Rocky Mountain National Park is located in Colorado near Denver. It is a fantastic weekend trip and a fun day trip from Denver. Two days in Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park will provide you the opportunity to see the best areas of the park and take in some spectacular views.
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History of Rocky Mountain National Park
In the 1600s, the Paleo-Indians, the Ute, and the Arapaho appeared in the area to hunt for food. They ended up settling in the area for hundreds of years. Later in the 1800s, many explorers began to come to the area to see what it had to offer, with later explorers in search of gold and silver.
Rocky Mountain National Park was officially established in 1915. The 1920s saw the building of a lodge and better park roads thus expanding the park and making it more how it is today.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park if you want to do all of the hiking trails is during the late spring and summertime. However, you can still hike a few of the trails in the wintertime with proper gear during the wintertime. Hiking in the wintertime makes for a fun and unique experience as well. We went in late May and it was still snowy but you were still able to hike.
How to get to Rocky Mountain National Park
The closest airport to Rocky Mountain National Park is Denver International Airport. It is about an hour and a half drive to the park from there.
From the Denver Airport, take the 470 North to the 25 North. Then get on the 66 West to the 36 West to the 7 West. This will take you to Estes Park.
Transportation Around Rocky Mountain National Park
To get around during two days in Rocky Mountain National Park, you will need a car. There is no shuttle service around the park. I recommend using Autoslash to find your rental car as I always find the best rates there.
Hours and Admission
Rocky Mountain National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year as long as the roads are clear. Note that during some parts of the year (like peak summer season), you may need a timed entrance permit to get into the park. You can get one here.
It costs $25 for a one-day pass into Rocky Mountain National Park or free with an America the Beautiful Pass.
Where to Stay
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best National Park hotels here!
When spending two days in Rocky Mountain National Park, you will want to stay in Estes Park. This adorable little town is located right outside of the park, so it is a short 5-10 minute drive to the entrances. We opted to stay at Murphy’s River Lodge. I loved this cute hotel and it was personally priced at $125/night. It even included breakfast.
What to See During Two Days in Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park has 355 miles of hiking trails. Some are pretty easy, others are very strenuous, so there are hikes for all types. If you have two days in Rocky Mountain National Park, these are the trails that I recommend.
Day 1
Emerald Lake Trail
Distance: 4.2 miles
To start off your first of two days in Rocky Mountain National Park, hike the Emerald Lake trail. This out and back trail takes you past three other lakes before getting to Emerald Lake. At the start of the hike, you will see Bear Lake. A little bit further down the path lies Nymph Lake. Next, you will pass by Dream Lake before finally arriving at Emerald Lake.
This trail has a little bit of elevation change. Note that in the wintertime and spring this trail is covered in snow. We went at the end of May and it still had several feet of snow and ice. I recommend having good snow boots or chains for your shoes in order not to slip. Also, make sure to get to this trailhead very early as there is not a lot of parking and it fills up quickly.
I recommend bringing a lunch with you into the park as it can get very crowded and take a while to get back into the park if you leave.
Alberta Falls
Distance: 1.7 miles
This afternoon, take a hike to Alberta Falls. The Alberta Falls hike is an easy hike to complete during two days in Rocky Mountain National Park. There is not much incline on this hike and the end takes you to a 30-foot waterfall. It will be the most flowing at the end of spring as the ice and snow start to melt.
You could also add this hike on from Bear Lake which adds a mile to the hike. The plus side is you do not have to move your car!
Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ and Brews
Cost: $$
Hours: 11am-9pm
Tonight, grab dinner at Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ and Brews. It has several locations all over Colorado, and it is well worth the hype. It is the perfect place to unwind after a day in the park. If you have a group, I recommend splitting a platter so you can sample everything! The pulled pork was my favorite.
Day 2
Bierstadt Lake
Distance: 2.8 miles
Start your second of two days in Rocky Mountain National Park with a hike to Bierstadt Lake. This hidden gem is one of the less popular hikes, but it is a gorgeous sight to see. It is named after Albert Bierstadt who frequented this lake in the 1870s. In total, you will gain 566 feet in this hike, but it is well worth the views.
Trail Ridge Road
This afternoon, you can choose to do another hike (see some of the ones recommended below) or drive Trail Ridge Road. The Trail Ridge Road winds for 48 miles and connects Estes Park with Grand Lake. It offers spectacular views of the park and reaches an elevation of over 12,000 feet. Note that this road is usually closed from October to Memorial day due to snow.
After driving the Trail Ridge Road, you can opt to explore Grand Lake or head back to Estes Park.
Poppy’s Pizza and Grill
Cost: $$
Hours: Mon-Thus: 11:30am-8pm, Fri-Sun: 11:30am-9pm
Grab one of your day two meals at Poppy’s Pizza and Grill. After a day of hiking in the park, nothing beats a good pizza and beer. They have some fun pre-made pizzas or you can build your own pizza.
Other Things to do in Estes Park
Estes Park has a ton of other things to do in town outside of spending time in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Grab some Taffy
For some reason, Estes Park has a ton of saltwater taffy places. I sampled a few of the places and it is some of the best taffy I have ever had. Most of the places have a ton of different flavors to try.
Estes Park Aerial Tramway
Cost: $16
Hours: 9am-6pm
Another fun thing to do in Estes Park is the Aerial Tramway. The tram goes to the top of Prospect Mountain. It offers panoramic views as well as some other hiking trails. Ride early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the crowds.
Rock Cut Brewing Company
Cost: $
Hours: 11am-10pm
Rock Cut Brewing Company came to be in 2005. It offers great views of the Continental Divide and Lumpy Ridge. They usually have at least 10 different beers on tap. I enjoyed their Wild Pale Sour. Other popular breweries include Estes Park Brewery and Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co.
Walk Around The Stanley Hotel
The Stanley Hotel is the fanciest hotel in Estes Park. It contains 4 different accommodation types on the property as well as event space. Throughout the year, the Stanley also hosts various events for the holidays and other special occasions. You can even take a historic tour of the property.
More Than Two Days in Rocky Mountain National Park
If you have more than two days in Rocky Mountain National Park or want to add more trails, check out these other awesome trails.
Bear Lake Nature Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles
The hike to Bear Lake is a super easy trail. This half-mile loop goes around the lake along a paved and flat path. There are signs along the path explaining the area around the loop. You can add this to the Emerald Lake trail if you wish. This area gets very busy so make sure to plan accordingly.
Gem Lake Trail
Distance: 3.1 miles
The Gem Lake trail is a bit more of a strenuous hike as it has an incline of 1000 feet. It offers awesome views of the surrounding area including Estes Park and the Continental Divide.
Shaka Guide
Shaka Guide is a GPS self-guided audio tour that you can download to your phone. Currently, they have one for several of the National Parks. They provide great background information about the area. The best part is you do not need the internet to use them.
Tips for Spending Two Days in Rocky Mountain National Park
- There is no need to pack your own food unless you want to have a picnic on one of the hikes. Estes Park has numerous fabulous restaurants.
- Make sure to check the weather and have the proper footwear for the hikes. Some hikes may be snowy even in the late spring/early summer.
- Get to the trailheads and the park early or you may not get a spot in the parking lot or have to wait a long time to get into the park.
- Wear layers as this park is all mountains. The weather can change throughout the day.
Two days in Rocky Mountain National Park is a great weekend trip in Colorado or a great day trip from Denver. If you have more time, head out on a Colorado road trip or west through Grand Junction to Moab and explore more of America’s National Parks. In Montrose is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. You could also opt to head through Cheyenne and visit South Dakota. No matter what, Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the best National Parks to visit.
