National parks are wonderful places to experience nature, but not ideal places to bring a dog. In fact, according to Rocky Mountain National Park’s website, ‘Pets are prohibited on ALL Rocky Mountain National Park trails, tundra, and meadows.’
Old Fall River road
Pets can go along established roads or in parking areas. The best place we’ve found to walk our dog in Rocky Mountain National Park is up Old Fall River Road when the road is closed during the winter season.
According to the park’s website, ‘During the times when snowplowing operations are not in effect, the road is is open to bicycles, leashed pets and pedestrians.’ Right now snowplowing is taking place Tuesdays to Fridays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. The road is likely to open to vehicle traffic around July 4 weekend and will close for the winter in early to mid-October. The road status depends on the weather conditions.
We parked in the Endovalley picnic area. The loop around the picnic area would also be a nice place to take a short walk with a dog.
ticks in rocky mountain national park
We kept our dog, Sky, on a short leash, but she still managed to walk through brush and pick up a half dozen (or more!) ticks. Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks are mostly found in the spring and early summer.
Chasm falls
We took the dirt road up to Chasm Falls. My daughters and I went down to the viewing platform while my husband hung back with our dog. We didn’t want to crowd other hikers or take away from their experience viewing this impressive waterfall.
According to AllTrails.com, this hike is a total of 4.7 miles and gains 531 in elevation. It is a good choice if you are looking for a bike friendly or dog friendly early season hike.
“Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.” James Clear, author of Atomic Habits.
I still can’t believe my 6-year-old and 8-year-old daughters hiked the 7.6-mile roundtrip trek up to Fern Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park AND enjoy it.
We’ve been coming to Rocky Mountain National Park since they were babies. For a long time, it felt like we would never be able to hike beyond a mile or two. That’s one of the reasons I liked the Fern Lake trail when they were younger. There are several destinations along the way including Arch Rocks, The Pool, and Fern Falls. I’ve posted pictures of each below. When we had a fussy baby, or an impatient toddler, we could turn around at these points and still feel like we accomplished something.
Another reason I like the Fern Lake trail is because it tends to melt out earlier in the season compared to other higher hikes. The trail begins at 8,155 ft.
In early June, we spotted several elk and moose. Spotting three moose on a trail was a first for us. Other hikers who posted on AllTrails.com also reported ‘moose traffic jams’.
Arch Rocks
Between the animal spotting and wildflowers, the trail was wonderful even before we arrived at Arch Rocks. The journey to Arch Rocks is 1.2 miles from the trailhead.
The trail follows the Big Thompson River. In spring and early summer, it is common to spot extra waterfalls flowing in.
The pool
At 1.7 miles from the trailhead, you reach a wooden bridge that crosses over The Pool. This destination is one of our favorite 2-4 mile hikes in the park.
We continued beyond The Pool to Fern Falls which is a little under a mile and gains 400 feet of elevation.
Rocky mountain national park fire damage
This section of the hike gets pretty sad because a lot of the forest was damaged by wildfires.
Fern Falls
I wish I could insert a special effect that would allow you to feel the cool mist. Even a video of Fern Falls doesn’t do it justice.
We’ve never made it past Fern Falls, but after a quick snack break, we decided to continue hiking up to Fern Lake. There were small patches of snow along the way, but we were able to do it without equipment beyond waterproof hiking boots. Hiking poles would have been helpful in some spots.
Our girls love hiking in snow! We packed layers that we could easily take on and off along the trail as we went. The temperature dropped noteably right before we reached Fern Lake. We gained a total of 1,380 feet of elevation.
I love hiking to lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park, and this new-to-me lake was stunning.
My older daughter’s advice to kids who want to hike is ‘Don’t give up. Keep on trying – it will be worth it.’
On our way back down the trail, we spotted a couple moose and a elk. Can you see the elk hidding among the trees in the photo of my daughter below? When I asked her advice to other kids who want to hike she said, ‘there is still beauty on the way down’.
This Father’s Day weekend, we want to give a gold star to my husband whose ‘commitment to the process’ is starting to pay off. We appreciate him getting us out in the mountains and among the trees!
From Beaver Meadows Visitor Center follow Hwy 36 west to Bear Lake Road (approximately 1.3 miles). Turn left onto Bear Lake Road and follow for 1.3 miles, then turn right onto Moraine Park Campground Road. After a short distance turn left at a sign indicating that Riding Stable and Trailheads are ahead. This road will take you along the edge of Moraine Park to the TH. The TH is at the end of the road.
What entrance should I use into Rocky Mountain National Park?
As of 6/16/23: NPS states that Fall River Entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park is under construction so only one lane is open to enter. Visitors are encouraged to avoid the Fall River Entrance and use the Beaver Meadows Entrance via U.S. Hwy 36.
Do I need a reservation to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park?
The Fern Lake hike is in the Bear Lake Corridor, so you must have both a pass into the park and a timed-entry permit called Park Access Plus between 5am and 6pm. The reservations can be made at Recreation.gov. Reservations typically open a month in advance. Some of the reservations open up the night before at 5:00 pm. When we are hoping to get a pass for the next day, we set an alarm on our phone so we can get on the site right at 5:00 before they all sell out. This video helps explain the system in more detail.
Where should I go if I can’t get a Park Access Plus reservation?
There are a lot of great options! Some of our favorites include:
I’m excited to share our latest adventure in Estes Park, Colorado. We brought our three-year-old Australian Shepard, Sky. I was nervous about how well our active pup would do on the long drive from Arkansas to Colorado, but after talking to her vet and the owner of her doggie daycare, we decided to bring Sky along with us.
Kruger rock trail
The first hike we took her on was the Kruger Rock Trail in Hermit Park, located just outside of Estes Park on Highway 36. It is a dog-friendly area with dozens of campsites, a nice pavilion, and a few other trails to explore. The open space requires entrance and camping permits and is open from March through mid December. You can read more here.
The elevation of Hermit Park is 7,880-8,964 feet which makes it a good ‘lower elevation’ and early-season hike compared to many of our favorite hikes in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park. We hiked over Memorial Day weekend.
The trail is roughly 2 miles each way, steadily gaining just under 1,000 feet of elevation. Less than a mile in, you reach a junction with the Limber Pine trail.
Continue up the trail to find a series of rock outcroppings ideal for catching your breath and taking in the wide views of the Estes Valley.
In November 2021, a wildfire burned in this area. Thankfully the fire was contained, but the damage can still be seen along the trail.
Once we got to the top, we took turns climbing Kruger Rock without Sky. This is a fun scramble with spectacular views.
360 Views from the top of Kruger Rock in Estes Park, Colorado
Dog-friendly hiking tips: bring bags to pick up waste, extra water, and a water bowl. Dogs should remain on a leash.
Dog Friendly Estes Park
We found Estes Park, Colorado to be a dog-friendly destination. The Estes Park Chamber of Commerce and the Visitor Center provide a comprehensive list of lodging, food and beverage, and retail destinations that allow dogs.
rocky mountain tot 