I have lived just about an hour away from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado for all but ten years of my life. Growing up, my family even owned a cabin just 20 minutes from the park, and we spent many summer weekends exploring the area.
I love Rocky Mountain National Park. I really do! But here's my confession: It's not even in my top ten favorite National Parks we've visited.
I know! How can that be?
I have friends who absolutely love this park, and I constantly hear people on the internet say it's their favorite National Park. People travel from all over the world to see these mountains, and here I am, living just down the road, wondering what all the fuss is about.
Okay, that's not entirely fair. I know what the fuss is about. It's gorgeous!
But am I so used to seeing this beauty that it has lost some of its magic? Have I become jaded by having something so spectacular practically in my backyard?
Or am I missing something?
What Makes Rocky Mountain National Park So Special?
The Rocky Mountains are absolutely stunning, even from a distance. On a clear day, the snowcapped peaks almost look fake. They seem to rise right out of the plains, towering above everything around them. It's hard to believe that something so massive can appear almost out of nowhere.
And massive they are! Rocky Mountain National Park covers nearly 266,000 acres, and that's just the National Park itself. The surrounding mountains and forests stretch across Colorado and beyond.
As you drive toward Estes Park, the town just outside the park, the scenery changes dramatically. You leave the plains behind, climb into evergreen forests, and eventually reach the alpine tundra, where trees can no longer grow.
One of the best ways to experience all of this is by driving Trail Ridge Road, one of the park's most famous scenic drives. This winding mountain road takes you through several different ecosystems as you climb higher and higher, eventually reaching more than 12,000 feet above sea level.
The views are incredible! The road is steep, narrow in places, and full of curves. And if you're like me and get altitude sickness, you may also get the added bonus of feeling like crap while enjoying all that beauty.
Lucky me!
Trail Ridge Road is generally open to through traffic during the warmer months, depending on snow and weather conditions. So if you're planning to visit, make sure it's open before heading up the mountain.
Rocky Mountain National Park Through the Four Seasons
One thing I will absolutely give Rocky Mountain National Park is that it is beautiful year-round. Each season offers something different.
Summer brings green forests, colorful wildflowers, flowing rivers, and cooler temperatures. When the cities are baking in the heat, heading into the mountains can be a wonderful escape. There are lakes, meadows, cliffs, forests, and hiking trails for almost every ability level. You can take a simple stroll on an accessible path or challenge yourself with a serious mountain hike.
Fall might be one of the most beautiful times to visit. The deep green evergreens are surrounded by golden aspen leaves that shimmer in the breeze. The mountainsides look like someone has sprinkled gold throughout the forest.
And then there are the elk!
If you've never heard an elk bugle during mating season, you are missing out. It's one of the strangest sounds in nature. For such a large, majestic animal, you wouldn't expect that noise to come out of it! But hearing the elk calling to one another across the meadows is a pretty amazing experience.
Winter transforms everything. The mountains are blanketed in snow, the trees look freshly dusted, and the landscape becomes peaceful and almost magical. It also opens up opportunities for snowshoeing, winter hiking, and other cold-weather adventures.
Spring brings everything back to life. Birds become more active, buds appear on the trees, and melting snow fills the rivers and creeks. The mountains begin turning green again as everything prepares for another summer.
Honestly, when I describe all of that, I start wondering what's wrong with me. How is this place not one of my favorites?
Exploring the History of Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park also has a fascinating history. There is so much to learn about the Indigenous peoples who lived in and traveled through these mountains, the early settlers, and the development of the park itself.
The visitor centers and interpretive signs offer plenty of information, and park rangers are a great resource.
But, of course, we also have Roger!
If you've read some of our previous National Park posts, you've probably heard us talk about Roger. Roger is what we call our GuideAlong app, and he's become one of our favorite traveling companions.
As we drive, Roger tells us about the history, science, wildlife, and interesting sights along the way. He even suggests places to stop and things we might otherwise miss.
Basically, Roger knows everything, and unlike some traveling companions, he doesn't expect us to know where we're going.
We love Roger!
Why Rocky Mountain National Park Isn't One of My Favorites
After writing all these wonderful things about Rocky Mountain National Park, I feel like I should be declaring it the greatest place on Earth.
But I'm not.
There are a few reasons I think it doesn't rank higher on my list.
First, I love water. Rocky has plenty of lakes, streams, and rivers, but that water is COLD! Much of it comes from mountain snowmelt, and it's not exactly the kind of water I want to jump into and spend the afternoon enjoying.
Second, while the mountains are beautiful, I don't find the colors as exciting as those in some other parks we've visited. There is a lot of green, gray, and brown. Fall brings those spectacular golden aspens, and summer offers wildflowers, but I find myself drawn to landscapes with more variety and contrast.
Third, there's the altitude. I get altitude sickness, especially while driving up into the mountains. It's a little difficult to fully appreciate the scenery when your body is reminding you that it would prefer a little more oxygen.
And finally, I think I like National Parks that surprise me.
Give me an erupting volcano, a geyser shooting water into the air, a tropical island, or some bizarre landscape that looks like it belongs on another planet. I love seeing something I've never experienced before.
Rocky Mountain National Park has mountains, forests, lakes, and tundra. All spectacular, of course, but they're also things I've been surrounded by for most of my life.
Maybe that's the real issue.
Is Rocky Mountain National Park Worth Visiting?
Absolutely!
Even though Rocky doesn't make my top ten, I would never tell someone to skip it. The mountain views, wildlife, beautiful lakes, and incredible scenic drives make it a wonderful place to visit.
In fact, I would encourage anyone who has never experienced the Rocky Mountains to see this park at least once.
I think my opinion says more about my experiences than it does about the park itself.
If you love hiking, mountain scenery, wildlife, or just getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Rocky Mountain National Park has so much to offer.
But if you're someone like me who gets especially excited by unusual landscapes and things you've never seen before, you might find other National Parks more memorable.
And that's okay! Not every National Park has to be everyone's favorite.
Have I Taken Rocky Mountain National Park for Granted?
I wonder what it would be like to visit Rocky Mountain National Park for the very first time.
What if I had grown up somewhere flat, without mountains on the horizon? What if I'd never seen an elk wandering through a meadow or watched the sun hit the snowcapped peaks?
Would I be completely blown away?
Probably!
I think about the places Krissy and I have traveled and how excited we get when we see something completely different from what we're used to. Maybe the people visiting Rocky for the first time feel exactly the same way.
Meanwhile, I'm looking at mountains I've seen a thousand times and thinking, "Yep, there they are!"
That's kind of sad when you think about it.
I don't want to stop appreciating something simply because I've been lucky enough to have it nearby for most of my life.
Rocky Mountain National Park may never make it to number one on my list. Heck, it might never even crack the top ten!
But I will always love it. It's part of my childhood, my home, and so many wonderful memories.
And maybe that's what makes this park special to me. Not that it takes my breath away every time I see it, but that it's been there, quietly beautiful, throughout so much of my life.
Maybe I don't need to see it with fresh eyes to appreciate it. Maybe I just need to remember how lucky I am that something so extraordinary has always felt so ordinary.
Learn to love the familiarity,
Anne
