Beaver Meadows Visitor Center — Attraction in Estes Park

We came here before going into the National Park for the first time and being overwhelmed with Internet recommendations and trails to hike and stuff to do. The park ranger at the info desk was absolutely wonderful. He handed us a map and marked all the good trails for girls who don‘t usually hike, told us where the good wildlife spots are and alternative car routes.

Incase you‘re looking for a walk-more-than-hike but want to enjoy the views: We did Sprague Lake first (very easy and flat 15 minute walk; saw a lot of older people with walkers too) then drove over to Bear Lake (also very easily to do with very very slight incline and suitable for all fitness levels and seemed very accessible, took us about 30 minutes).

Incase you (like us) also don‘t usually hike but want to feel like you did some Rockies hiking: We decided to do Nymph Lake, which had a noticeable incline and took us a while as we took a bunch of mini breaks but it was still a very doable hike for us and stayed on the trail up to Dream Lake which was a further incline with a lot of stairs and amazing views.

We did the drive to the Alluvial Fan (also a very slight incline mini hike that seemed very accessible), Endovalley and the Trail Ridge Road the next day and it was absolutely rewarding!

FYI We did have a timed entry day pass for our first day and spontaneously did a second day with no more timed entry slots available. If you show up before 9am you can just go in without prebooking.

Thank you to our park ranger for giving great recommendations and don‘t hesitate to stop by the Visitor Center if you‘re not sure where to go and what to do according to your abilities (the park is...

The Rocky Mountain National Park is by far the most disappointing Park I have visited, including state parks (I've been to most parks in California, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, South Dakota and more, like Yosemite, Sequoia, Zion, Arches, Antelope, Death Valley, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Custer Park just to mention a State Park, the Colorado National Monument, Grand Canyon and many others). It has basically nothing to offer and is not well organized. Bear Lake is just like any other alpine lake, but you gotta enter on a reserved time window, just to find out all parkings are full anyway. Every place I've been showed its majesty somehow. A few days ago I simply drove through the Big Horn National Forest and it was a lovely experience. I've had casual scenic drives along the way that turned out to be way better then what's supposed to be scenic here. Walked into wilderness and met wildlife with ease anywhere in the USA. The wildest I got here are squirrells. Everything felt difficult. My guess is, at least Europeans come visit US for the wide landscapes, the Western feeling, the fascinating bits of cultural difference (Mount Rushmore could be a good example). Here you have nothing like that. You want to see an alpine Lake? Go to Braies. Looking for a Glacier (one you can actually reach by the way)? Monte Bianco, Cervinio, anything in the Alps beats this. Rocky Mountains are huge and wonderfull (I've crossed or just reached the continental divide at least a dozen time and it's always been amazing), the only good thing about this Park is that the Rocky Mountains as a whole deserve a self-named Park, unfortunately it happens to...

I really love to make that review because lately the stuff at the national parks are bullies and rude and abusive. This place is different and I am very happy to write this review. I arrived last week on Saturday morning. A queer or lesbian girl great me and I asked few questions about entering the park. Not only you need a pass but also day reservation. I was finally treated like a human with respect and dignity. Although my question about the park was answer I wanted to ask more about available hikes around the park and honestly I was thinking that they are soon going to start screaming, or similar (something that occurs near Eldora going to a Hessie trailhead - just owful adetude scary to me, and in another occasion near Isabella glacier entrance!) So honestly I was kinda of scared and expecting the verbal abuse coming from the people at those spots. But this center is different. People are really respectful and polite and welcoming. They do understand that you maybe driving for hour's to get there and that maybe hard not to be able to enter the park. The ladies explain me the process of reservation, and also check my permit and we chat about the neirby hikes. Really kind, polite, friendly, welcoming and I want to say that you girl are real 💎 compared to the rest of the entrance in the national parks. This is really so pleasent and human and beautiful that I want to say thank you for being here. Thank you for exsausting. I am grateful for your help. The area around is clean and tide. They are restrooms also clean and tide. Do...