Whether you are someone who likes to snowshoe into the backcountry or someone who just wants to get a taste of winter at one of the most beautiful places on earth, you can’t go wrong with a winter visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. With so many areas of the park to explore, you can spend your time enjoying some light winter hiking, searching for wildlife, sledding, and more.
Not to mention plenty of cozy Winter Park House vacation rentals and charming gateway towns that will have you sipping on hot chocolate and feeling like it’s Christmas every day!
About Rocky Mountain National Park
- Location: Grand Lake Entrance, Trail Ridge Rd, Grand Lake, CO
- Website: nps.gov/romo/index.htm
There is never a bad time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, but there is just something so magical about visiting this famous park in the wintertime. Aside from beating the crowds, visiting during this time of year will also reward you with unmatched wildlife watching, countless winter activities, and a snow-covered Longs Peak, making every view look like a work of art. Every drive becomes a scenic drive when you are visiting Rocky Mountain National Park.
Plus, plenty of cozy rentals keep you warm during your stay!
What to Expect
While visiting RMNP during the winter months is undoubtedly a magical experience, it comes with challenges. Not all of the roads are open year-round, so always check ahead with the Visitor Center to get the most recent conditions and road closures.
The Trail Ridge Road is always closed during winter due to extreme winter conditions and high winds. The very popular Bear Lake Road is usually open throughout the winter but can also close periodically during active snow storms. Once the snow plow comes through, the road reopens, and you get to enjoy a freshly powdered winter wonderland!
What to Bring Along for the Adventure
With harsh winter weather dominating the higher elevations of the park, you will find yourself spending most of your time at lower elevations, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come prepared for winter weather.
Definitely pack your microspikes, and don’t forget to check the weather before your trip. Just make sure to pack tons of layers (and maybe some snow pants) because the winter months here can be unpredictable. Snowshoes and cross-country skis are a plus, but you can also rent them in one of the gateway towns like Alpine Sun Ski Shop in Winter Park.
Magical Winter Activities
1. Challenge Yourself To a Hike
With more than 350 miles of hiking trails, Rocky Mountain National Park has something to offer regardless of the season. While many high-elevation trails are buried deep under snow this time of year, hikers can take advantage of lower-elevation options (>8,500 feet) if they prefer to keep the snowshoes at home.
These trails are still challenging and will probably require traction devices to navigate over the ice, but the high reward makes it all worth it. What makes winter hiking in RMNP so special is that you get to experience solitude on trails that would normally overflow with people during the summer months. It’ll feel like you have the park all to yourself!
Sprague Lake
- Length: 0.8 miles roundtrip.
- Alltrails Map: alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/sprague-lake-trail
This is a great beginner trail for hikers just testing the waters of winter hiking. It also offers some spectacular views of the mountains across the lake in exchange for very little effort.
Upper Beaver Meadows
- Length: 1.1 miles or more roundtrip.
- Alltrails Map: alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/upper-beaver-meadows-trail
With a network of trails branching off from the loop, Upper Beaver Meadows is a great choice for hikers who’d rather see where the day takes them. Hike as much or as little as you want and enjoy amazing views of Moraine Park and the mountains towering above it.
Chasm Falls
- Length: 4.7 miles roundtrip.
- Alltrails Map: alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/chasm-falls-trail-via-old-fall-river-road
Easily one of the most breathtaking waterfalls in RMNP, Chasm Falls is just enough of a challenge to make for the perfect winter day hike. Follow the Old Fall River Road until you arrive at a cascading waterfall lined with icicles.. if it’s not completely frozen over!
2. Enjoy Some Wildlife Watching
Rocky Mountain National Park is home to an abundance of wildlife, so even though black bears hibernate in the winter, there are still plenty of other wildlife-watching opportunities to enjoy during the colder months. In fact, winter is considered the best time to look for wildlife because animals are more active. This is due to a combination of helping them keep warm and low visitation, inviting wildlife to explore otherwise overcrowded areas.
A great example of this is Moraine Park. This wildlife-watching mecca sees a giant uptick in animals such as elk and coyotes during winter when visitation is at its lowest.
Another great option is Kawuneeche Valley. This valley sees even less visitation than Moraine Park come wintertime, and it’s also a great place to catch one of the first glimpses of the Colorado River making its way down from the Continental Divide.
Pro Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for big horn sheep on the cliffsides!
3. Go Cross Country Skiing or Snowshoeing
If you want to get deeper into the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park, you will need to find yourself a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes to help navigate the snow. Luckily, this is a fairly popular activity in the park, so you shouldn’t have to break your own trail and can easily follow in the footsteps of other winter visitors. But don’t worry; you’ll still get to enjoy the feeling of arriving at one of the busiest summer trailheads in RMNP and only having to share the parking lot with a handful of people.
Glacier Gorge Trailhead is a great choice for cross-country skiing because there are various routes you can take to equally epic views. This is also a great launching point for a winter backpacking trip!
These are some of the most popular cross country trails for skiing and snowshoeing.
Bear Lake
- Length: 3.8 miles roundtrip.
- Alltrails Map: alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/bear-lake-trail-and-emerald-lake
Starting with a flat trail around the lake, Bear Lake is a great option for new skiers and snowshoers. It gives you time to get comfortable with your winter gear before continuing on to Nymph Lake, Emerald Lake, and Dream Lake… The increasingly better views act as a great motivator!
Glacier Gorge
- Length: 5.2 miles roundtrip.
- Alltrails Map: alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/mills-lake-via-glacier-gorge-trail
Starting at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead is a great choice for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing because there are various routes you can take to equally epic views… like Mills Lake! This is also a great launching point for a winter backpacking trip!
4. Cozy Up in the Charming Gateway Towns
With so many adorable little towns bordering Rocky Mountain, there are plenty of options for beating that cold weather chill without losing out on the winter magic.
Estes Park
The town of Estes Park is a classic rocky mountain town and the busiest of all the gateway towns. With easy access to the east side of the park, plenty of winter events, and a rustic charm you can’t find anywhere else, Estes Park is a great place to explore in your downtime.
Grand Lake
Located near the west side of the park, Grand Lake is a busy summer location that dwindles down during the winter months. Peaceful solitude, beautiful lake views, and a one-of-a-kind strip of local shops and restaurants combat limited park access.
Winter Park
A perfect middle ground between the west and east entrances, Winter Park offers more than just easy access to RMNP. This thriving ski town is filled with fun activities that range from hitting the slopes to kicking back and relaxing fireside at your charming vacation home for the weekend.
5. Go Sledding in Hidden Valley
Once part of a thriving ski resort, Hidden Valley still sees its fair share of visitors, and it’s not hard to see why. This old ski hill is the perfect place to bring the whole family for an afternoon of one of the best winter activities around – sledding! Plus, it is the only place where sledding is allowed in the park. Talk about a bucket list item!
Channel your inner child as you drag your sled up nearly 1,000 feet and hop on for a thrilling ride down the snow-covered slope. Just remember that this is an unstaffed area, so it is important that you come prepared and use caution during your adventure. There is also a half-mile hike to the sledding area that doesn’t include the uphill trek.
But the hill doesn’t discriminate. Bring your sled, tube, or similar sledding device, and let the fun begin!
An Unmatched Rocky Mountain Experience:
Such a short distance from the hustle and bustle of Denver and the largest airport in the United States, a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park is a no-brainer. This winter wonderland is one of the best places to experience the magic of fresh snowfall, and a winter visit gives you a taste of what it’s like to have an entire national park all to yourself.
Book your Winter Park House vacation home to double your fun and spend every second of your vacation doing something more exciting than the last!