5 Tips for Your Rocky Mountain National Park Tour Experience
You’re visiting Denver and are thinking about heading to the mountains. There are a couple of issues though. You don’t want to rent a car, you’ve never driven in the mountains before and honestly the idea of organizing a trip to visit a national park seems like a lot. Or, maybe you’ve just moved to Denver and don’t know anyone in town yet and would like to explore the state-then a tour may be a great way to start experiencing Colorado. If you’ve never booked a tour before here are 5 tips for your Rocky Mountain National Park Tour Experience. You’re going to have a great time.
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Why Book a Tour to Rocky Mountain National Park
There are so many reasons why someone would and should book a tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is one of the most visited national parks in the United States and during the short summer vacation season is incredibly busy.
- Leave the driving to someone else-If you’ve never driven in the mountains, it can be intimidating to do and is a very specific driving skillset. Having a person who is highly skilled and used to driving through high traffic and mountain switchbacks removes a huge amount of stress off of you from the overall experience.
- Earth friendly practice-I get that not everyone follows conservation practices but Rocky Mountain National Park has gotten incredibly busy. There are s many people visiting and driving into the park that there is a constant flow of traffic. Removing as many vehicles as possible from the road helps to improve the overall park experience for everyone.
- Tour guides know the ins and outs of the park-The park is MASSIVE and for many people there’s only so much time to explore the park. Visiting with someone who knows the best hidden trails, where the Visitor’s Center is, Huffer Trail (one of my favorite spots in the park) and other interesting talking points such as the fact that there used to be a ski spot in the park will personalize your experience.
What to Bring
When booking a tour to the park don’t forget to check what the tour actually offers. Ask some questions of yourself about what your expectations are.
- Do they provide a snack or a meal?
- Will you stop at a restaurant or other notable spots
- For all day trips what are some additional amenities that are offered to the guests?
- Does the tour stop in Estes Park? This is the town that is adjacent to the park and I highly recommend visiting it.
What to Bring (Real Talk)
Every time I visit the park a great visit has always been had when I’ve slightly over-prepared. Trips have gone downhill when I have forgotten something typically related to being out in the elements.
- Got food-Always pick up some snacks the day before or even something heavier to eat…just in case!
- Bring extra COLD water and other things to drink. I do think most tour operators will bring bottled water-but, it won’t be as cold as I typically would like.
- Layered clothing-You’ll be at high altitude and the weather can change rapidly. It also is chillier at 11,000 feet elevation.
- Sweatshirt
- T-shirt
- Leggings or sweats
- Wear tennis shoes or hiking shoes
- Bring flip flops DO NOT WEAR THEM for walking around. These are nice if you get a chance to dip your feet in a pond or creek. NOT for actually exploring the park.
- Sunglasses-It can be really sunny in the park.
- Sunblock-You should always wear sunblock when you’re exploring Colorado.
- Lip Balm–Your lips will get dry
- Lotion-Your skin will feel dry
- Hand wipes-You’ll probably get a little dirty if you climb rocks and hiking around the park.
You also want to consider the length of the trip to and from the park. Bring headphones to listen to music or a podcast during the drive. Have your books downloaded on your phone or an actual physical book on hand. You may want to bring a journal, coloring book or something else to occupy yourself with during the drive.
What to Expect
I used to take international students learning English as a Second Language on tours of Rocky Mountain National Park. While a little different from the tours that I’m recommending, they are basically run in the same way.
- Meetup with your tour guide ON TIME-If you’re late, that’s YOUR problem and you will lose YOUR money.
- Opening comments-Your tour guide will typically share what to expect, timing and answer any questions that attendees may have.
- Last minute bathroom rush-There’s almost always one person who has to run to the restroom before loading onto the bus or sprinter van.
- Hitting the road-It will take (depending on the traffic) about 1.5 hours to reach Estes Park. Then your vehicle will make its way into the park.
Solo Travelers
Have fun meeting the other guests who are on the tour. During the summer it’s very likely that there are other solo travelers who’ve decided to say “yes” to a tour. Unless they other folks super awkward, you’ll likely have a fun time hanging out with the people in your group.
Once You’re in the Park
There will be a lot of stopping and starting as the tour slowly makes its way through the park. You will stop and take pictures, there will be animals, traffic and more.
- Go with the flow
- Take some pictures, but don’t take a billion pictures.
- You’ll be sitting, standing, walking and more
- Don’t stand close to the animals-they will hurt you, have ticks, some have bubonic plague. I’m serious.
- Be in the moment.
How Do You Feel?
Rocky Mountain National Park is a high altitude destination. It’s important to pay attention to how you are feeling physically. Familiarize yourself with the signs of altitude sickness that can happen in Denver or any high altitude travel location.
Tips for Your Rocky Mountain National Park Tour Experience
Hopefully, these tips have been helpful and have encouraged you to say “yes!” to booking a tour. Letting a team of professionals manage what could potentially be a complicated and confusing experience is a great way to enjoy a new place. In my view, visiting Rocky Mountain Park or one of the other national parks located in Colorado is a wonderful experience to add to your trip if you have the time. Summer is a wonderful time to visit Denver but don’t forget to add a mountain visit to your visit.