How to Spend One Day in Rocky Mountain National Park
One day is barely enough time to scratch the surface of Rocky Mountain National Park. With 365 miles of trails and pristine wilderness, this park begs for more than just a cursory visit.
However, if you’re only able to squeeze in a single day during your trip to Colorado, these are some of the top sights not to miss.
Elk grazing in meadows, mountains stretching as far as the eye can see, and sightings of black bears and moose – all are possible in one day at Rocky Mountain National Park.
So lace up your hiking boots, pack a picnic lunch, and get ready for an adventure!
Rocky Mountain National Park One Day Itinerary
To see as much as possible in one day in Rocky Mountain National Park, you’ll have a jam-packed long day.
The key to making the most out of your one day in Rocky Mountain National Park is to get up early. I know, I know. I hate it too. Hear me out though, it is beautiful, there are fewer crowds, and you can get more done.
Sunrise
Bear Lake
Bear Lake is one of the best places to watch the sunrise in Rocky Mountain National Park.
To get to Bear Lake, you’ll need access to the Bear Lake Corridor. This means that you either need to be there before 5 am or have a timed entry pass for 5-7 am.
It takes about 30 minutes to get to Bear Lake from the Beaver Meadow Entrance and 40 minutes from the Fall River Entrance.
Plan on being at the Bear Lake Trailhead about 30 minutes before sunrise. You can check the sunrise times on Time and Date.
The walk to Bear Lake is about 250 feet from the trailhead and is flat and easy. You can walk as far around the lake as you want to be in the best position to see the sunrise.
✅ Tip: Bring a headlamp or flashlight and dress warm!
Morning
Option 1: Hiking
If you are wanting to do a fairly simple hike with awesome rewards, you will love this option. With this hike, you can see 4 lakes within a relatively short distance. If you are feeling adventurous you can add one more lake and only about 2 more miles.
These short hikes, combine into one epic hike, and they start right at Bear Lake where you already are for sunrise.
Starting with Bear Lake, hike to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. If you want to add on Lake Hiyaha ( you should, it is so pretty) I suggest this order: Bear Lake, Lake Hiyaha, and then backtrack to Dream Lake and then Emerald Lake.
Hiking Stats
Distance: 3.6 miles (6 if you add on Lake Hiyaha)
Difficulty: Moderate (mostly if you aren’t acclimated to the altitude)
Time: 2-3 hours
Option 2: No Hiking
If you aren’t up for hiking, you can still stroll around Bear Lake after the sun comes up. After that, you could drive to Sheep Lakes to watch for Big Horn Sheep and Moose, or Morraine Park to watch for Elk.
Afternoon
After you have finished your morning activities leave the Bear Lake Corridor and head to Trail Ridge Road.
Trail Ridge Road This scenic byway stretches for more than 40 miles and offers incredible views of the mountains and wildlife.
Keep your camera handy, because you’ll want to snap photos of the rugged peaks, pristine lakes, and serene forests that line the route.
And don’t forget to stop at one of the several overlooks for even better photo ops.
Trail Ridge Road leads to the Alpine Visitor Center, and then through to the west side of the park and Grand Lake. The Alpine Visitor Center is the highest elevation visitor center in the National Park System at 11,796.
Keep in mind, that Trail Ridge Road will be closed in the winter and periodically other times due to weather.
The drive takes 1.5 hours without stopping, so plan 2-3 for this part of the day.
Sunset
Aim to be at the Alpine Visitor Center for sunset, it is the best place in Rocky Mountain National Park to watch the sunset!
Night time
If you have any energy left in you, and you’d like to do a little star gazing before you leave the park, head to Morraine Park and stay a while. It is an epic location for viewing the milky way and millions of stars.
Rocky Mountain National Park Reservation System
Rocky Mountain National Park uses a timed entry reservation system from May 27- October 10.
Reservations can be made on Recreation.gov. The fee is $2.00 to secure your reservation.
70% of the reservations open ahead of time. Reservations this year opened June 1 for all of July, July 1 for all of August, and so on.
30% of reservations open up the night before at 5 pm Mountain Time. These sell out quickly. It helps to be logged into your recreation.gov account ahead of time so you can add your timeslot to your cart quickly once they are open.
There are 2 different reservation types you can get for access to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry Option 1:
Park Access + Bear Lake Corridor – This grants you full access to all areas of the park and is the pass you will want if you are following this one-day Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary.
Passes are from 5am -7am, 6am-8am, 8am -10am, 10am-12pm, 12pm-2pm, 2pm-4pm and 4pm-6pm.
If you cant secure a Bear Lake Corridor timed reservation, you’ll need to enter the park before 5 am or after 6 pm.
Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry Option 2:
Park Access- no access to Bear Lake Corridor. This pass grants you access to areas outside of Bear Lake.
Passes are from 9am-11am, 11am-1pm, and 1pm-3pm.
If you cannot secure a pass and don’t care to visit Bear Lake Corridor, you can enter the park before 9 am or after 3 pm.
Rocky Mountain National Park Fees
I always recommend purchasing an America the Beautiful Pass. The pass is $80 and covers entrance into all US National Parks and Forests for a full 12 months. It is a great money saver.
I also recommend purchasing your pass before you go, so that you don’t have to do it at the gate. You can order your pass by clicking the photo below.
If you decide to not purchase the annual pass, these are the fees for Rocky Mountain National Park:
1-Day Vehicle Entrance Pass – $30.00
7-Day Vehicle Entrance Pass – $35.00
1-Day Per Person Entrance Pass – $15.00 (walk-ins, bicycles)
1-Day Motorcycle Entrance Pass – $25.00
7-Day Motorcycle Entrance Pass – $30.00
These fees are in addition to the reservation fee if you come during timed reservation windows.
Tips for Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park
- Be prepared for all kinds of weather during the day, even in the summer. Its been known to snow in one part of the park, and be sunny and warm in other places.
- Dress in layers.
- Bring water and food for snacks.
- Fill up on gas before you head into the park.
- Don’t approach or feed wildlife.
- Download the GyPSY guide before entering the park for a self-drive audio tour including history, points of interest, and where to spot wildlife.
- Download the free NPS app and select Rocky Mountain NP to be uploaded prior to entering the park.
- You can take the hiker shuttle for free to avoid parking in the Bear Lake Corridor.
- Read the rules about bringing your dog to Rocky Mountain National Park
✅ Click here to get GyPSY guide for Rocky Mountain NP
Where to Stay at Rocky Mountain National Park
There are 5 campgrounds located inside Rocky Mountain National Park.
If you are looking for a hotel or vacation rental, the best place to stay is in Estes Park. Estes Park has a lot of hotels to choose from as well as a lot of places to eat and relax after a long day in the park.
Estes Park is just a few minutes from the Beaver Meadow and Fall River entrances which makes it an ideal place to stay.
You have many choices, from the historic Stanley Hotel (which inspired the shining) to smaller, more intimate hotels.
Our favorite place to stay in Estes Park is Murphys Resort. The customer service here is top-notch, breakfast and parking are both free, and there is a pool and hot tub area to enjoy. Our favorite room has a jacuzzi tub, fireplace, and kitchen. The tub is perfect after a long day of hiking.
✅ Click here to book a hotel in Estes Park
Rocky Mountain National Park FAQs
⭐️ Is 1 day enough for Rocky Mountain National Park?
Ideally, you will have 3-4 days to fully explore Rocky Mountain National Park, but as you can see from this one-day itinerary, you can see quite a bit in one day.
⭐️ What can you see in one day in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Depending on how much you want to do, you can see lakes, wildlife, and the most scenic drive in the park in one day.
⭐️ Can you just drive thru Rocky Mountain National Park?
If you don’t want to hike at all, you can still enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park by driving either Trail Ridge Road, or Fall River Road. Both are beautiful scenic drives.
⭐️ How much time do you need at Rocky Mountain National Park?
You should try to have at least 3-4 days to really explore Rocky Mountain National Park.
Rocky Mountain National Park One Day Itinerary Conclusion
If you only have one day to spend in Rocky Mountain National Park, we hope this itinerary will help you make the most of it.
Of course, there is always more to see and do in this beautiful park, so if you can come back for a longer visit, we highly recommend it!
In the meantime, enjoy your time exploring some of the best that Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer.
