Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses approximately 265,770 acres of land in Colorado's northern Front Range. The park is split by the Continental Divide, which gives the eastern and western portions of the park a different character.

The east side of the park tends to be drier, with heavily glaciated peaks and cirques. The west side of the park is wetter and more lush, with deep forests dominating.

The park is surrounded by Roosevelt National Forest on the north and east, Routt National Forest on the northwest, and Arapaho National Forest on the southwest.

The lowest elevations in the park are montane forests and grassland. Above treeline, at approximately 11,500 feet, trees disappear and the vast alpine tundra takes over.

Location

Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado, USA

Getting There

There are a few ways to get there depending on your starting location:

By car: If you're driving from Denver, you can take US-36 W or I-70 W and then follow the signs for the park. The park has several entrances, so be sure to choose the one that's closest to your destination within the park.

By shuttle: During peak season (June through early September), the park offers a shuttle service from the town of Estes Park. You can park your car in Estes Park and take the shuttle into the park.

By public transportation: While there is no direct public transportation to Rocky Mountain National Park, you can take a bus or train from Denver to Estes Park and then take the shuttle into the park.

Once you're in the park, there are free shuttle buses that run during the summer season, and you can also drive your own car on most of the roads within the park.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Colorado that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.