Ultimate Rocky Mountain National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour

Your tour through the Rockies begins at the Estes Park entrance, the most popular and most accessible entrance to the national park. From there, you’ll have the opportunity to take a detour down toward Bear Lake if you want to. Continuing along the main route, the first hiking trail you’ll reach is Deer Mountain Trailhead, offering some great views from above if you’re willing to make the trek. Then you’ll see Beaver Ponds, featuring a boardwalk through a unique wetland biome, followed by Hidden Valley.

After that, you’ll arrive at the first of many overlooks: Many Parks Curve Overlook. This viewpoint offers excellent views of a whole bunch of lush glacial meadows. As you continue, you’ll pass the Roger Toll Memorial, and after a few more stunning overlooks, you’ll arrive at Poudre Lake. On your way to the Colorado River Trailhead, which offers a look at an abandoned mining town, you’ll hear about the science behind the Rocky Mountains and Margaret Boos.

Up next are a couple fascinating historical sites. First up is the Timber Creek Road Camp Barn, an artifact of the depression-era work projects which helped build the park’s roads and trails. Then, there’s the Holzwarth Historic Site, one of the only remnants of the homesteads which could once be found all over the Rockies.

Up ahead, at Coyote Valley Trailhead, you’ll find an easy, paved trail with a popular fishing spot at the end. Then, on your way to the Green Mountain Trailhead, you’ll learn all about the bountiful wildlife that call the Rocky Mountains home.

Finally, you’ll arrive at the lovely lakeside town of Grand Lake, the perfect place to make your return to civilization.