Bellvue, Colorado

The perspective here is vastly different from other areas in Rocky Mountain National Park as Moraine Park is essentially a large, very flat valley surrounded by tall mountains. You'll want to come during the elks' rutting season, which is between mid-September and mid-October. Park at the lot on ...

Coulson Gulch is a lightly used area of the Roosevelt National Forest which makes it perfect for a weekend getaway without the crowds. This is a great place to camp out under the stars!To get to Coulson Gulch From Lyons, head west on U.S. Highway 36 for about 9 miles. Turn southwest onto Larimer ...

For the extra-adventurous (my friends call me crazy for this), I recommend experiencing Rocky Mountain National Park in the off-season, when nobody else is there. Dead winter.Of course, you'll want to be uber prepared if you choose to take on this adventure, as the mountains are very unforgiving,...

Moraine Park Campground is the only year-round campground at Rocky Mountain National Park. During the summer there are 244 reservable campsites and 77 first come first serve during the winter. Large numbers of elk gather in Moraine Park during the rut (September-October) and it's a popular wildli...

Lily Lake allows boating in non-motorized watercraft and is only a short carry from your parking area by 7. Parking can be limited so get there in the morning early so that you can enjoy the morning wildlife and decreased crowds. You can spend an hour or so here kayaking slowly around enjoying th...

Located in Rocky Mountain National Park at an elevation of almost 8,700 feet, Sprague Lake offers visitors great views with very little effort required. It's a short 15 minute drive from Estes Park and hikers can take the short trail around the circumference of the lake. You'll find bathrooms and...

Start at the Rock Cut Parking Area. Head east on Trail Ridge Road 0.25 miles to a more gradual and bald western slope leading down into Forest Canyon. This bald is located between two creeks which merge before joining the Big Thompson River (a small creek in mid September). Use the creeks to navi...

The highest continuous paved road in North America, Trail Ridge Road takes you above 12,000 ft to an alpine tundra. Being above treeline means you have unclogged panoramic views of the night sky and any possible meteors. You can start your trip from Grand Lake in the west or Estes Park in the ea...

On this Rocky Mountain hike you’ll explore 4 picturesque mountain lakes and a 60 foot waterfall. Completing this hike requires familiarizing yourself with Rocky Mountain National Park’s free shuttle system. Hikes along Bear Lake Road are some of the busiest in the park. Trailhead parking lots fi...

While not as popular as Dream Lake, Nymph Lake is just as beautiful. The hike to Nymph Lake is an easy hike just over 1 mile. You start from the Bear Lake Trail head and can go further on to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake if you want to. Both Dream and Emerald Lakes are also stunning and very photog...

Located right outside of Rocky Mountain National Park, this hike is perfect for anyone looking to do a little exploring without the cost of a park fee. The drive through the Rocky Mountains to the trailhead is an added bonus. This hike is great because it has multiple attractions all along the wa...

This is a fairly popular snowshoeing and cross country skiing trail in the winter and offers a variety of additional trail options from the lake. Starting at the parking lot, the trailhead is easily accessed and begins the very gradual assent to Lake Zimmerman. Once at the lake, there are beautif...

Starting at the trailhead near the parking lot, the trail starts off relatively paved and moves close to the base of Turtle Rock, a large outcrop of Sherman Granite that has stood the test of time from the creation of the Rocky Mountains. Following the trail to the left at the loop intersection,...

This trail system is somewhat of a hidden gem to mountain bikers south of the Wyoming border. Those who know their way around the best trail systems, though, hail Curt Gowdy as one of the best. If you've got some energy to burn, try the IMBA Epic suggested route, which loops together the 20 miles...

From the front range, drive west of Fort Collins, Colo. on Highway 14 towards Walden, Colo. When you enter Highway 14 from Fort Collins, look for Ted's Place. Ted's is a gas station and convenient store, stop here to hit the bathroom, fill up on gas, and grab some snacks. There will be very few f...

I love Timber Lake! I never see that many people on the trail and I can't figure out why. The hike starts at the Timber Lake trailhead and climbs gradually through Pine and Aspen trees on the way up. We saw a few elk on the way up that didn't seem to be bothered by our presence. We also started h...