Rocky Mountain National Park- Estes Park Photo Diary

Hey Holiday Travelers,

Looking for a festive family vacation? Why not go for an elk sighting in the Rocky Mountains. I definitely saw a few during my day trip from Denver.

As mentioned in my last post, the Denver trip was a quick one, and not knowing that the city had that much to see and do, we carved out a whole day tour to the Rocky Mountains. However, don’t think for a second that we regretted it. The Rocky Mountains is such a magical place, and once again – you definitely can’t accomplish it all in just a day.

We visited Estes Park at the base of the Rockies on a guided tour from Denver. The tour was very informative with our guide giving us facts about Denver, Boulder, and everything we encountered on the drive up to Estes Park. It also included a quick stop in Boulder as we picked up the rest of the guests as well as a coffee and pastry pit stop. Then before we really entered the park for some exploring, we also stopped for lunch at the Barrel Brewery, where we had the option to purchase some beverages, I went with a hot toddy, and had lunch provided for us by the tour company.

Once in the park we drove along Trail Ridge Road and made occasional stops in which we had about 30 minutes each round to explore by ourselves and take photos. Some of the areas we stopped at were Sprague Lake, the Many Parks Curve Overlook, and the Alluvial Fan Trail.

With over 114 peaks there is so much to discover within the mountain range and a vast array of wildlife to spot. There are also 700 species of wildflowers and 150 named lakes. Some of the more note-able areas to visit in the Rocky Mountains are are the Roosevelt National Forest, Bear Lake, Longs Peak and Old Man Mountain.

The Rocky Mountains is a four seasons park open 365 days a year with so much to see and do in each season. Some activities include: Photography Safaris & Nature Classes, Birding, Wildlife Viewing, Horseback Riding, Stargazing Classes and of course things for the adventure seeker such as Hiking, Rock Climbing & Ice Climbing, Cross-country & Backcountry Skiing, Cycling & Mountain Biking, Fishing, Boating and Kayaking.

Within the park there are so many options to dine, lodge, and camp. There is also a movie theater, Estes Park Museum, an open air adventure park and so much more. Also be sure to check in with the park around the time you plan on visiting as there are often events and festivals taking place that you wouldn’t want to miss!

Yes it was quite cold taking this pic, however I wanted to shout out this adorable active set I was gifted from Running Girl. I absolutely love how stylish the sports bra is and was really happy with the quality as well.

The perfect end to the perfect day, the sunset on the drive home was absolutely surreal.

Shop Similar Styles

Definitely be sure to check out more on my trip to Denver as well as the Denver food and craft beer culture here.

https://eraenvogue.com/2021/12/02/denver-food-scene-and-craft-breweries/

https://eraenvogue.com/2021/12/09/holiday-travel-to-denver-how-to-spend-a-day-in-denver/