour of some very different landscapes to Rocky Mountain NP! The Garden of the Gods & Pikes Peak are other majestic Colorado icons! Perfect if you've travelled from far and want to cram as much of Colorado into your adventure as possible!
Day 5
Your final day in Rocky Mountain National Park, and your experience can only be complete with an epic hike! One of the most challenging, but finest in the park is the trail from Longs Peak Trailhead to Chasm Lake, which sits just below Longs Peak itself - the highest point of the park. At 8.5 miles roundtrip, the hike will likely take you 5-7 hours, so it's usually best to get there very early in the morning to avoid some of the crowds and the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms.
The trail is relatively steep, ascending in an almost constant gradient, so make sure to take plenty of stops to rest as and when you need them! After a couple of miles you'll emerge out of the woodland into a rocky & rugged world. You'll have great views of Mount Lady Washington, Peacock Pool & Columbine Falls on your way. A little bit of rock scrambling will take you to your first views of Chasm Lake, with the enormity of Longs Peak strikingly present!
If Chasm Lake is too much of a challenge (which wouldn't be a surprise!) then another great hike in the same area is Estes Cone. While still strenuous, at 6.5 miles round trip, the hike is more undulating and less steep. The exception is a 2/3 of a mile segment which again requires some scrambling close to the summit - so make sure you and your hiking buddies have good mobility! Start at the Longs Peak Trailhead for this hike too, but branch right at the Eugenia Mine Trail junction. The final reward is great 360 degree views, focusing on Mount Meeker, the Rockies of the Continental Divide, and Estes Park.
And finally, an easier option that is still worth your time is Lily Mountain, which you may have seen if you popped by Lily Lake earlier in the trip. While the summit is just outside of the park, much of the view consists of the park and is definitely still worth your time! At 4 miles round trip, the hike is probably about as difficult as the hike to Mills Lake - so if you found that one okay, then Lily Mountain should be fine too!
If you don't have enough time to spend five days in Rocky Mountain National Park, then check out either our 1 or 3 day itineraries to help inspire your adventure!
Or if you're looking to visit Colorado as part of a longer adventure, then have a look at our Continental Divide suggested itinerary, to really see the best that all of the Rocky Mountains has to offer!
