Rocky Mountain National Park Hiking

Welcome to Colorado! Your adventure begins in Estes Park at 6:30 am to meet your tour leader and fellow hikers, joining a community of explorers who share your love for challenge and the outdoors. Together, you’ll venture into the Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge region for your first hike of the trip. This area offers access to some of the most dramatic landscapes in the park, from cascading waterfalls to alpine lakes and towering granite cliffs. The hike will take you past Alberta Falls – a waterfall that plunges through a glacial-cut canyon – and onward to Mills Lake, an alpine lake with views of the towering mountains above. After the hike, you’ll cross the Continental Divide via Trail Ridge Road, the more remote and wildlife-rich west side of the park. Here, you’ll settle into a private campground on the park’s edge for some off-the-grid rest. As your leader prepares dinner, you’ll share stories around the fire, maybe unwind with a hot shower and connect under a sky full of stars.

After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll set out toward the trailhead for a day designed to deepen your connection to the wild. The path winds along a wetland meadow where moose and deer often wander. The first two miles follow a gentle creek, offering an easy, mindful warm-up as you settle into the mountain landscape. You’ll pause for lunch beside the rushing waters that feed the headwaters of the great Colorado River, then continue the trail that leads you toward the sweeping views of mountain summits. After a day of exploration, you’ll trace your steps back to camp to kick off your boots, gather around the fire and share another leader-prepped meal under the open sky.

It’s an early start today but for good reason. Rise and shine and head straight to the high alpine, chasing one of Rocky Mountain National Park’s greatest rewards – the remote summit of Mount Ida (12,889 ft). Of all the peaks in the park, Mount Ida gives you one of the most astonishing vantage points on top of the Continental Divide, even compared to many higher summits. You’ll fuel up on breakfast, hop on a shuttle, then begin your ascent above Poudre Lake. The trail climbs steeply at first, guiding you toward the tree line and into the open alpine world where the horizon feels endless. From there, you’ll follow the spine of the Continental Divide, navigating a mix of rocky steps and wide-open spaces that remind you why you seek experiences like this. At the summit, you’ll settle in for a panoramic picnic with your fellow adventurers that’ve climbed every step beside you.

Begin your final day with a slow, nourishing breakfast and a peaceful morning at camp. After packing up, you’ll cross Trail Ridge Road toward Estes Park, stopping for a hike along the Ute Trail, a historic route once traveled by Indigenous Ute peoples. This moderate, open-tundra trail offers sweeping 360-degree views and a true sense of walking through alpine history with each step connecting you to the land and those who came before as your leader fills you in on the stories. Along the way, keep your eye out for pika and marmot scurrying around. After the hike, visit the Alpine Visitor Center at 11,796 ft before winding your way toward Estes Park, stopping for lunch along the way. Your journey wraps up around 5 pm, but if you’re not ready to leave the mountains yet, just chat with your booking agent ahead of time to extend your stay and keep the adventure going.