How To Spend 24 Hours In Rocky Mountain National Park

Are you heading to RMNP and are wondering how you are going to spend 24 hours in Rocky Mountain National Park and get to see everything you want?  If you are like me, you only have a limited amount of time to spend in this amazing national park and you want to be sure to see the best parts of it without feeling overwhelmed and rushed. You want to really enjoy and savor the breathtaking scenery and diverse wildlife that makes Rocky Mountain National Park so breathtaking and unique.

Located in Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park literally makes you feel like you are on top of the world! With elevations that range from 7,860 to 14,259 feet, Rocky Mountain NP is one of the nation’s highest national parks. There is an abundance of beautiful scenery and more than 240 trails (yes, really 240 trails), so we really wanted to make the most of our time in Rocky Mountain National Park.

I simply loved our twenty four hours in Rocky Mountain National Park and would not change a thing. I wanted to share with you our itinerary because our time spent at Rocky Mountain NP was just amazing and one of the highlights of our trip to Colorado. You will also see some suggestions and tips as everyone’s interests are different.

Timed tickets

We arrived at the park at 8am by way of Estes Park. We obtained our timed entry through Recreation.gov. It’s super easy to sign up and create an account. I entered my credit card information beforehand so all I had to do was pick my time slot as soon as it opened and I was able to get my ticket. The park fills up quickly so be sure to go to the website as soon as the tickets are released. We chose to get the Bear Lake Road + Full Park Access as we wanted to hike around Bear Lake. I would highly suggest doing that as well because it is an easy and beautiful hike.

Tips For Spending Great 24 Hours at Rocky Mountain National Park

My biggest tip for getting the most out of Rocky Mountain National Park is not to rush. Drive slow and take your time. Only by doing this will you have the best chances to see the the most incredible and beautiful wildlife that lives within this park.

My next biggest tip is to stop at the pull-offs along the way. Rocky Mountain National Park is home to moose, bears, elk, bighorn sheep, bobcats, mountain lions, deer, coyotes, marmots, pikas, and numerous birds. The best time to see them is at dawn and dusk, so arrive early or stay late if seeing these beautiful creatures are important to you.

On our trip, we saw moose, elk, bighorn sheep, numerous birds, and prairie dogs. I feel if we would have slowed down and stopped more, we would’ve probably seen even more animals.

Decide what interests you beforehand

If you only have 24 hours to spend in Rocky Mountain National Park and with so many things to see and do, it’s really important to decide what you want to see and do beforehand. I knew going before going into the park that I wanted to do one or two easy hikes, see as many animals as we could, stop at the visitors center and learns as much as we could about the park.  

The park rangers are full of great information about the park. For instance, we learned that the image on the back of the Colorado state quarter is the view at marker 13 on the hike around Bear Lake.

We also learned that many moose are seen on the side of the park by Grand Lake, Colorado.

Use the shuttle service

The shuttle service is great for two reasons. The first is that you can park your car, hike and then take the shuttle back to your car, eliminating the need to do the return hike. The second reason the shuttle is great is that you can park in an area that isn’t crowded and take the shuttle to areas like Bear Lake where parking is very limited. It eliminates wasting time looking for a spot as the parking lots tend to get backed up with cards circling around looking for spots.

Explore the towns outside the park

Estes Park and Grand Lake are just outside Rocky Mountain National Park. Both are beautiful towns that have so much to offer. We entered the park on the Estes Park side. While mostly everything was closed because it was so early, I definitely would like to make a trip back just to explore.

Here are some great things to do while spending one day in Rocky Mountain National Park:

Hike

With so many trails with varying distances and different skill levels, there is trail here for everyone. Alltrails is a great resource for trails.

Look for wildlife

The wildlife at Rocky Mountain National Park is second to none. Your chances of seeing the most wildlife is right after dawn and right before dusk. You will see a fair share during the day, but you often have to take your time and really look for them. You will be surprised how easily they blend in with their surroundings.

See a waterfall or two

You could easily spend the day checking out the thirty one waterfalls in  Rocky Mountain National Park. Alberta Falls and Chasm Falls are two great spots to at RMNP. Alberta Falls is a beautiful hike of less than a mile, and Chasm Falls can be seen from the car.

A Drive on Trail Ridge Road is a must if you only have 24 hours to spend in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This beautiful scenic road is the highest paved road in any National Park, connects Estes Park with Grand Lake, and is absolutely breathtaking.

Forest Canyon Overlook

This short and easy five minute walk will give you a exquisite panoramic view at 11,716 feet!

What To Bring

Jacket 

With an elevation of up to 14,000 feet,  Rocky Mountain National Park can be very cool. The temperature changes considerably when hiking up and down the trails as well. A light but warm jacket is definitely needed.

 Good trail shoes

The main thing is to have shoes with bottoms that are going to give you traction.  There’s a lot of  sand and loose gravel on the trails. Bring a pair of a good pair of  comfortable hiking shoes or sneakers that have good traction.

 Sunscreen

The sun is a lot stronger at high elevations.  Be sure to lather up before you hit the trails or wear a protective hat or clothing.

Water

Make sure to bring lots of water and have extra in the car.

Fully charged phone and extra battery pack

While cell phone service is pretty spotty here, I used all of my battery taking pictures and videos. I was so glad I brought a battery pack to recharge.

We left the park on the Grand Lake side, and immediately went into the town. The main street of Grand Lake was simply adorable and was lined with flowers, shops and restaurants. We walked around and then headed a block over to the massive Grand Lake. There is a cute park, a small beach, boat rentals and lots of folks just relaxing and enjoying the day.

Final Thoughts

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of my most favorite parks in the United States for seeing wildlife and I thoroughly enjoyed it because it is so unique. The fact that you can experience four separate ecosystems in one park along with its own wildlife and scenery is incredible.

I enjoyed spending my 24 hours  in Rocky Mountain National Park and felt that we were able to do and see everything that we wanted to.  

If you are heading to Boulder afterwards, be sure to read The 10 Best Things To Do in Boulder, Colorado.

Here is a Pinterest friendly pin to save to your travel board!