Hike the trails of Rocky Mountain National Park with a certified wilderness guide who customizes your route based on your interests, fitness level, and what the park is offering that day. Over approximately 4 hours, your guide leads you through some of the most scenic terrain in the Colorado Rockies, from subalpine forests and glacial lakes to wildflower meadows and high-elevation viewpoints. All gear, snacks, water, and hot drinks are included.

Explore Rocky Mountain National Park on trails selected by your guide to match your group's interests and ability
Hike with a certified wilderness guide who shares the park's geology, ecology, wildlife, and history along the way
Use provided backpacks, headlamps, and binoculars for wildlife spotting along the trail
Stay fueled with snacks, water, and hot coffee, tea, or hot chocolate
Carry emergency support with two-way radios and a satellite communication device for safety

This is a private tour, meaning only your group participates, and the route through Rocky Mountain National Park is tailored to what you want to experience, whether that is alpine lakes, wildlife, waterfalls, or panoramic mountain views.

What's Included

Certified wilderness guide (private tour for your group)
Backpack, headlamp, and binoculars
Snacks, water, and hot drinks (coffee, tea, or hot chocolate)
Two-way radios and satellite communication device for emergency support

Things to know

Wear hiking boots or supportive shoes; no open-toe sandals. Bring layers including a long-sleeve shirt, pants, and a zip-up jacket, as weather in Rocky Mountain National Park can change quickly, especially at higher elevations. Bring sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen) and water in addition to what is provided. Make sure your vehicle has at least a half tank of gas before the tour.

You will drive your own vehicle into Rocky Mountain National Park, following your guide and communicating via provided radios. The guide may cancel or reschedule if conditions are unsafe. Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park are at high elevation (7,600 feet and above), so allow yourself time to acclimate if you are arriving from a lower altitude.

Itinerary

This is a typical itinerary for this guided day hike. Your guide customizes the specific trail and route based on your group's interests, fitness level, weather conditions, and seasonal highlights inside the park.

Meeting Point

Meet your guide at the north entrance of the Estes Park Visitor Center, 500 Big Thompson Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517. Alternatively, your guide can meet you at your hotel if preferred. Upon arrival, your guide distributes gear (backpacks, headlamps, binoculars), provides two-way radios for the drive, and discusses trail options based on what you want to see and how far you want to hike.

Drive into Rocky Mountain National Park

You follow your guide into Rocky Mountain National Park in your own vehicle, staying in communication via radio during the drive. Your guide selects the trailhead based on current conditions, parking availability, and the day's goals. Rocky Mountain National Park covers 265,807 acres with more than 350 miles of trails, and your guide knows which ones will give your group the best experience on that particular day. Popular destinations include Dream Lake and Nymph Lake (an easy 2-mile round trip through subalpine forest with views of Longs Peak), Bear Lake, Bierstadt Lake, Emerald Lake, and more remote options for experienced hikers.

Guided Hike

Once on the trail, your guide sets a pace that fits your group and begins sharing the natural and cultural history of Rocky Mountain National Park. The park spans elevations from 7,600 feet in the forested valleys to 14,259 feet at the summit of Longs Peak, and the trail your guide selects may pass through montane meadows, dense spruce and fir forests, or open terrain above the tree line. Along the way, your guide points out geological features shaped by glaciation, identifies wildflowers and native plants, and helps you spot wildlife. Rocky Mountain National Park is home to more than 60 mammal species, including elk, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, yellow-bellied marmots, and American pika, as well as nearly 300 bird species.

Depending on the trail and season, you may hike to a glacial lake, a waterfall, or a high-elevation viewpoint with sweeping panoramas of the Continental Divide. Your guide carries emergency equipment and a satellite communication device throughout the hike and distributes snacks, water, and hot drinks at rest stops.

Return

After the hike, you drive back out of Rocky Mountain National Park in your own vehicle, with your guide available by radio if needed. The total experience is approximately 4 hours from meeting point to return.

Possible trail destinations include: Dream Lake, Nymph Lake, Emerald Lake, Bear Lake, Bierstadt Lake, Sprague Lake, and seasonal options based on conditions and your group's goals

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Guided Private Hike In Rocky Mountain National Park