camping in colorado
Jun 17th, 2012, 08:00 PM
#1
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camping in colorado
My husband and I will be taking 8 days in July to do a loop up to Rocky Mountain National Park, starting and ending in Albuquerque. This is our first trip to Colorado and we hope to camp at least 4 nights. Do you have any favorite campgrounds or spectacular day hikes?
Jun 17th, 2012, 08:59 PM
#2
Here are some spectacular day hikes in RMNP, depending on your enthusiasm and the weather forecast - don't be up high if there are thunderstorms anywhere in sight.
1) Anything in Glacier Gorge: Mills Lake, Black Lake, Sky Pond, or the Andrews Glacier Gash. Round trip distances from ~6-10 miles depending on how far you want to go.
2) Bear Lake loop: From Bear Lake to Dream Lake, Lake Hiyaha, Alberta Falls. Could include branches to Emerald Lake, Mills Lake, or Loch Vale. The basic loop is a relatively easy 6 miles.
3) Bear Lake to Flattop Mountain. Possibly continue on to summit Hallet Peak. Easiest trail to the Continental Divide in this part of the park.
4) Fern Lake trailhead to Bear Lake, passing Fern, Odessa Lake and Lake Helene. Use the shuttle.
Note that the Bear Lake Road is under construction this year and access to the above trails are all affected. Will require an early start and/or use of the bus shuttle.
Other options:
5) Wild Basin: either Thunder or Bluebird Lakes. Long hikes but spectacular.
6) Longs Peak: Chasm Lake and/or the Keyhole. Both are accessible just by hiking. The Chasm Lake cirque is one of the most dramatic mountain vistas in Colorado.
On the west side of the Park, though the beetle kill there is sad to see.
7) Colorado River trail to Lulu City. Good chance to see moose here.
8) East Inlet trail to Lake Verna
9) Tonahutu or Green Mountain trail to Haynach Lakes
10) Climb Mount Ida from Milner Pass.
Some of those are tough days but only involve hiking and you can always stop anywhere along the way.
Here are some Park Service pages:
http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...ing_trails.htm
http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...mer_trails.pdf
Let me know if you want any more details.
Have fun!
1) Anything in Glacier Gorge: Mills Lake, Black Lake, Sky Pond, or the Andrews Glacier Gash. Round trip distances from ~6-10 miles depending on how far you want to go.
2) Bear Lake loop: From Bear Lake to Dream Lake, Lake Hiyaha, Alberta Falls. Could include branches to Emerald Lake, Mills Lake, or Loch Vale. The basic loop is a relatively easy 6 miles.
3) Bear Lake to Flattop Mountain. Possibly continue on to summit Hallet Peak. Easiest trail to the Continental Divide in this part of the park.
4) Fern Lake trailhead to Bear Lake, passing Fern, Odessa Lake and Lake Helene. Use the shuttle.
Note that the Bear Lake Road is under construction this year and access to the above trails are all affected. Will require an early start and/or use of the bus shuttle.
Other options:
5) Wild Basin: either Thunder or Bluebird Lakes. Long hikes but spectacular.
6) Longs Peak: Chasm Lake and/or the Keyhole. Both are accessible just by hiking. The Chasm Lake cirque is one of the most dramatic mountain vistas in Colorado.
On the west side of the Park, though the beetle kill there is sad to see.
7) Colorado River trail to Lulu City. Good chance to see moose here.
8) East Inlet trail to Lake Verna
9) Tonahutu or Green Mountain trail to Haynach Lakes
10) Climb Mount Ida from Milner Pass.
Some of those are tough days but only involve hiking and you can always stop anywhere along the way.
Here are some Park Service pages:
http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...ing_trails.htm
http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...mer_trails.pdf
Let me know if you want any more details.
Have fun!
Jun 18th, 2012, 05:51 AM
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One of my favorites in RMNP is the Old Ute Trail off of Trail Ridge. Make sure to start in the am and keep an eye on the sky after noon- lightening is deadly above treeline but this trail is fantastic- sweeping views, usually an elk herd near the trail, and easy. Altitude is high to start with though. You will see some parking areas on the left side of Trail Ridge and the trail is marked.
Jun 18th, 2012, 06:12 AM
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Note also that Glacier Gorge campground is closed; get your reservations made if you want an actual campground (for example, Moraine), if that's what you like. Because Moraine is only a mile in, you will be able to park if you're camping there (delays of ~15 minutes between 9 am and 4 pm entering and leaving the campgrounds).
If you want to, you can still drive to Bear Lake, IF you beat out all the construction activity (but then you can't leave until 4 p.m., I think).
Go early, try to plan not to be above treeline when p.m. clouds move in, as stated. (But you knew that!)
If you want to, you can still drive to Bear Lake, IF you beat out all the construction activity (but then you can't leave until 4 p.m., I think).
Go early, try to plan not to be above treeline when p.m. clouds move in, as stated. (But you knew that!)
Jun 18th, 2012, 06:25 AM
#5
Actually, you can leave anytime if you make the 9:00 AM cutoff. I was curious about that and checked earlier this morning. This week I have a hike planned with a friend to a seldom-visited lake up in Glacier Gorge.
Here is the park page on the construction:
http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...nstruction.htm
And here is the critical sentence on the page that I was looking for:
Visitors in private vehicles, who make the 9:00 a.m. cutoff time, will be allowed to travel eastbound throughout the day.
Basically expect delays at any time, but if you get there before 9:00 AM you can still drive your own car up and come out when you want. That's how I read it.
Here is the park page on the construction:
http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisi...nstruction.htm
And here is the critical sentence on the page that I was looking for:
Visitors in private vehicles, who make the 9:00 a.m. cutoff time, will be allowed to travel eastbound throughout the day.
Basically expect delays at any time, but if you get there before 9:00 AM you can still drive your own car up and come out when you want. That's how I read it.
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