Rocky Mountain Hikes – Page 20

Deer Mountain – a Family Friendly Summit Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park

Looking for a family friendly summit hike in Rocky Mountain National Park? There is something very rewarding about reaching the summit of a mountain, but with young kids it’s hard to spend the time, energy and face the technical challenges of hiking up many of the prominent peaks.

Good news! You don’t have to hike all day to experience wonderful panoramic views and gain that awesome feeling of accomplishment. A three-mile hike up Deer Mountain offers both. The hike is located at Deer Ridge Junction, a few miles west of the Beaver Meadows entrance.

There isn’t a parking lot near Deer Mountain. Cars park right off the street making parking limited.

Gear for hiking with young children and babies
I carried our 4 month old in an Ergobaby carrier and my husband carried our 2 1/2-year-old in a Deuter kid comfort carrier. With the added weight, we were happy to take extra breaks to enjoy the inspiring mountain vistas.

As we approached the summit, we hiked through melting snow which is pretty common in May – especially this year. I was thankful for my waterproof hiking boots, but we still got wet and muddy. Keeping a pair of flip-flops in the car to change into post hike would be helpful.

Trekking poles were also helpful. You gain 1,093 ft of elevation.

Standing at 10,013′ we made it to the summit. This was our youngest daughter’s first summit hike. Both girls were ready for a snack at this point, but we were worried about dark clouds looming in the distance and decided to start our descent. We probably should have started this hike earlier in the day because storms are more common in the afternoon.

On the way down, we had to be cautious in a few areas where slippery rocks were covered in slushy snow (especially with our precious cargo).

Luck was on our side, the weather cleared and we enjoyed the 3 mile return trip under blue skies.

Moose Spotting Makes for a Memerable Morning Hike Around Sprague Lake

We just got back from a Memorial Day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. Our final hike was a quick half mile loop around picturesque Sprague Lake. Our toddler loves this popular hike because she can do it herself.

There are plenty of bridges to run over and rocks to climb on.

There are benches to rest on and great places to take family photos (if you can get everyone to look at the camera).

Oh wait!? Is that a moose in the background?

Yep! Much to our surprise a moose waded into the crisp mountain lake.

No matter how many times we go, we can’t wait to come back!

Family Hiking Journal

Free Family Hiking Journal Page

On the way home from our first trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with our daughter Cecilia, we decided it would be fun and helpful to log our hikes in the Rocky Mountains and other parks we travel to. We started a family hiking journal which helps us keep track of each hike. It’s a great way to capture fun details like what animals we spotted on the trail. It’s also rewarding to add up miles that we’ve hiked as a family.

I create entries for each hike. You can download a sample Rocky Mountain Tot Family Hiking Journal.

I also keep track of ‘points of interest’ we visit such as visitors centers, Trail Ridge road, local breweries, St. Malo Center and the Stanley Hotel. For special occasions like family reunions I jot down ‘trip highlights’ which are bullet points that summarize a special moment like, ‘hot chocolate and eating cinnamon rolls at Fall River visitor’s center restaurant. Views were beautiful!’

Finally, I keep a little post-it note with hikes I hope to go on soon. Taking pictures is a wonderful way to memorialize a family vacation, but keeping an old-fashioned journal brings me a lot of joy too.

What ways do you capture special family memories?

1 Day Itinerary in Rocky Mountain National Park

It’s no secret that I love Rocky Mountain National Park. There is so much to do and see that it’s really hard to narrow down the highlights to a one-day itinerary, but if you just have one day to spend here’s my suggestions:

Breakfast in Estes Park

Start early and get fueled up on good food and good coffee. My favorite sit-down breakfast is Notchtop Bakery & Cafe. You can stare out the windows at the Rockies while you eat. They have a fun kids menu – our toddler likes their pancakes! We also love Kind Coffee which opens even earlier. I enjoy their oatmeal, breakfast burritos and of course coffee!

Family Friendly Hiking

If you are feeling acclimated to the elevation, head up to Bear Lake. Take a nice stroll around the lake and capture a Christmas card worthy family picture with Hallett Peak behind you. From there you can hike to Alberta Falls for some more great family photo ops. Hike on to beautiful Mills Lake or The Loch if you want more of a challenge.

Lunch in Estes Park

Lunch time! Call ahead and order a sandwich to-go from Scratch – Deli & Bakery. Their deli is small but the Turkey-Bacon-Avocado sandwich is huge and amazing. It’s great for a picnic on Lake Estes where kids can enjoy the fun playground next to the marina.

Lake Estes

Lake Estes Marina offers afternoon activities like renting pontoon boats or pedal carts. They are typically open May through October, but we’ve learned it’s good to call ahead to verify.

Estes Park Riverwalk

From there you can walk through downtown Estes Park along the river walk and enjoy local shopping and a treat. I’m a huge fan of ice cream and we love Hayley’s.

Wildlife Spotting

Early evening is a great time to spot wildlife. Take a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park and make sure to search for elk in the Moraine Valley and near Horseshoe Park/Sheep Lakes.

Dinner in Estes Park

For dinner go to Poppy’s Pizza & Grill and sit outside by the river. They have good pizza and an impressive drink selection which includes locally brewed beer.

I hope this sample itinerary is a helpful starting point. Once you spend a day in beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park, I’m sure you’ll be planning your next trip back soon.