Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the nation’s most visited national parks, and for good reason! Denver International Airport, Fort Collins, Boulder, and Denver itself are all within two hours of this scenic park. With such wonderful accessibility, its no wonder that it’s a favorite among park lovers!
Rocky Mountain National Park also boasts a rare and unique beauty. It is home to many of our favorite mammals such as moose, mountain lions, black bears, and big-horned sheep. You can also see marmots and muskrats and deer!
Its mountains are laden with history: stories of pioneers, stories of miners, stories of the Arapaho, and, for many people, stories of family. And there is rarely a story of Rocky Mountain National Park that doesn’t include its gateway towns.
There are two, primary gateway towns to Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park is the closest town to the park’s eastern entrance, and Grand Lake is the closest town to the park’s western entrance.
Gateway towns to Rocky Mountain National Park: Estes Park, CO
Estes Park, Colorado is one of our favorite national park gateway towns. It lies in a stunning valley surrounding by mountains.
As if it were a portal into the fun they were about to have, visitors watch others fishing, paddle boarding, and paddling on Lake Estes as they drive into town. The large, granite “Welcome to Estes Park” sign is a favorite spot for guests to stop and take photos with a lake and mountain backdrop.
Looking futher ahead, visitors notice the magnanimous, white, and famous Stanley Hotel tucked against the landscape. And if they are lucky, guests will pass a herd of majestic elk as they drive towards the town’s main drag appropriately named, “Elkhorn Avenue.”
Though historic, charming downtown Estes Park is full of modern attractions. From sporting goods shops, to candy shops, to independent breweries and coffee roasters, few visitors leave Rocky Mountain National Park without grabbing some grub or gear on Elkhorn Avenue.
Adding to the relaxation goals that vacationers long for is the Big Thompson River. This powerful waterway runs behind the downtown shops. Its music masks the sounds of traffic, and its rocky beauty offers medatative moments between shop visits.
There are even a couple of places where visitors can dip a few tired toes into the water and recall the shivers of the snowmelt from Big Thompson’s headwaters.
Estes Park: Entrances to Rocky Mountain National Park
In Estes Park, there are two primary entrance stations to Rocky Mountain National Park. First, there is the Fall River entrance.
For those travelling through downtown or from the Stanley Hotel area, visitors can travel northwest on Highway 34 to the Fall River Entrance of Rocky Mountain. You will pass a favorite and pricey restaurant called Nicky’s, and you will find the Fall River Visitor Center on the left.
The Fall River entrance station is the less busy of the two entrance stations in Estes Park, and it is my personal favorite. We suggest that you take this entrance and park at the Sheep Lakes parking area at sunset. During warmer months, look up into the mountains across the road, and you will likely find bighorn sheep!
The second park entrance from Estes Park is called the Beaver Meadow Entrance. This entrance is futher south, off of Highway 36. It is busier, but there is a visitor center and a shuttle stop at this location. It is also adjacent to the Moraine Park Campground, its outdoor showers, and its picturesque amphitheater.
There are numerous short-term-rental options across the highway that are a short walk into the park.
The Beaver Meadows entrance is closer to the Bear Lake Corridor, where many of the parks busiest hiking trails are found.
Estes Park: Attractions near Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park has been the beloved vacation home of many generations of park-lovers, mine included. Consequently, this town has learned how to cater to the tastes of the tourists.
From mini-golf to bumper boats to my beloved “Rainbow Slide,” Fun City is one attraction that kids cannot pass without begging to see! If it’s in your budget, a few hours at this attraction will definitely be fun for the whole family!
Other attractions in Estes Park include the shops of downtown, the breweries, the distilleries, the Rooftop Rodeo, the endless festivals, and the golf course. You can take a ghost tour or indulge in spa services at the historic Stanley Hotel.
On a rainy day, you can practice your rock climbing skills at the Estes Park Mountain Shop. You can fish, horseback ride, or view indigenous artworks. Eagle Plume’s in nearby Allenspark is one of my favorite stores, full of authenticity and history.
No matter how you prefer to spend your vacation, Estes Park, Colorado can meet your every wish. Read more about what to do in Estes Park with kids and the best hikes for kids in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Gateway towns to Rocky Mountain National Park: Grand Lake, CO
Rocky Mountain National Park is large, and on the far western side, the side less visited, lies the beautiful town of Grand Lake, Colorado. Like Estes Park, Grand Lake’s centerpiece is Grand Lake, itself! But, don’t be fooled! This tiny town of around 500 residents know exactly how to offer world-class vacation experiences!
Downtown Grand Lake is lined with historic buildings. It does not have the density of structures that Estes Park has, but they are historic and charming nonetheless.
The town is modest and retains the spectacular natural features as its primary attractions. You can park and hike to the beautiful Adams Falls. You can visit the sandy beach or dive off the lake’s docks during the summer. Paddling and boating draw you in, while the mountains surrounding you keep you breathless…oh, and the 8,300′ elevation does that, too!
If you want the full Grand Lake resort experience, you can stay in a cabin at the Grand Lake Lodge. This stunning, old lodge has a restaurant, pool and hot tub. But what will really take your breath away are the views of the lake and the surrounding mountains while you are swimming or sun bathing! There are few pools in this world with views as stunning as this Colorado swimming hole!
Around 24 miles south of Grand Lake like another special attraction for this gateway town: the Hot Sulphur Springs Resort and Spa! With 15 pools, accommodations, and a variety of massage experiences available, this resort is a great place to calm your muscles after a full day of hiking or paddleboarding!
From Grand Lake, visitors enter Rocky Mountain National Park through the Kawuneeche Visitor Center entrance station. This is the only visitor center and primary entrance station for those visiting from the western side of the park.
The Kawuneeche Visitor Center offers a park film, exhibits, and a nature store.
How to get from Estes Park to Grand Lake
Although only a small percentage of Rocky Mountain National Park guests make the trek, visitors can take the famous, Trail Ridge Road all the way from Estes Park on the east through to Grand Lake on the west. Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuously paved road in the county. It is considered a scenic byway, and it deserves the hightest honors of that designation!
This road ascends to over 11,000′. At this peak, visitors may park in a large parking lot and wander in to the Alpine Visitor Center. There is a park store as well as a large gift shop and a snack shop serving warm food and beverages.
There are pit toilets at the parking lot, but there are also flush toilets within the buildings. (I always point this out for those with little girls who struggle with the “pits!”)
The Alpine Visitor Center offers a huge patio with views overlooking miles of mountains and wildlife. It will take your breath away, both figuratively and literally!
For those who need to expend some energy, the adjacent Alpine Ridge Trail is a steep, 0.3 mile ascent to stunning overlook. Just be sure not to take this trail if lightning is possible.
After a much needed break to see the elk, touch the summer snow, and drink some hot cocoa at the Alpine Visitor Center, guests can cantinue navigating Trail Ridge Road all the way through to their eastern or western gateway town.
When to visit Estes Park, Grand Lake, and Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is special any time of the year. The summer brings dense crowds, festivals, and lake-swimming. The fall flashes stunning, yellow lowlands full of aspen trees singing in the breeze. Winter welcomes snowpack and fresh sporting opportunities. And spring is the awakening…or, as it is also known: “mud season.”
Rocky Mountain National Park can offer you so many different experiences that your vacation goals will dictate when you should visit. However, do know that if one of your objectives is to drive the majestic, Trail Ridge Road, it is closed most months of the year. June through September may be your only opportunities to enjoy this trek.
In conclusion, Rocky Mountain National Park is flanked by two, fantastic gateway towns: Grand Lake and Estes Park. Whatever you are looking for, I am confident that with a little planning, you will find it and more in this very special part of Colorado!
Read more about our favorite gateway towns of our United States National Parks!
