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Shared itinerary · Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain in 3 days

Three days in Rocky Mountain: the Bear Lake corridor (Sprague Lake, Bear Lake to Emerald Lake, Alberta Falls), Trail Ridge Road over the top to Grand Lake, then the west side and back over the Divide to Estes Park. 14 stops with times and notes. A timed entry permit is required in summer, booked on recreation.gov, and Trail Ridge Road opens late May and closes with the first real snow.

From the guide Rocky Mountain National Park: altitude, Trail Ridge and timed entry

Updated

Distance

134 km

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center → Estes Park

Days

3

Stops

14

Each day of Rocky Mountain in 3 days: route, stops and distance
DayRouteStopsDistance
Day 1Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to Moraine Park522.8 km
Day 2Many Parks Curve to Grand Lake552.7 km
Day 3Adams Falls to Estes Park458.8 km

Day 1: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to Moraine Park

22.8 km

The Bear Lake corridor. A timed entry permit is required in summer, book on recreation.gov.

  1. 07:30

    Beaver Meadows Visitor Center

    Sight

    Pick up the day’s trail and shuttle status. The Bear Lake road corridor needs the stricter timed entry permit.

    8.5 km · 15m drive to next

  2. 08:30

    Sprague Lake

    Park & nature

    A flat half mile loop with the Continental Divide mirrored in the water.

    4.2 km · 10m drive to next

  3. 10:00

    Bear Lake to Emerald Lake

    Activity

    3.6 miles round trip past Nymph and Dream Lakes, each prettier than the last. Start early, the lot is the park’s most contested.

    1.6 km · 10m walk to next

  4. 14:00

    Alberta Falls

    Park & nature

    A 1.6 mile round trip from Glacier Gorge to a 30 foot falls in a granite chute.

    8.6 km · 15m drive to next

  5. 17:30

    Moraine Park

    Park & nature

    Elk graze the meadow most evenings. In late September the bugling carries across the whole valley.

Day 2: Many Parks Curve to Grand Lake

52.7 km

Trail Ridge Road over the top to Grand Lake. Opens late May, closes with the first real snow.

  1. 08:00

    Many Parks Curve

    Sight

    The first big pullout on the climb, three glacial valleys at once.

    10.6 km · 15m drive to next

  2. 09:00

    Forest Canyon Overlook

    Sight

    The road’s most dramatic drop, 2,500 feet into an untrailed canyon.

    2.8 km · 10m drive to next

  3. 10:00

    Tundra Communities Trail

    Activity

    One mile round trip through real alpine tundra at 12,000 feet. Stay on the path, the plants take decades to recover.

    4.8 km · 10m drive to next

  4. 11:30

    Alpine Visitor Center

    Sight

    The highest visitor center in the Park Service at 11,796 feet. Chili in the cafe is tradition.

    28.4 km · 45m drive to next

  5. 14:00

    Grand Lake

    Food & drink

    Descend the quiet west side to the boardwalk town on Colorado’s largest natural lake. This is the West Entrance side, a fraction of the east side’s traffic.

Day 3: Adams Falls to Estes Park

58.8 km

The west side morning, then back over the Divide.

  1. 08:00

    Adams Falls

    Activity

    An easy 0.6 mile round trip from the East Inlet trailhead to a falls crashing through a rock slot.

    16.5 km · 15m drive to next

  2. 10:00

    Kawuneeche Valley

    Park & nature

    The young Colorado River winds through willow flats here. The best moose odds in the park, dawn and dusk especially.

    30.7 km · 1h 15m drive to next

  3. 13:00

    Sheep Lakes

    Park & nature

    Bighorn ewes cross to the mineral licks in late morning, rangers manage the road crossing.

    8.6 km · 10m drive to next

  4. 14:30

    Estes Park

    Food & drink

    Riverwalk, taffy shops and a late lunch. The Stanley Hotel is a five minute detour if The Shining means anything to you.