Rocky Mountain National Park: Day Trips and Tours from Denver

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The Rocky Mountain National Park covers about 670 square kilometers and includes a spectacular range of mountain habitats. Explore its over 480 kilometers of hiking trails with meadows and shining lakes on a Rocky Mountain National Park day trip from Denver. Travel along high mountain roads with magnificent views, see the wonderful wildlife and discover fascinating historic mountain towns.

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Authors

Lorie Halliday

Christian Schoeman

Travel along high mountain roads with magnificent views, see the wonderful wildlife and discover fascinating historic mountain towns.

Here's everything you need to know about Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most exciting day trips from Denver.

How to get to Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver?

The Rocky Mountain National Park is over 100 kilometers northwest of Denver and takes about 1.5 hours to drive.

From Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park by car

When driving from Denver to Rocky Mountain, take the 1-70 west, the State Highway 119 to Nederland, then roads 72 and 7 to Estes Park.

From Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park by bus

Take the bus to the Rocky Mountain from Union Station, Gate B17 in Denver (42 minutes) to Broadway and Regent Drive, Boulder (1 hour).

Guided tours to Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver

There are numerous half-day and full day trips to the Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver (and Boulder), with pickup and drop-off in Denver to make things easy.

How much does the entrance ticket to Rocky Mountain National Park cost?

The one-day pass to enter the Rocky Mountain National Park is valid for the date of purchase.

Adults (16 and above): US$15
Children (15 and below): Free

You can also buy an annual pass for US$70 per person for unlimited entry for one year from the date of purchase. A 1-day vehicle entrance pass costs US$30 and is valid for the date of purchase.

Fee free days are:

Jan. 16 - Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
April 22 - First day of National Park Week
Aug. 4 - Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Sept. 24 - National Public Lands Day
Nov. 11 - Veterans Day.

What is the typical itinerary?

You will depart from your meeting point in Denver to the Rocky Mountain National Park, and from Lily Lake have beautiful views of Longs Peak. Along the way, you can explore the popular Estes Park, nestled among snow-capped mountains.

Have a nice lunch and explore the interesting local shops. Then travel along Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake on the western slope, at 3,700 meters the highest continuous paved road in the United States.

On your return, you will pass by the iconic Stanley Hotel, built in 1909 and associated with several famous persons over the years. Inside the Rocky Mountain National Park, you will have multiple stops to enjoy the magnificent mountain views.

On a private tour of the historic towns of the Rockies, you will visit fascinating places such as Golden, Central City, Georgetown, Boulder and Nederland.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Rocky Mountain National Park?

Rocky Mountain National Park tour from Denver

Discover the rugged beauty of Colorado's mountains on a guided day tour of the famous Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver, the “Mile High City.” Admire the state’s small, historic towns, pass over mountain passes and spot mountain wildlife such as black bear, moose, elk, deer and majestic eagles.

You will be picked up at Denver Union Station and driven past Boulder and at serene Lily Lake you will enjoy beautiful views of Longs Peak. At over 4,000 meters, it is the tallest in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Along the way, you will have the opportunity to explore the charming Estes Park. Surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks, it is one of Colorado's most popular mountain towns. You will have ample time to have a nice lunch and browse the interesting local shops.

Then travel along Trail Ridge Road that connects Estes Park to Grand Lake on the western slope. It's the highest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 3,700 meters.

In summer, you can drive up to the highest point and in winter as far as Many Curves Road, if the weather permits. It closes every year due to heavy snowfall but is generally open from the end of May to the end of October.

You will pass by the iconic Stanley Hotel, built in 1909 and visited by several famous personalities over the years. These included US president Theodore Roosevelt, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Stephen King, to name a few.

Inside the Rocky Mountain National Park you will have multiple stops to marvel at the magnificent mountain views.

Rocky Mountain National Park in summer tour from Denver

Marvel at the beautiful scenery of the beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park on this full day tour from Denver. Enjoy a picnic among the lovely summer landscape of dense green trees and wildflower paddocks, and drive along high mountain roads with breathtaking mountain views.

Look out for the park’s wildlife and enjoy the mountain culture of the charming Estes Park resort town.

Your meeting and pickup point is Denver Union Station in Wynkoop Street, Denver. Your tour includes National Park fees, a picnic lunch in the park, snacks and water bottle refills. Passing the Fall River Visitor Center, you will enter into the Rocky Mountain National Park for your tour of adventure.

Your first outing is the Alluvial Fan, a fan-shaped area of collapse created in 1982 when the Lawn Lake Dam gave way. The burst flooded the Park and the nearby town of Estes Park.

Then enjoy a nice picnic lunch in Horseshoe Park, cradled in a picturesque valley next to a mountain water stream. You will travel along the Trail Ridge Road for about 18 kilometers on a scenic drive, crossing the Continental Divide. Stop for photos and enjoy the magnificent views and sights of mountain wildlife.

At the Alpine Visitor Center, visit the ranger station or walk up to the highest point on the road for great 360 degree mountain views.

You will stop at the Many Curves park overlook and on this short walk enjoy great views of Long's Peak and the lovely Rocky Mountain valleys. At Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, you will exit the park, but along the way, look out for wildlife.

The road will take you to the pleasant mountain town of Estes Park, where you can wander down Elkhorn Avenue to explore the local shops. You can also visit the historic Stanley Hotel, of “The Shining” fame. This tour is not recommended for people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions.

Ghost towns of the Rockies private tour

On this fascinating guided private tour to the Rockies from Denver you can discover the charm of Colorado’s historical mountain towns.

Your first visit is to popular Golden, nestled against the Rocky Mountain foothills. Here you can explore the campus of the historic School of Mines and wander along Washington Street past a variety of shops and boutiques.

Enjoy a nice meal or have a snack on your way through the Rockies to Central City, also enfolded in the mountains. It was another boom town during Colorado’s mining days and boasts some attractive Victorian houses.

Its main street is lined with shops and old saloons and the historic cemeteries are a fascinating record of the early settlers.

Your next stop is Georgetown, where you can go aboard the Loop Railroad and a mine tour to try your luck panning for gold! Go on an easy walk along the downtown’s small main road, featuring antique, art and soda shops.

Then enjoy historic downtown Boulder, stroll down the brick-paved pedestrian walkway of Pearl Street, the heart and soul of the town. Browse its shops, restaurants and breweries and watch the street performers. Also admire the “Flatirons” rock formations and the historical homes along “The Hill” quarter.

Your final destination further into the mountains is Nederland. It’s a most interesting small town with its roots as a trading post from the 1850s, which soon became a mining town. Nowadays it's known for sports, its highly picturesque scenery and popular festivals.

How much does a tour to Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver cost?

The Rocky Mountain National Park day tour from Denver or Boulder costs US$140 per person and lasts for 8 hours. If you want to join a 10-hour summer tour, expect to pay around US$160 per person.

For customized private tours through the Ghost towns of the Rockies, prices start at US$700 per person, and cover the visits to other famous destinations such as Georgetown, Boulder and Nederlands.

What will you see?

Explore the Rockies and take in the magnificent views around you, as offered by most hiking tours from Denver. Learn the history and interesting stories about the old towns, as narrated by your local guide.

Trail Ridge Road

The two national park roads now crossing the Rocky Mountain were established along the old routes followed long ago by the Ute and Arapahoe native Americans.

The first road to be built was Fall River Road, which was constructed between 1913 and 1920. It was a narrow, unpaved single-lane road ascending from the deep Fall River Valley to Fall River Pass.

It then descended some sharp switchbacks to the Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley. It was a difficult route for the early automobiles to negotiate. Each year it had to be cleared of snow, which was dangerous and difficult.

Soon after completion, the park authorities planned a new road, the Trail Ridge Road, built between 1926 and 1932. It climbed almost 305 meters higher and crossed the more open land of Trail Ridge.

At the peak of its construction, 150 laborers were working on the road. It reaches 3,700 meters on Trail Ridge, making it the highest continuous highway in the United States.

Minor roads to smallholdings in the Bear Lake, Moraine Park and Wild Basin regions were built as county roads before the park opened in 1915. It still provides visitors with access to the park’s most magnificent scenery.

National Park historic buildings

Visitors will find many backcountry cabins which share a rustic style, but depending on the specific environment, building materials vary from stone to logs. The National Register of Historic Places has listed 10 backcountry buildings as significant examples of the region’s vernacular architecture.

These include the Twin Sisters radio tower and shelter cabin, built in 1914 by the National Forest Service. Others include structures at Willow Park (1923), Fern Lake (1925), the Keyhole on Longs Peak (1927) and Thunder Lake (1930).

When is Rocky Mountain National Park open over the year?

You can visit Rocky Mountain National Park all year round but there may be certain roads and facilities that are closed seasonally.

When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park?

The best time to visit the park is from June to September, with most of the snow already melted and the hiking trails more accessible. The best time to avoid crowds is from November to April, as summer season and the fall weekends see most visitors.

The Rocky Mountain National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with four main entrance stations. Beaver Meadows and Fall River are just west of Estes Park and in the southeast there is an entrance to the Wild Basin area.

The Grand Lake entrance lies on the west side of the park. You need a valid entrance fee or park pass to enter.