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Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
This beautiful Colorado National Park is big enough to accommodate many visitors at one time. But if you want to avoid creeping up the mountain behind huge RVs and the crowds of vehicles winding their way into the Park, don’t go through Estes Park. Instead, take this route: From Denver, take I-70 west to U.S. Rt. 40. Continue on Rt. 40 through Winter Park and take U.S. Rt. 34 through Granby and Grand Lakes and into the Rocky Mountain National Park. If you go this way, you won’t miss seeing the beautiful Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Lake, and Grand Lake. There is plenty of lodging in Winter Park if you to choose to stay there and its only 34 miles to the Park entrance. (Winter Park is also a great ski resort.)
Need a little more comfort and a roof over your head? There are several places to stay in Granby. Plus there’s the
Grand Lake Lodge
with cabins, swimming pool, delicious restaurant, game room, and a gift shop, right on Grand Lake. If you plan to stay at the Lodge, go before Labor Day; that’s the last weekend they are open for the season. The little town of Grand Lake also has lodging available.
During your visit, you will go from 8,000 feet in altitude to 12,183 feet on the Trail Ridge Road; it is the highest continuous highway in the United States. (Highest elevation in the park is 14,259.)
Drive to the top of Trail Ridge Road and park your car. Begin walking up the trail to the top of the mountain; the air is thin, so take it slow. Your legs will feel like lead and you will huff and puff long before you think you should. But keep going! At approximately the halfway point, you will feel your body begin to lighten and your energy returning a little (or a lot sometimes). Go a little faster if you can. When you reach the top, you may still be panting but a wonderful feeling of euphoria will engulf you. (Please don't attempt this if you have heart or lung problems. Enjoy the view from your car.) While you're there at the top but in the parking lot, look for the Ravens floating on the up-drafting wind just over the edge of the rock wall. Are they just enjoying themselves floating there? Check on the ground . . . lots of ground squirrels and chipmunks. Hmmm . . . FOOD for the Ravens would be my guess. As everyone knows, fees for national parks change from time-time. Be sure and check the National Park Service website for the correct fee amounts. At the time of this writing, the fee was $20/passenger car. * All photos on this page are provided by NPS.
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Would you like to stay in the Park or closer? There are several options. With five drive-in campgrounds and many backcountry camping areas, it would be an exhilarating experience to pitch your tent and enjoy the myriads of stars in the night sky. While cooking your breakfast, look out over the meadow; you may see a bull Elk or Moose. A permit is necessary to utilize the backcountry areas.
It's not a myth or just a phrase in John Denver's popular song - you can get a serious "rocky mountain high" in this national park. Here's how you can experience that "rocky mountain high" for yourself. 
