How to enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park in winter – The Denver Post

If you love snow, winter is an ideal time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, according to park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson. Not only is it beautiful, but “there’s a diversity and variety of things you can do, depending on your experience and fitness level.”

And that last part is key, as it’s important to be prepared. Here is a guide to visiting Rocky Mountain National Park once winter has taken hold of the landscape.

Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are available to the public through winter at Rocky Mountain National Park. (Photo by John Berry, provided by Visit Estes Park)

What you need to know about visiting RMNP in winter

Visitors should understand that trips to Rocky Mountain National Park in winter are very different than summer visits. Patterson offers a few basic essentials.

Dress in layers: The average temperature in January fluctuates between 20 degrees and -10 degrees, so that hoodie or raincoat you wore in July won’t cut it. Take several layers of clothing so you can put on/take off clothing as conditions warrant. Consider taking the same type of snow protection gear that you’d take skiing. Your boots and coats should be waterproof.

Traction: The park service plows the roads after storms, but they can still be snow-packed and icy. Officials often implement the vehicle traction law, which requires snow tires, chains or a four-wheel or all-wheel-drive vehicle with appropriate tires. Drivers without proper equipment may be turned away at the gate.

Avalanche safety: While downhill ski areas mitigate for avalanche danger on their trails, the park does not. Patterson said it’s a good idea to check the park’s avalanche danger level before your visit and to take an avalanche safety course if you’re planning to head into the backcountry.

It gets dark early: The sun drops behind the Continental Divide hours earlier than it does in summer – and the temperature drops abruptly. Plan ahead and get an early start on the trail.

Keep all this in mind, and you can have a wonderful, serene winter experience.

“If you’re out recreating in winter and you have the right layers and clothing, you have traction devices on your boots, and you’re moving, you stay warm. You can have an incredible experience,” Patterson said. “But if you don’t, it can become dangerous pretty quickly.”

Despite the cold, Patterson said the park’s east side, especially the Bear Lake area, can be crowded on winter weekends, and parking lots may be full. She recommends visiting on weekdays or driving to the western entrance. Only 15% of the park’s annual visitors enter from the Grand Lake side.

Two hikers set out from the Dream Lake/Emerald Trailhead on a bluebird day at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2015. It's recommended that hikers carry/use snowshoes or traction devices such as microspikes or Yaktraks - and dress in layers for cold weather - for safety in winter in the park. (Photo by Bonnie Beach, provided by National Park Service)
Two hikers set out from the Dream Lake/Emerald trailhead on a bluebird day at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2015. (Photo by Bonnie Beach, provided by National Park Service)

Hiking

It is possible to hike without snow gear. Roads like Trail Ridge, Old Fall River Road and Fern Lake Road often are walkable, though you’ll want waterproof boots. Some of the lower-elevation trails, such as Cub Lake or Deer Ridge Junction trails, may even get enough sun to dry out at times.

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