RMNP hiking

[jvanhoy]

Me and the wife are coming to Colorado in 2 weeks for our 20 year anniversary /scouting trip for my elk hunt. We are going to spend a couple days in Denver and catch a Rockies game and hit downtown then head on to where I hunt and stay 3 nights. On the way I want to spend a good part of a day in the park and do some hiking. Can anyone recommend any good trails preferably to a lake or waterfall or sometime like that. When my wife goes hiking there has to be some sort of prize view at the end lol. Seeing wildlife would be a big plus also. Thanks

 

[jvanhoy]

Another side question how bad will mosquitoes be in the 9 to 10k range? I’m going to hit a few water holes in my hunting area and leave a trail cam till September. What’s the best repellent to use?

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Park will be busy, but I think it along with glacier and Yosemite are the most spectacular in the country. I would drive over trail ridge and then pick out some hikes on the west side. I find the first 2 miles of any hike in the park are crowded but then it tapers off to virtually no one. I’m a big fan of the Adams falls trail, but there are lots of great hikes.

Definitely grab a beer at the GL lodge, the view is amazing, although I’m biased as our family used to own it and the trail ridge store.

Bugs are hit or miss, just depends on your proximity to standing water, I run something with a high percentage of deet. It’s been a wet spring so my money is on it being buggy, most places below timberline.

 

[elkduds]

Emerald Lake trail has been my favorite for decades. Sadly (for me) it is now the most popular trail in the park. A little over 3 miles, along creek past 3 lakes into an incredible cirque. Not steep. Possibly less crowded on weekdays.

 

[denverteacher]

Colorado has an app called COTREX that has most/all of the trails in the state.

 

[cur dog]

I've been to the park a couple of times. The popular trails will be crazy crowded. Go very early in the morning, before the busses start hauling in the crowds wearing flip flops and pushing strollers. (No B.S)
Bring your glass and stop at some of the high viewing areas. Glass the alpine areas in the distance and you will see elk. If these areas still have a little snow, all the better. Enjoy your trip.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Go by and see the Stanley hotel. It was the inspiration for the book "The Shining" and the location for the miniseries. The movie with Jack Nicholson was filmed in Oregon. Steven King actually stayed in room 217 which is why it was prominent in the book. It's in Estes Park.

 

[jvanhoy]

Go by and see the Stanley hotel. It was the inspiration for the book "The Shining" and the location for the miniseries. The movie with Jack Nicholson was filmed in Oregon. Steven King actually stayed in room 217 which is why it was prominent in the book. It's in Estes Park.

Yea I’ve saw it before. I tried to talk my wife into staying a night there but she is not having it haha. After I checked prices I’m glad. I can’t wait to get her out there. I’m hoping she loves Co as much as me. I would pack up and move there in a heartbeat.

 

[Saranac84]

Head to Glacier Gorge. Hiking to either Mills Lake or The Loch will make for a great morning. They're both around 6 miles RT and take you to gorgeous lakes. The first mile of the hike might be busy but most "hikers" turn around at Alberta Falls.

Parking can be tough but if you're there early on a weekday, you shouldn't have any problems.

Have fun!

 

[Estimator86]

Might be too high for this time of year, but Sky Pond is worth the hike!

 

[Magnum Sherpa]

Go by and see the Stanley hotel. It was the inspiration for the book "The Shining" and the location for the miniseries. The movie with Jack Nicholson was filmed in Oregon. Steven King actually stayed in room 217 which is why it was prominent in the book. It's in Estes Park.

And some scenes from Dumb and Dumber were shot there.

 

[bullbugle307]

Thunder Lake is a really nice hike in RMNP with a gorgeous view once you hit the lake. I think there's some waterfall type stuff along the trail without going all the way to lake also. I think it's 17 miles round trip to get to the lake and back. I did it in a day when I was working on a research project in the park, but it would make for an excellent overnighter provided the weather was good. I think that requires a backcountry camping permit though, and it doesn't sound like you wanna camp out, but I figured I'd throw it out there anyways as that's about all I know of RMNP.