Our timed entry reservation on Thursday was not until 10:00 AM, and we decided to spend the day sightseeing with zero strenuous hiking. It was time to drive Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake and back, focusing on sightseeing and short walks on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Our first stop of the day was at the Alpine Visitor Center. We had a couple of short walks planned in the area, but after a couple of cold wind gusts hit us, we decided that the views were just as good from the overlook.
We continued west on Trail Ridge Road, stopping briefly at Poudre Lake to stretch our legs and then at Lake Irene for a short picnic lunch. For a brief moment we considered stopping at Milner Pass, and the Continental Divide, but really there wasn’t much to see there. So we drove past without a second glance.
After lunch we drove straight to the Kawuneeche Visitor Center, just outside of Grand Lake. It was there that a ranger told Stephanie that there were only about 25 bears in Rocky Mountain National Park. Stephanie was relieved to know that she would not see a bear on this trip. It we wanted to see a bear, the ranger suggested that we drive a few miles west to the Columbine Lake area. The local bears congregate around the dumpsters there.
Kawuneeche Visitor Center is outside the park’s boundary. And as it was not yet 2:00 PM (the time we could reenter the park without a timed entry), we had some time before we could drive back into the park. So we drove over to the East Inlet Trailhead to hike to Adams Falls and East Meadow, a short 2.0 miles roundtrip. It was a nice walk, mostly in the sun. I think this was the first time we were in the park and actually hot.
Shortly before 3:00 PM we returned to Trail Ridge Road and drove back into the park, starting our journey back to Estes Park. We made a last minute decision to stop at the Coyote Valley Trail, a 1.0 mile packed gravel trail that runs out and back on the edge of a meadow and along the Colorado River.
As this is near the headwaters of the Colorado River, it has the appearance of a large stream, fairly shallow and not too wide. This is a great place for families with kids who might want to run in the meadow and play in the river. Otherwise it’s a fairly uninteresting stop.
Back on Trail Ridge Road Stephanie’s can of Sprite, upon being opened, promptly exploded in the car. Thankfully it wasn’t too bad, but it was problematic enough that we had to quickly stop and clean the car. A park ranger pulled up behind our stopped car, thinking we had car trouble, and offered to help. When I told him that we were cleaning up after a can of Sprite exploded, he laughed and left.
I guess helping a stranded motorist is part of the job, but cleaning up Sprite is not.
Once our drive continued, we stopped at only a few overlooks (Farview Curve Viewpoint and Gore Range Overlook) before venturing over to Horseshoe Park and Sheep Lakes. This was our first drive over to this area of the park, and we were rewarded with seeing a number of elk laying in the meadow on a nice sunny day.
The next day, Friday, we noticed that the crowds were picking up for the weekend. In the morning we returned to Moraine Lake, in the Bear Lake Corridor, and hiked the Cub Lake Trail to Beaver Ponds. It was a short 2.0 mile out and back hike with negligible elevation changes. Basically a nice hour long stroll. We saw quite a few marmots, birds, ducks, and one snake. We skipped hiking all the way to Cub Lake.
We also noticed several couples sitting in camp chairs along the Big Thompson River just drinking coffee and taking in the scenery. This is definitely a good place to sit and do nothing away from the crowds.
Lunch was at Hollowell Park, which has several picnic tables facing the meadows and mountains. Afterwards we hiked up Hollowell Trail along Mill Creek. We started off intended to hike a 3.7 mile lollipop loop, but the trail was not that interesting. Instead we did about a 2.0 mile out and back.
We then left the Bear Lake Corridor as drove over to the Alluvial Fan. In 1982, Lawn Lake Dam failed, creating a massive flood along the Roaring River, killing three campers and causing massive damage in Estes Park. The flood also created an alluvial fan of rocks and boulders where the Roaring River joins the Fall River.
Now paved sidewalks lead from two parking lots to the alluvial fan, a large open area with rocks, boulders, and a fast moving river. It’s an incredibly popular place with families and kids. We came, saw, took a few photos, and left quickly.
For our last day in the park we planned to get in and out early as it was Saturday. We knew the park would fill up quickly in the morning and be overrun after 2:00 PM when the timed entry requirement ends. We decided to hike around Upper Beaver Meadows, mostly because it might be the least crowded area of the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park. We did an easy 2.0 miles out and back from Beaver Meadows to the ridge line overlooking Moraine Park.
Afterwards we decided that we had seen enough of Rocky Mountain National Park on this trip. Since we still had time on our Bear Lake Road Corridor timed entry, we returned there for a final picnic lunch before heading out.
Miles Hiked:
Adams Falls and East Meadow: 2.0 miles out and back
Coyote Valley Trail: 1.0 mile out and back
Cub Lake Trail to Beaver Ponds: 2.0 miles out and back
Hollowell Trail: 2.0 miles out and back
Upper Beaver Meadows: 2.0 miles out and back
Total: 9.0 miles
Garrett and Stephanie
If you have not already done so, read our other posts about Rocky Mountain National Park:
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado (June, 2026, Part I). Figuring out the timed entry system; Bear Lake Corridor; our first elk sighting.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado (June, 2026, Part II). Hiking the Four Lake Loop Trail, with a side trip to Mills Lake.
To read other posts about our adventures in the National Parks and National Monuments, or elsewhere in the world, check out our Travel Blog. It contains collected links to all of our travel posts.
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