June Estes Park, what to see, where to go

[jorswift]

Coming to Estes Park at the ladder part of June. Wife, teenage kid and dog. Looking for good hikes, maybe a spot to fish. Just somethings to get away from the tourist garbage and see the beauty.

We are not set in stone to stay in Estes Park, but we wanted to stay in the mountains and Estes Park is sort of on our way north to Cheyenne and Laramie, WY.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

It's been a few years but I always liked hiking Mt. Meeker and Longs peak when I was out that way.

 

[cnelk]

FYI - There will be a timed entry in 2026 similar to 2025
Read more here

Rocky Mountain National Park Announces 2026 Timed Entry Reservation System

Rocky Mountain National Park will implement its 2026 timed-entry reservation system, beginning May 22, 2026. This reservation system provides day use visitor access in a way that creates opportunities for

www.estesparknews.com

 

[270-300]

Im not sure if by estes park you mean your staying in the small town full of candy shops and tourist attractions or if your using that as the common colorado slang for going to rocky mountain national park. If your going to the park, be aware it is very difficult to just show up and get in. That time of year more people than the limit show up everyday. Often times the line to get in is dependant on people leaving, and can be waiting several hours more than one day before you get in. DEFFINITELY RESERVE A PARK ENTRY. And june first is early for high altitude. Old falls road might not be open for the season. Sometimes 130 in wyoming is not open. Most of the dirt roads off of 130 in wyoming have snow drifts well into july.

With the disclaimers out of the way, if you dont mind some driving you can go see hot springs in saratoga wy, fish the north platte. If you dont mind driving another day, the gates of lodore, the dinosaur national monument, flaming gorge, green river, all of the roosevelt national forest around rocky mountain national park.

 

[intunegp]

Going to be hard to get away from people if you're talking about Rocky Mountain National Park and/or the town of Estes Park specifically. Estes Park is a tourist trap with not much more than restaurants and junk shops and is always crowded. Don't get me wrong, it can be fun to see and walk around, but it isn't a quiet mountain town.

RMNP will be on timed entry...reserve as far ahead as possible and make it for as early in the morning as possible unless you want to sit in line in your car for, and I'm not exaggerating, hours. I have seen those lines stretch miles down the road.

All of the stuff @270-300 mentioned is far enough away that they aren't day trips from Estes so if you have lodging in Estes I wouldn't plan on any of those unless you can plan to stay the night at the destination.

If you are staying in Estes and want to avoid the larger crowds to hike and fish I would head towards Glen Haven/Drake out of Estes and find some trails. If you head east out of Estes on 34 there's plenty of holes to fish along the Big Thompson river.

 

[jorswift]

Im not sure if by estes park you mean your staying in the small town full of candy shops and tourist attractions or if your using that as the common colorado slang for going to rocky mountain national park. If your going to the park, be aware it is very difficult to just show up and get in. That time of year more people than the limit show up everyday. Often times the line to get in is dependant on people leaving, and can be waiting several hours more than one day before you get in. DEFFINITELY RESERVE A PARK ENTRY. And june first is early for high altitude. Old falls road might not be open for the season. Sometimes 130 in wyoming is not open. Most of the dirt roads off of 130 in wyoming have snow drifts well into july.

With the disclaimers out of the way, if you dont mind some driving you can go see hot springs in saratoga wy, fish the north platte. If you dont mind driving another day, the gates of lodore, the dinosaur national monument, flaming gorge, green river, all of the roosevelt national forest around rocky mountain national park.

Well, nothing has been set in stone yet. We are to arrive in the area on 6/22, so towards the end of the month. I know RMNP doesnt allow dogs on the trails either, so I wasnt even sure if we would even go into the park. We were looking at places to stay, and would be staying in the town of Estes Park, but again, we are open to were ever. This is my families first trip to the Rockies, I just want them to see the beauty.

 

[jorswift]

Going to be hard to get away from people if you're talking about Rocky Mountain National Park and/or the town of Estes Park specifically. Estes Park is a tourist trap with not much more than restaurants and junk shops and is always crowded. Don't get me wrong, it can be fun to see and walk around, but it isn't a quiet mountain town.

RMNP will be on timed entry...reserve as far ahead as possible and make it for as early in the morning as possible unless you want to sit in line in your car for, and I'm not exaggerating, hours. I have seen those lines stretch miles down the road.

All of the stuff @270-300 mentioned is far enough away that they aren't day trips from Estes so if you have lodging in Estes I wouldn't plan on any of those unless you can plan to stay the night at the destination.

If you are staying in Estes and want to avoid the larger crowds to hike and fish I would head towards Glen Haven/Drake out of Estes and find some trails. If you head east out of Estes on 34 there's plenty of holes to fish along the Big Thompson river.

Was looking at staying somewhere around Estes Park. Does not have to be there. Just kind of looking for a spot to lay our heads for a couple nights and have some access to food and some hiking. Again, we will have our dog, so not even sure if we will enter the RMNP, as they dont allow pups on the trails.

 

[270-300]

Well, nothing has been set in stone yet. We are to arrive in the area on 6/22, so towards the end of the month. I know RMNP doesnt allow dogs on the trails either, so I wasnt even sure if we would even go into the park. We were looking at places to stay, and would be staying in the town of Estes Park, but again, we are open to were ever. This is my families first trip to the Rockies, I just want them to see the beauty.

If your not wanting to go into rocky mountain np, you might be better off staying in wyoming. All estes park is, is candy, jewelry, and glass blowing shops. If your not set on rmnp, and want to stay away from tourist traps, you might be more align with saratoga wyoming. You could stay at the copperline lodge for 1/3 price of anywhere in estes park. The town is in a valley between the snow mountains and sierra madre mountain ranges. The colorado border is an hour to the south. That would be the difference between waiting in line for everything, and roads that have sometimes up to hours of waits in traffic jams, vs no lines, true small town, not overloaded with tourists and the ability to drive with zero traffic. Youll actually be able to go in the national forest and have space vs a parade down the dirt roads and all the tents being 40 feet from the next.

 

[cnelk]

So many better places to visit than Estes Park/tourists to see the Rocky Mtn beauty

 

[jorswift]

So many better places to visit than Estes Park/tourists to see the Rocky Mtn beauty

And.... If you want to PM, please feel free.
We want to see the Rockies. We are staying our first few nights in CO Springs, then heading north. Was looking at Estes Park as its in-line with Laramie/Cheyenne as we have a friend to see/visit in Wheatland, WY.

 

[cnelk]

From CoSprings > Buena Vista > Leadville > Silverthorne > Kremmling > Walden > Laramie
Then about 15 mi north of Laramie on Hwy30 take Hwy34 (Sybille Canyon) east to I25.
That will dump you out just south of Wheatland.

Stay anywhere along that route that interests you