5 Tips For Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park in 2022

Trenton and I grew up going to Rocky Mountain National Park with our families. We have done just about every hike in the park and have loved every single one of them. We’ve learned through the years when the best time to go is, the best things to do and see, and what is needed while there. We have fallen in love with this national park, and we want to share little hacks so you all can fall in love with it too.

After working a couple summers in Estes Park, right outside of Rocky Mountain, we have learned all the hacks there are to know. We both worked in a souvenir shop downtown that happened to be the busiest on the strip. We were able to talk to so many different people and learn about what wasn’t as well known for visitors. So here are our 5 top tips for visiting Rocky Mountain National Park in 2022. We hope it is helpful!

On our way to Frozen Lake.

1. Timed Entry

In 2020, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) initiated a timed entry reservation system to gain access to the Park. This will run from May 27 to October 10 for the 2022 Season. So what does this mean for your visit to RMNP? 

First off, there are two types of entry reservations available. One allows you access to the entire park, and the other allows for access to anywhere except for Bear Lake Road. A Bear Lake Road reservation is required between the hours of 5 AM and 6PM. The other reservation, however, is only required from 9AM to 3PM. Each pass will allow you a two hour window to enter the Park. Once you have entered the Park and need to exit for some reason, you will be allowed to reenter as long as you made it in during your initial allotted time slot. These timed entry reservations can be purchased at Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry and cannot be purchased at the Park gate. In addition to the reservation, you will also need the usual Park pass or fee which can be purchased at the gate. It is also important to note that a few reservations are saved and are released the day before at 5pm MST. These usually go fast so you will want to be prepared. Here is the link to the Parks timed entry page Timed Entry Permit System - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Mills Lake with a great view of Longs Peak.

2. Shuttle/Parking

If you are able to snag a time slot for the Bear Lake Road corridor, congratulations; you will now have to find a parking spot! Even with the restricted number of vehicles accessing this area parking can still be a challenge. But thankfully Rocky has a free shuttle service running along Bear Lake Road to help with this! If you are planning a hike out of the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, there is a good chance a shuttle will be your best option as the lot fills up very early, typically well before 7AM. The Bear Lake parking lot is also typically very full by 8AM if not earlier. The shuttle service parking lot is known as ‘Park and Ride’ and is located on Bear Lake Road just before you reach the Sprague Lake turnoff. These shuttles will make stops at these trailheads: Fern Lake, Cub Lake, Moraine Park Campground, Tuxedo Park, Hollowell Park, Glacier Basin Campground, Sprague Lake, Bierstadt Lake, Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake. There are several different shuttle loops so it's a great idea to chat with one of the friendly Park rangers to find out which trailhead and bus loop is for you! Here is a link to the Parks Shuttle information page Public Transportation in Rocky - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Bear Lake in late September.

3. Best Time To Go

Rocky Mountain National Park is a very busy park that sees millions of visitors every year, with a majority of them being in the summer/fall seasons. Planning when to go can be a little tricky if you are wanting to get away from crowds, but still be able to enjoy nice weather and see all the scenery.

After spending time in every season in Estes Park, we feel like we have a pretty solid grasp of when the best times to visit are. If you are looking to do some decent hiking but don’t mind a little snow, early June is beautiful. The waterfalls and rivers are rushing from the fresh snow melt, the wildflowers are starting to bloom, and the mountains are still snow capped. Once you are on the trails you are more than likely to hit some snow. The snow is usually pretty packed down on most of the popular trails and spikes aren’t really necessary. Depending on how much snow the mountains received during the winter, the higher trails might still be a little difficult to find.

To be honest, I would try to avoid going during July and early August if possible, unless you are okay with lots of crowds. There are people everywhere, which makes parking scarce in town and in RMNP. The hiking during those months is beautiful though.

As far as fall goes, it is my favorite time of the year. The aspens are beautiful, the elk are in rut and are all over town, and the weather is perfect. Crowds are less than in July, but weekends can get pretty busy. If you are able to make it up during the week in late September or early October, you are sure to have a wonderful trip. Great hiking, amazing beauty, and maybe you’ll even catch some elk fighting.

Top of Trail Ridge Road in early June.

4. Best Areas

The Park is so beautiful that it is hard to pick only a few “must see” places. With that being said, there are a few that if it is your first time visiting, you simply must see. Here is the link to our favorite and most complete hiking guidebook for RMNP.

Trail Ridge Road is one of the best ways to see a lot of the park from the comfort of your own vehicle. Trail Ridge reaches heights of over 12,000 feet, which is well above the tree line for a true Rocky Mountain experience! There are plenty of pull offs along the way for ample photo opportunities and the Alpine Visitors Center is at the top and has a gift shop, restaurant and bathrooms. The road then continues down to the West side of the park (assuming you started from Estes Park) leading you to the town of Grand Lake. A day trip to Grand Lake is also a top favorite of ours!

Bear Lake is also a must see and hikes from all lengths and difficulty levels use Bear Lake as a starting point (be sure and read the above section about the timed entry reservations).

Wild Basin is a little more off the beaten path but is one of our favorite areas in the entire park. The hikes in this area are typically going to be longer than the ones out of the Bear Lake area, which leads to a lot less crowds. During the summer it is a great area for wildflowers, and the majority of the hikes are not as strenuous as other areas of the park even with their longer distances.

The Ute Trail off of Trail Ridge Road at sunset. This was during the Troublesome fire in 2020.

5. Star Gazing

I don’t know about you, but I love the stars. Before I moved to Estes, I had never even thought about going into the park at night to look at the sky. Once Trenton and I started dating we spent many date nights just looking up at the stars in awe. There are a couple places in the park that are my favorite to star gaze. The first is Trail Ridge Road. Drive up above treeline just in time for sunset (you won’t need a timed entry). There are several pull offs on the side of the road that you can stop at. I recommend bringing blankets and either sitting on the hood of the car or opening the hatch and hanging out in the back. If you have a truck, even better. There is nothing like the fresh mountain air while staring at the Milky Way.

My second favorite place to star gaze is in Endo Valley. The valleys aren’t marked super well, but if you find the Alluvial Fan (a giant waterfall) you are in the right place. After you park, across the road from the Alluvial Fan is a slow moving river. The banks of the river are super wide and the perfect place to lay a blanket down and look at the stars. You can hear the rush of the waterfall, the slow current of the river, and still see the Milky Way. Always remember to bring a jacket and blankets! It gets pretty cold in the mountains at night.

We hope these simple tips help you get the most out of your trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. If you have any other questions about the Park or things to do in the Park or around town, feel free to ask in the comments!

-The Mings