Estes Park is one of Colorado’s most idyllic and beloved mountain towns, serving as the main gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Tucked away against a backdrop of jaw-droppingly gorgeous high altitude peaks, the mountain hamlet is home to historic hotels, an alpine roller coaster, and restaurants serving up delectable Colorado game meats.
This year, Rocky Mountain announced that it would continue its timed entry reservation system, meaning that all vehicles entering the park from May 22 through mid-October will need a specially designated entry pass. Unfortunately, these reservations limit access to the national park between the hours of 9am-2pm for the main park road and between 5am-6pm for Bear Lake Road.
So, what’s a traveler to do if they’re visiting Estes Park but don’t want to bother with booking a pesky timed entry ticket to navigate the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park? The good news is that there’s loads of great (and largely dog-friendly) hiking options in and around Estes and its surrounding National Forest lands, no permit required. Read on for some of our expert-picked trails in the area.
Kruger Rock Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3.7 miles
The Kruger Rock Trail is a local favorite, featuring a decent climb of 985 feet and the reward of a sincerely epic view of Estes Park and its surrounding alpine summits. The 3.7-mile out-and-back winds through sun-drenched meadows and stands of ponderosa before switchbacking up a forested ridgeline.
It’s the kind of climb that feels hard enough to matter but merciful enough to be suitable for most ability levels. A short, exhilarating scramble onto the summit rock sits at the turnaround point, where Rocky Mountain National Park unfolds to the west. It’s the rare Front Range hike that delivers a real summit feeling without a scant 4-mile commitment. Don’t skip the scramble.
Lily Mountain Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 4 miles
Lily Mountain punches well above its modest 4-mile round-trip distance. South of Estes Park on Highway 7, there’s a small parking area just outside the national park boundary, meaning that you won’t need a timed-entry stub to explore.
The trail climbs steadily through a fragrant conifer forest before opening onto a boulder-strewn ridge that demands hands and feet to get to the tippy top. The reward is a sweet panorama of the Continental Divide. 360-degree views of Rocky Mountain National Park spill out for what feels like forever, Longs Peak looming closest. Unlike the crowded corridors inside RMNP, this Roosevelt National Forest gem requires no timed-entry permit. However, because the trail technically winds its way in and out of the park boundary, it’s best to leave furry friends at home.
Lily Lake Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1 mile
Though yes, this hike is technically inside the national park, pedestrians typically don’t need timed-entry reservations to enter and exit on foot. Instead, simply bring your America the Beautiful Pass, and you’ll be set.
One of the few accessible and family-friendly hikes in RMNP, this crushed-stone path circles a shimmering alpine lake with snow-capped peaks looming large to the west. It’s stroller-friendly, wheelchair-accessible, and genuinely magical for otherwise fidgety kids seeing the Rockies for the first time. But swimmers be forewarned: yours truly found out the hard way that this lake does have leeches.
Twin Sisters Peak Trail
Difficulty: Challenging
Length: 7.5 miles
Twin Sisters Peak is one of those hikes that gives you everything RMNP promises without the reservation headaches. There’s no park entrance fee required here.
From the trailhead off Highway 7, just south of town, the route passes briefly through Roosevelt National Forest before climbing back into the park briefly, winding through an alpine pine forest and past a dramatic 2013 landslide scar. Break above treeline (after a thigh-busting 2,500 feet of gain), and the payoff is pretty tremendous. Longs Peak fills the western sky, with Estes Park glittering below. Park on the right side of the short dirt road off the highway. Spaces are limited, and afternoon thunderstorms are real, so arrive early.
>>>*The parking area at Twin Sisters trailhead does not require a National Park pass, but the Lily Lake parking areas do require a park pass.
Panorama Peak Trail
Difficulty: Challenging
Length: 7.5 miles.
One of Estes Park’s best-kept secrets, this 7.5-mile loop through Roosevelt National Forest earns its name at every turn. Aspens, pines, elk, and sweeping views of RMNP’s front range accompany the moderate climb to The Notch, a rocky perch with jaw-dropping sight lines over the artsy mountain town.
One honest heads-up worth flagging for hikers: this trail doubles as an OHV route in the National Forest, so from mid-June through November, the gate opens, and off-road vehicles share the road. As such, hikers say it’s a much better experience in the shoulder seasons when the gate is closed.
Moose Meadows & Limber Pine
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 4 miles
Listen, not every hike needs to destroy your precious calves. Sometimes you just want to wander through a pine forest and breathe some air that doesn’t smell like your office. And maybe, if you’re lucky, spot a moose standing in a meadow looking majestic as all heck.
That’s what the trail to Moose Meadows and Limber Pine in Hermit Park offers. It’s a gentle 4-mile loop with wildflowers, dappled shade, Rocky Mountain views, and zero stress. It’s so chill that one reviewer even called it “sandal-easy.” Plus, it’s even Fido-friendly.
Mount Olympus Trail
Difficulty: Challenging
Length: 2.6 miles
This short but humbling trek up Mount Olympus, tucked into Roosevelt National Forest, demands a lot from your legs. Nearly 1,400 feet of elevation gain is packed into its relentless 2.6-mile out-and-back that wastes absolutely no time being polite.
Pro tip: The trail is faint in places, often marked by cairns, so be sure to download the GPS map before you leave cell service. At the summit, you’ll glean an unobstructed front-row seat to Estes Park down below and the full jagged spine of Rocky Mountain National Park, rising up like a conifer-studded wall. Skip the summit from March through July when raptors are nesting.
Lake Estes Trail
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 4 miles
No trip to Estes Park is complete without at least a quick stroll along the sapphire tarn that shares its name: Lake Estes. This paved, accessible, and nearly flat 3.9-mile loop circles the reservoir right at the edge of town, offering great views of the peaks that encircle Estes Park, such as Lumpy Ridge, Twin Sisters, and the Longs Peak area.
It’s the ideal trail for families and multi-generational travel groups – the paved surface handles strollers, wheelchairs, and little hikers with equal ease, dogs are welcome (on leash), and the open shoreline keeps kids’ attention locked on waterfowl and the occasional elk strolling through.
Seen in: Colorado Hiking, Hiking
