Getting to the Colorado Rocky Mountains
Phoenix to Denver
The flight from Phoenix to Denver is less than an hour and a half. It makes for an easy getaway, especially from the hot Phoenix summers. Additionally, both Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have a lot of flights to Denver, and often at a good price. Once in Denver you can rent a car and be in the Rocky Mountains within a few hours. We’ve done two trips like this and plan to make it a summer tradition. In this blog we go over everything we’ve done in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Once in the Rocky Mountains you can visit Rocky Mountain National Park, many National Forests, and high elevation mountain towns.
To learn more about the gear we trust and bring with us, check out our gear guides!
Leave No Trace
Please remember to Leave No Trace when exploring. Pack out all trash and plan ahead. Check out our hiking tips for more information.
The 7 principles of Leave No Trace:
1) Plan ahead and prepare
2) Travel & camp on durable surfaces
3) Dispose of waste properly
4) Leave what you find
5) Minimize campfire impacts
6) Respect wildlife
7) Be considerate of others
Rocky Mountain National Park
The Rocky Mountain National Park – Estes Park entrances are about 1.5 hours from Denver, depending on where you’re staying it could be a little closer or further. In our weekend trip to the park we flew into Denver on Friday after work, rented a car, stayed just north of Denver and we were up early Saturday morning to get to the park. We had timed entry to the Bear Lake Corridor!
Visiting During Timed Entry
Over the last few years Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) has implement a seasonal timed entry system into the park and Bear Lake Road. They currently list timed entry needed from May 24 to mid-October between 9am – 2pm for just the park and between 5am – 2pm for Bear Lake Road. Admittedly, the timed entry process feels a little intimidating and it used to be more confusing. The process is well explained on the RMNP website and we highly encourage you to read through everything. For our trip we reserved our entry the night before when 40% are released. Even with timed entry, we still had to wait a little to get into the park because of reduced entrances and people at Bear Lake getting turned away for not having timed entry.
One Day at Rocky Mountain National Park
With our timed entry to the park and Bear Lake Road we went straight to Bear Lake. We didn’t attempt to park at the trailhead and instead opted to park at the large lot and take the shuttle bus over. We hiked a loop, choosing not to go to Bear Lake, we went straight to Nymph Lake. From there we continued to Dream Lake and continued to Emerald Lake.
After Emerald we backtracked to Dream Lake and then took Lake Haiyaha Trail over to the beautifully blue Lake Haiyaha. We then continued southward on the Lake Haiyaha Trail to its intersection with Glacier Gorge Trail. From the intersection we took Glacier Gorge Trail northward towards the parking lot and shuttle pick up. On the trail we stopped at Alberta Falls before taking the shuttle back at the Glacier Gorge Junction. The AllTrails map below is the closest outline to the route we took, but does include Bear Lake.
Nymph Lake
Dream Lake
Emerald Lake
Lake Haiyaha
Alberta Falls
Alpine Visitor Center
After our time at Bear Lake we decided to head up to the highest elevation visitor center out of the entire National Park Service, the Alpine Visitor Center. High above the treeline, this visitor center sits at 11,796 feet above sea level. To get to this visitor center you take Highway 34 which twists and turns as it makes its way up the mountain. There are no guardrails on this road, and if you’re afraid of heights, this might not be the road for you. Owen, hates heights and did not enjoy driving up the mountain. We didn’t have much time before the visitor center closed for the day and on the way down we stopped a couple times at the viewpoints.
Winter Park
West of Denver and Golden, Colorado, high in the mountains is the town and it’s namesake ski resort, Winter Park. And just north of Winter Park are the towns of Fraser, Tabernash, and Granby. All of these towns are accessible via Route 40 which also intersects with Route 34 that runs through Rocky Mountain National Park, entering from the south entrance on the backside of the park. Near Winter Park and Granby is the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, and within those forests is the Indian Peaks Wilderness. From our stay at the YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch, we were about 45 minutes from the national forest trails we wanted to hike and about 15 minutes from Winter Park.
YMCA of the Rockies - Snow Mountain Ranch
The Snow Mountain Ranch location has many different lodging options including, hotel style rooms, independent cabins, campgrounds, and yurts. Additionally, there is a central dining hall with buffet style meals. Last but not least, throughout the entire grounds, there are many different activities available to choose from. The ranch is very family friendly and an excellent launching point for outdoor recreation.
At Snow Mountain Ranch we did the new Ariel Challenge Course, rented e-bikes, paddleboard on the reservoir, and hiked to the waterfall.
Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests
Within the National Forest we visited Monarch Lake and Meadow Creek Reservoir, each about 45 minutes from our stay. At Monarch Lake we hiked the Monarch Lake Loop and at Meadow Creek we just enjoyed the view because we didn’t want to be overly sweaty and stinky for our flight home.
Monarch Lake
Meadow Creek Reservoir
Winter Park Resort Scenic Gondola
At the Winter Park resort you can take the scenic gondola to the top of the ski resort and hike different trails on the mountain. You can also mountain bike down the mountain as well and use the lifts specially fitted for bikes to quickly come back to the top! Additionally, there is a restaurant at the top that offers food, drinks, and great views.
Pikes Peak
About 1.5 hours south of Denver just outside of Colorado Springs is Pikes Peak, self titled America’s Mountain. In fact the opening lines from the song, America the Beautiful were written from and inspired by the view from the top of Pikes Peak by Katharine Lee Bates. Pikes Peak summit is over 14 thousand feet above sea level and you drive, train, or hike to the top.
Like many popular Rocky Mountain summer attractions, an entry ticket is needed to drive up to Pikes Peak. You can reserve a timed entry, which is suggested or hope they have some available when you show up. Additionally, you can take the Cog train to the top and back down. Once at the top, make sure to check out the visitor center and get some of their famous donuts!
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
From the top of Pikes Peak, the drive to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Admittedly, we didn’t plan very well and only learned of the national monument from one of the signs at the top of Pikes Peak. We arrived at the monument with only a limited amount of time before they closed. Next time we’ll definitely plan better because we really enjoyed nerding out at the park.
Colorado Springs, CO
If you’re not interested in Denver or anything near Rocky Mountain National Park, we suggest considering Colorado Springs as your launching point. We found flying in and out of the airport, along with renting a car, to be quite easy. From Colorado Springs we went to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park. We stayed closer to the park before joining the 2023 Mountain House Ambassador retreat in Cañon City, Colorado. We will make a blog post on that trip at a later date!
Durango, Colorado: Best Hikes, Lakes, and 4×4 Trails
Durango, Colorado is a picturesque mountain town packed with outdoor fun. With hiking, biking, skiing, and white-water rafting options, there’s never a dull moment. It’s a perfect getaway from Phoenix, with nearby gems like Silverton and Mesa Verde. Plus, great local eats and hot springs await after your adventures!
Black Canyon of the Gunnison: Road Trip Itinerary From Arizona
We took a fun road trip from Phoenix to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park over Memorial Day. This stunning, lesser-known park has incredible views and dog-friendly trails. We camped near Durango, explored diverse routes, and soaked up gorgeous sunsets. It was a perfect getaway full of adventure and nature!
The AZ Hikeaholics Top Gear Recommendations
Gear for the trail ranges from what’s in our pack to what’s on our back and feet. Here you’ll find what we trust and bring, including the essentials and what keeps us comfortable!
