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National Park · Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park of the United States located approximately 55 mi (89 km) northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Photo: Charles M. Sauer -- Charlessauer, CC BY-SA 3.0
Visitors in 2025
4.2M
record 4.7M in 2019 · National Park Service
Busiest month
July
63% of visits Jun–Sep
Where
2 mi west of Estes Park
131 places to stay in Estes Park
Established
1915
National Park Service
In brief

A national park, 2 mi west of Estes Park

63% of visits come in Jun–Sep

July is the busiest month, with about 766,980 visitors. February sees about 106,133. When to go ↓

Winters are cold

January nights drop to 11°, with about 104" of snow a year. When to go ↓

You can sleep inside the park

11 places to stay are inside the park: Colorado Cottages and Machin's Cottages. The nearest town with more is Estes Park. Where to stay ↓

One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.

About 69K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 95% of the 7,799 attractions we track.

A day trip from Denver

Denver is about 55 miles southeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓

Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.

When to go

Crowds and weather, month by month

Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.

0200K400K600K800K30°50°70°90°January: about 113,725 visitors, high 37°JanFebruary: about 106,133 visitors, high 38°FebMarch: about 152,344 visitors, high 45°MarApril: about 162,659 visitors, high 51°AprMay: about 316,341 visitors, high 61°MayJune: about 616,305 visitors, high 72°JunJuly: about 766,980 visitors, high 79°JulAugust: about 655,508 visitors, high 76°AugSeptember: about 609,983 visitors, high 69°SepOctober: about 412,275 visitors, high 57°OctNovember: about 146,254 visitors, high 45°NovDecember: about 127,006 visitors, high 37°Dec79° highs
Jan37° / 11°114K
Feb38° / 12°106K
Mar45° / 18°152K
Apr51° / 24°163K
May61° / 32°316K
Jun72° / 39°616K
Jul79° / 45°767K
Aug76° / 43°656K
Sep69° / 36°610K
Oct57° / 27°412K
Nov45° / 19°146K
Dec37° / 12°127K
Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Estes Park. Estes Park’s full climate →
About

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park of the United States located approximately 55 mi (89 km) northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west. The eastern and western slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in the park's northwestern region. The main features of the park include mountains, alpine lakes and a wide variety of wildlife within various climates and environments, from wooded forests to mountain tundra.

Type
National Park
Established
1915
Area
415 square miles
Run by
National Park Service
Wikipedia readers
69K a year
Official site
nps.gov/romo
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.
Plan your visit

Before you go

Address1000 US Hwy 36, Estes Park, CO 80517(970) 586-1206
HoursAll dayWhile certain roads and facilities may be closed for the winter season, Rocky Mountain National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Entrance fees
  • Private Vehicle$30
  • Private Vehicle$35
  • Per Person$15
  • Motorcycle$25
Getting thereRocky Mountain National Park is located in northern Colorado. To visit the east side (near Estes Park, CO), follow U.S. I-25 to U.S. Hwy 34 or 36 west to Estes Park. To visit the west side of the park, follow I-70 to U.S Hwy 40 towards Granby, take US Hwy 34 east to Grand Lake, CO.
National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.
Where to stay

Where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park

You can sleep inside the park (11 places). The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Estes Park (131) and Allenspark (14).

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center11 in the park12Allenspark14Grand Lake30Fort Collins37Boulder31Loveland20Granby20Longmont19Longs PeakFolsom Field10 mi
Visitor centerPark landHighwaysRoads in the park12Places to stay in town
  1. 1Longs Peak
  2. 2Folsom Field
Inside the park

Stay in the park

11 places · 4 hotels · 3 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds

  • Colorado Cottages lodge or cabins
  • Machin's Cottages lodge or cabins
  • Willow Park Patrol Cabin lodge or cabins
  • Alpine Trail Ridge Inn hotel
  • Winding River Resort Stables hotel
  • Mountain Masterpiece hotel
5 min drive

Estes Park

131 places to stay · 42 hotels · 5 motels · 14 inns & B&Bs · 61 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds · 4 RV parks

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

5,780 people · 25% vacation homes

2 mi east of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center · at the park edge

15 min drive

Allenspark

14 places to stay · 6 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 4 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds

825 people · 54% vacation homes

10 mi south of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center · at the park edge

25 min drive

Grand Lake

30 places to stay · 9 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 14 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds

402 people · 70% vacation homes

16 mi southwest of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center · at the park edge

Compare 8 towns
TownFrom the visitor centerDrivePlaces to stayPeopleTypical homeSafety
Estes Park 25% vacation homes2 mi east5 min131 42 hotels · 5 motels · 14 inns & B&Bs · 61 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds · 4 RV parks5,780$664KB
Allenspark 54% vacation homes10 mi south15 min14 6 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 4 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds825$743K—
Grand Lake 70% vacation homes16 mi southwest25 min30 9 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 14 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds402$543K—
Fort Collins29 mi northeast45 min37 27 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels · 3 campgrounds171,500$578KC−
Boulder29 mi southeast45 min31 26 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground105,689$1,040KC−
Loveland26 mi east40 min20 13 hotels · 4 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park81,387$479KC
Granby 34% vacation homes28 mi southwest40 min20 9 hotels · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds2,392$567KB+
Longmont28 mi southeast40 min19 11 hotels · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park100,109$573K—

Day trip from

Straight-line miles.

Lakewood52 mi southeastDenver55 mi southeastAurora64 mi southeast

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

BJCRocky Mountain Metropolitan39 mi
DENDenver · major hub58 mi
LARLaramie Regional66 mi
Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Beaver Meadows Visitor Center; drive times are estimates.
Make a day of it

Also near Rocky Mountain

Other well-known places within 57 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.

Big draw54 mi TheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre17 mi MountainLongs PeakBig draw55 mi Stadium & arenaEmpower Field at Mile High55 mi Stadium & arenaBall Arena55 mi Stadium & arenaCoors Field232 mi Stadium & arenaFolsom Field53 mi MountainMount Blue Sky56 mi Stadium & arenaDick's Sporting Goods Park
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Red Rocks Amphitheatre: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Longs Peak: Photo by Scott Bauer., Public domain · Empower Field at Mile High: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ball Arena: KM Newnham, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Coors Field: Matt Kozlowski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Folsom Field: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mount Blue Sky: Lookinhere, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dick's Sporting Goods Park: Tom Pratt, CC BY 2.0

Visitors

4,171,431 visitors in 2025

Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2019).

4.5M20164.4M20174.6M20184.7M20193.3M20204.4M20214.3M20224.1M20234.2M20244.2M2025
National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.
Common questions

Visiting Rocky Mountain

What town is Rocky Mountain National Park near?

Estes Park, CO, about 2 miles east.

When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park?

July and August, with highs of 76–79°. July is the busiest month (about 766,980 visitors).

How many people visit Rocky Mountain National Park each year?

4,171,431 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 4,670,053, set in 2019.

How far is Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver and Aurora?

About 55 miles southeast of Denver and about 64 miles southeast of Aurora, as the crow flies.

What is the closest airport to Rocky Mountain National Park?

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan (BJC), about 39 miles away. The nearest big hub is Denver (DEN), about 58 miles.

Where should I stay near Rocky Mountain National Park?

Inside the park: Colorado Cottages, Machin's Cottages and Willow Park Patrol Cabin. Nearby: Estes Park (2 mi, 131 places to stay), Allenspark (10 mi, 14 places to stay) and Grand Lake (16 mi, 30 places to stay).

From locals

Tips from people in Estes Park

No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Estes Park’s Town Square.

When do you go to beat the crowds at Rocky Mountain? Where do you eat after a visit to Rocky Mountain? Is Rocky Mountain worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Rocky Mountain usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.