A Rocky Mountain vacation can include so many fun activities. Here are our Top Ten picks, based on our last trip to Estes Park, Colorado. By the way, you can also read about our stay in the Ram’s Horn Village Resort. The first four are things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park.
1. Visit Visitor Centers. There are a total of 4 in the park, and each one is an education in itself. Check out their numerous displays, ranger talks, exhibits, bookstores and gift shops. Friendly rangers will give you valuable information about hikes and trails, tell you which roads are open and which are closed, give advice about camping, wildlife, bird-watching and numerous other activities.
2. Hike. There are many wonderful trails to hike, ranging in difficulty from super flat and easy to strenuously difficult. Walk around beautiful Sprague or Bear Lake , where you experience little change in elevation. Hike to Alberta Falls, an elevation change of about 545 feet–but the reward is the breathtaking beauty of the waterfall. Or, if you’re in top shape and a real adventurer, climb Long’s Peak, the only 14,000 ft. high mountain in the park. These, and many other trails, await you.
3. View the wildlife. Deer, beaver, marmots, even mountain lions–you can find them all in RMNP! But mostly what you will see are elk. On a March visit, a few years ago, they came down into the streets of Estes Park in search of food. In late September/early October, it is mating season. They are in the meadowlands of the park and you can hear the males bugling. It is fascinating to watch their behavior–our guide likened it to high school. (You can e-mail us if you want a detailed explanation!)
4. Take some auto sightseeing tours. You can experience some spectacular views throughout the park, without even getting out of your car. However, there are many turn-outs for those who wish to get a little closer to nature. Fall River Road is open from June until the first snowfall. (In the mountains, that can be September.) The Trail Ridge Road is a gorgeous 58 mile loop, home to abundant wildlife and fantastic views. Parts of this are closed when the snow starts to fly.
5. Shop the shops in Estes Park. There are many fun ones to occupy more than a day! They range from souvenirs to beautiful pottery and art that reflect mountain themes and wildlife. Estes Park hosts many festivals and seasonal celebrations throughout the year, so weekends are especially busy.
The Stanley Hotel
6. Visit the Stanley Hotel–if you dare! This beautiful hotel is on the list of Historic Hotels of America. Of Stanley Steamer fame (they were responsible for the car), the Stanley brothers came to the area for health reasons and needed a place for guests to stay–thus, the hotel. One of the more famous guests to visit in later years was the author Stephen King. Apparently, the hotel was the inspiration for his horror novel, The Shining, which later became a TV mini-series and a movie. We highly recommend taking the hotel ghost tour.
7. Sample the great restaurants. There are not many chain restaurants in Estes Park–only a few fast food places. But the local restaurants offer a good variety of delicious meals. We especially enjoyed Sweet Basilico’s and The Other Place. We also cooked in our timeshare unit a few times.
8. Get out and play! Try some snowshoes if there is snow on the ground, or trout fish in warmer weather. Hike around beautiful Estes Lake while the kids play on the playground. There are some great places, like The Warming House, where you can rent any special equipment that you might need.
9. Take a side trip. We had been to Denver already, which is a great place to visit, so we chose to drive to Boulder, about 45 minutes away. Had a wonderful day! We visited Celestial Teas, which offers a free factory tour. We sampled and bought lots of tea, then headed to downtown Boulder and the Pearl Street mall. We ate lunch, shopped for awhile, then headed home via Blackhawk, where we won a little money at the casino. Other places for side trips might include Loveland or Fort Collins.
10. Relax! Rest, read a book, breathe deeply of the fresh mountain air and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Timeshare travel is great, because you can spend a whole week in the area instead of just a few days.
Ahh, the Rocky Mountains–wish we were there again!
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