A Day in Rocky Mountain National Park
When we spent 4 nights in Denver we knew we had to use one of our days to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. It was so close and had been on my list of National Parks to visit for quite some time. We didn’t have a car while in Denver but rented one for the day to drive up to the park. We used a rental car location in town so we didn’t have to go all the way out to the airport.
The park is only an hour and a half away from downtown Denver if you take the direct route through Boulder. However, the evening before when we mentioned what we were doing to our server at Guard & Grace, she suggested we take the Peak to Peak Highway. It takes a bit longer (around 2 hours) but she said the views along the way were well worth the extra time - so off we went. It took us through some very small towns that looked like settings for old west movies. The views got better the closer we got to the town of Estes Park, where we would enter the park. We don’t own hiking boots but love to get outside so we looked for relatively easy hikes. But this also means more people. So if you want to get away from the crowds you can look into more difficult hikes.
Views along the Peak to Peak Highway
After we arrived at the park we headed straight for Bear Lake. We got to the park about 11am. If you are going in the high season (we were there in late April) I would suggest getting there much earlier than that. Even in the shoulder season, at 11am, we got the last parking spot at Bear Lake. Bear Lake is a beautiful lake surrounded by the mountains at 9,500 feet. There is a trail circling the lake and while normally easy, there was still a lot of snow when we went which made the trip around a bit treacherous. But the snow capped peaks against the clear blue sky we had that day made it worth the effort.
Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
After our trek around Bear Lake we drove a short distance to Sprague Lake. Sprague Lake is at a slightly lower elevation 8,600 feet and had far less snow than Bear. This trail circles the lake as well and is flat and easy. There is a main parking lot for the lake but before you get there is a smaller lot next to a picnic area which is where we parked. We also took advantage of the picnic area and had our lunch that we had brought. The picnic area was next to a small stream and of course, views of the mountains. The main lot also had picnic areas but this one was much calmer and quieter since it was a further walk to the lake (maybe a quarter mile longer). I loved walking around the lakes as it gave you different views of the mountains, all equally stunning.
Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
After only seeing ducks and geese I was beginning to think we weren’t going to see any unique wildlife because we weren’t deep in the park. However, after we left Sprague Lake we came upon a bunch of cars stopped along the road. After multiple trips to Smoky Mountain National Park I knew this meant wildlife was there. In the Smokies, bears were the big draw to cause traffic jams. This time it was two moose! I was ecstatic as I’d never seen a moose in the wild before. They were back behind some trees munching away on vegetation but I was able to a couple half decent photos of them before we moved on. Then, a few minutes later as we rounded a bend through a valley, another group of cars in the distance. This group was watching a huge herd of elk in the valley. It was a gorgeous scene with the elk grazing in a green valley alongside a sparkling stream surrounded by the mountains. We ended up seeing two more groups of elk before arriving at our 3rd stop of the day.
Elk herd grazing in a valley of Rocky Mountain National Park
The Alluvial Fan area of the park is the result of a flood in 1982. The Lawn Lake Dam gave way and flooded this area of the park and the town of Estes Park as well. Boulders were strewn about the area so now the huge rocks are in places you wouldn’t expect. This is another easy hike, a bit steep but quite short. And at the end you’re greeted with a waterfall. The waterfall was short but made a sharp turn and then stair stepped down into the valley. It was quite pretty and many people were taking advantage of the sunny day and hanging out beside the water - some even getting in it.
Waterfall at the Alluvial Fan area of Rocky Mountain National Park
We headed out of the park a different way, along the Fall River and took the direct route home through Boulder. We took advantage of that and broke up the drive by stopping in Boulder. All the parking in downtown Boulder is free on the weekends so we found a spot and headed towards the Pearl Street Mall. It’s a pedestrian only area with shops, restaurants and bars. After some food and local Boulder beers at the Corner Bar we finished the 45 minute drive back to Denver. While the National Park is a great day trip from Denver I’d love to go back again and stay closer to the park to be able to explore more - when we’re not busy brewery hopping in the Mile High City!
Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado