Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is best experienced on foot; allowing you to slow down, see the details, hear the sounds, and experience the fragrances that you would otherwise miss. While there are only a few roads running through the national park, there are over 350 miles of hiking trails leading into nearly every corner of the park. These trails range from intense climbs to the top of mountain summits to gentle strolls through meadows and around mountain lakes. Whatever your level of fitness, there is plenty to see and enjoy.

There is no doubt that Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the best places in the country to experience the wilderness through hiking. For some it may be all about conquering a difficult trail, for others it is about seeing the popular and iconic scenes of the park, and for others it may be about getting away from the crowds and truly experiencing nature. Whatever your plan is, you won't regret spending time on the trail in this spectacular national park.

What to Know Before You Go Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

Here are important pieces of information to help you prepare for your trip. Some of these topics link to external articles or videos that do a terrific job of explaining what you need to know.

Rocky Mountain National Park Trail Conditions

Find out the latest about current trail conditions. At different times of year there are some trails or sections of trail that are snow covered, dangerous, or closed for one reason or another.

Gentle Walks in Rocky Mountain National Park

Experience the dramatic beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park while enjoying a leisurely stroll. These hikes are ideal for people of all ages and abilities and are just as beautiful as many of the longer hikes...

Moderate Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park

Enjoy some of the intermediate level hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. These hikes will take you to some beautiful places and will generally take a few hours to half a day.

Long Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park

If you are feeling fit and want to get away from crowds, enjoy one of the hikes that takes you further back into Rocky Mountain National Park. Most of these hikes will take you much of a day to get up there and back...

Additional Information about Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide

This section is for those who own the book, "Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide". In this section you’ll find links to all the updates to the book since it was first released in May of 2019...


In this section, I’ve shared information on a few hikes you may want to try, but there are so many more. Before you come, I highly recommend that you purchase “Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide”. It contains detailed information and photos on 75 of the best hikes in the national park and organizes them from easiest to hardest making it simple to find the hikes that meet your level of fitness. This guide has lots of great hikes for families of small children or those who want to take it easy, as well as numerous hikes that will take you deep into the heart of the park or up to its highest summit. Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide was named “best travel book of the year” by the Independent Book Publishers Association. There is also a smaller version of this book called "The Pocket Guide" with just 20 hikes.

If you already own the Essential Guide and want to find out about updates, learn how calculations were made, how the book was put together, or how the ratings were developed, you can find all that and more right here.