Rocky Mountain National Park - An Enchanting Adventure

Jun 17th Rocky Mountain National Park – An Enchanting Adventure

The quiet beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park (RNMP) is spell binding whether during the summer months or when covered with a fresh

Afternoon Storm Headed Our Way In Rocky Mountain National Park

blanket of newly fallen snow. My husband and I plan at least one camping trip to RMNP during the summer and we stay in Moraine Campground at the edge of an expansive meadow. Down below you can see Elk herds and the cars moving slowly by the area. More than once, we’ve opened the fifth wheel door to find ourselves face to face

View From Our Campsite in RMNP

with a bull elk or an entire elk herd. That is an interesting experience. Usually we back off, shut the door, quiet the dog and wait for a few minutes for the elks to move on. It’s an adventure we wouldn’t trade for the world and keeps us coming back year after year for at least the last 15 years.

Fourth of July Weekend is our excuse to explore the 415 miles of wilderness, which is located about 140 miles north of Colorado Springs on the Western edge of Estes Park. By the way, Estes Park has a fantastic fireworks display over Estes Lake on the fourth of July. It’s a fun time for all, if you don’t mind the throngs of people. Some years we join in the festivities, others we remain at our quite campsite and watch the marauding wildlife.

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

You can’t miss the drive up Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved highway in America. Above tree line, you’ll marvel at the small but vibrant yellow, blue and red alpine flowers able to survive in this harsh climate along with the hearty Yellow-Bellied Marmot. We’ve even seen, but only once, a little furry Pika, but he was camera shy. If you are quick enough, you might catch a glimpse of a long tailed weasel darting between the rocks.

Hearty Alpine Flowers Above Tree Line

Alpine Flowers

We especially enjoy the evening ranger talks in the pavilion not far from our campsite. The history, landscape, wildlife and what you can expect in Rocky Mountain National Park are just a few of the topics.

The weather can be volatile in Rocky Mountain National Park. We’ve left our campground in warm sunshine traveled up Trail Ridge Road, only to encounter hail, lightning, thunder and then snow all in one afternoon. The storms are spectacular, if you like that sort of thing and we do, but you must always be prepared. Always pack with you a parka, warm clothing, snacks and water, even if you are just going for a ride. The warm clothing also makes sitting around the campfire in the evening a lot more enjoyable.

There are family friendly trails, Ranger –led Programs, and six campgrounds, two of which are tents only and the other four accommodate RV’s varying in size. Man’s best friend is not allowed on the trails, but dogs are allowed in and around the campgrounds, which our dog is perfectly happy with. She enjoys the ride up Trail Ridge Road too, as does our parrot. They each have their own backseat window, so there are no disagreements.

Rocky Mountain National Park’s Bear Lake

Bull Elk

If you are looking for high altitude adventures, great camping, stunning views and a wide variety of wildlife, Rocky Mountain National Park should be your next destination. Reservations are highly recommended during the summer months.