Less than an hour from Longmont, the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park awaits.
For 2025: Timed Entry Reservations will be required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park for dates between May 23 and through mid-October between 9 am-2 pm. View all the details at Recreation.gov
It is a beautiful, scenic drive west of Longmont up Highway 36. Highway 36 passes through the quaint little town of Lyons, a great place to hike, browse shops or get a bite to eat.
Continue west on either Highway 36 or the scenic Highway 7 (Peak to Peak Highway) to Estes Park. This classic mountain town offers over 200 charming shops, restaurants and attractions. Grab an old-fashioned ice cream cone or homemade fudge, stroll along the Riverwalk, and tour the historic Stanley Hotel (the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining).
Continue through Estes to the Park entrance. The Park offers 415 square miles of exciting outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and wildlife viewing at any time of year, plus snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding in the winter. We recommend a trip along Trail Ridge Road (open seasonally) up to the Continental Divide and over to Grand Lake. It’s the highest, continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet.
Be on the lookout for elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mule deer, stellar jays, pikas, marmots and numerous other species as you stop and take photos or hike some of the 350 miles of trails that make this park a hiker’s paradise.
#KnowBeforeYouGo - Timed Entry Permit Reservations are needed along with a park pass/entrance fee in order to enter Rocky Mountain National Park if you're visiting between May 23 through mid-October 2025. Get more information and make reservations
