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Top Wow Spots of Rocky Mountain National Park

From jaw-dropping views to lush, wildlife-filled meadows, these are the park's can't miss attractions

Kelly Bastone

With more than 265,000 acres and 350 miles of trails to explore, the only problem with visiting Rocky is deciding which of its thousands of marvels to tackle. In one of the West’s best national parks, scenic drives and alpine trails lead to waterfalls, wildlife-filled meadows, and overlooks that leave you breathless. Not to mention, the gateway town, Estes Park, is booming with new things to do before and after you explore the park. So, lace up your hiking boots, gather your gear, and get ready to discover one of America’s favorite parks through its most stunning locales.

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Moraine Park

Whether you're passing through on a Colorado road trip or hunkering down for a few days, Moraine is one of those places you can't miss when you visit Rocky Mountain National Park. Elk graze in this vast meadow surrounded by glacier-hewn peaks. At sunrise, the mountains gleam and the winding Big Thompson River glitters in the light.
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Emerald Lake

Jagged stone towers surround this shimmering, 10,110-foot-high alpine lake, reached via a moderate, 3.5-mile (round trip) hike from Bear Lake. Along the way on this water-filled hike, you'll pitstop at Nymph Lake and the aptly named Dream Lake, and pass the junction to Lake Haiyaha.
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Odessa Lake

Arguably the most stunning lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, Odessa demands a 8.2-mile (round trip) hike. Make it an overnight by nabbing a permit for a backcountry campsite near the lake, and spend time admiring the Fern Creek, which flows out of Odessa with Notchtop Mountain looming in the background.
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Kawuneeche Valley

Moose and elk love the mixture of grassy meadows and marshes surrounding the Colorado River, which threads through this broad, mountain-ringed valley. Located on the lesser-visited, western side of the park, the valley is home to ghost town Lulu City, the scenic Cascade Falls trail, and camping at the Timber Creek site.
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Grand Lake

Rocky Mountain National Park is bookended on its western side by Grand Lake, a small town built around Colorado's largest natural lake. Paddle a kayak or SUP across the expansive body of water, which affords wide-open panoramas of the surrounding peaks.
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Longs Peak

Rocky is a peak baggers' heaven with more than 60 mountains topping out at over 12,000 feet. The most iconic is Longs Peak. Hike the 14,259-foot peak (you'll have to start around 2 a.m. to make it up and back in time before the afternoon lightning storms tend to roll around), or ogle its awesome cliffs from Chasm Lake (an 8.4 mile hike, one way).
7 /10 Courtesy NPS/Ann Schonlau

Alpine Visitor Center

Located at 11,796 feet, this is the highest visitor center in the National Park Service and overlooks vast swaths of treeless alpine tundra. Have lunch overlooking the mountain vista or take one of several trails around the center to feel like you're hiking high above it all.
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Trail Ridge Road

The highest continuously paved highway in the U.S., this 48-mile route connects the town of Grand Lake (on Rocky Mountain’s west side) to Estes Park (the eastern gateway). In between, it scales treeless peaks and crosses the Continental Divide. Just be mindful, it closes once the snow overtakes the road sometime in late-October.
9 /10 Courtesy of Yellow Wood Guiding/Jared Gricoskie

Sheep Lakes

A natural salt lick near these lakes attracts so many bighorn sheep that from May through June, a volunteer crew nicknamed the Bighorn Brigade directs traffic on nearby Trail Ridge Road so that sheep can safely cross. Find the lakes in Horseshoe Park, a U-shaped valley located near the Fall River Entrance.
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Alberta Falls

Another stellar water feature accessed via the Bear Lake trailhead, Alberta Falls is one of the most popular hikes in the park for good reason. This 30-foot gusher is most impressive during runoff in May and June, but produces a delightfully cooling mist throughout the summer and fall.

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