The longer I’m a Mom, the more I appreciate back up plans!
We arrived to Rocky Mountain National Park on a popular summer weekend so we couldn’t find a parking spot near the Fern Lake trailhead. The park had a great backup option. We were able to park at the Fern Lake Park & Ride lot (added a .7 mile walk each way on narrow, gravel road).
The hike begins on pretty flat terrain and follows the Big Thompson River. The area is lush with several access points to fish or picnic.
Big Thompson River
Cecy didn’t sleep well the night before our hike, so she started out pretty fussy. If she didn’t settle down and fall asleep in her carrier, our backup plan was to cut the hike a little shorter by stopping at either Arch Rocks or The Pool. Arch Rocks are 40ft vertical boulders that lean towards one another. They are huge!
Arch Rocks
The final mile from The Pool to Fern Falls felt pretty steep, so I was relieved to see the waterfall and start our journey back.
Every season in Rocky Mountain National Park is unique and beautiful, but early October is my new favorite time to visit. What makes it the best?
1. parking
We easily found a parking spot at the typically popular Bear Lake lot when we hiked to scenic Mills Lake
Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
2.the weather
The temperature was crisp, but once we started moving it was very comfortable (mid 50s)
Jumping for Joy – October is the best in RMNP
3. golden aspens
The colorful aspen autumn leaves are stunning!
Golden Colorado aspens on hike to Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
4. elk rut
Elk bugling season – this is a great time of year for spotting wildlife and watching the unique rituals of men elk trying to impress the most lady elk with high-pitched bugling noises, picking fights with other males and showing off their impressive antlers. The city of Estes Park hosts Elk Fest to celebrate the season. More info…
A couple of days into our early October trip to Estes Park, I woke up ready for a little challenge. After reviewing some of my go-to Rocky Mountain National Park guidebooks, I convinced my husband that Estes Cone’s short distance at 3.3 miles each way would be doable with our little one. I underestimated this hike a bit…
There are a few ways you can get to Estes Cone and we chose the shortest distance by starting out at Longs Peak trailhead. This lot can fill up before dawn, but we arrived late into Longs Peak’s climbing season and easily found a parking spot.
Longs Peak from road lookout
Estes Cone from parking area
We followed the Longs Peak trail for about .5 miles before the trail split off towards Estes Cone. From the turn, we hiked .8 miles to get to Eugenia Mine ruins which are marked by a sign that reads, “Eugenia Mine, at the turn of the century produced more dreams than gold”.
Keeping slightly right, we hiked beyond the ‘mine’ and soon found ourselves in a grassy clearing where we could spot our destination.
View from grassy clearing up to Estes Cone
We followed the trail left back into the woods. This is when the trail starts to get noticeably steeper! The views of Longs Peak were really amazing though.
trail views of Longs Peak
2.5 miles into the hike the trail meets Storm Pass junction where you have the option to go on to Lily Lake or Bear Lake Road. We were huffing and puffing up the last .7 miles and began to worry that the trail was getting too steep to carry 10 month old Cecy safely up. My husband was nice enough to stay back with her so I could finish the last .3 miles of the climb solo.
Looking back down towards my husband and baby on steep trail
The views from Estes Cone made the steep hike worth it!
View from Estes Cone
Furry friends at the top
We celebrated hiking Estes Cone by going to downtown Estes Park for a waffle cone at our favorite ice cream shop, Hayley’s.
In his guide, ‘Best Hikes Rocky Mountain National Park’, Kent Dannen says, ‘my favorite trail is the one I hiked most recently.’ So true! My heart skips a beat every time I think of our hike to Gem Lake. The autumn aspens, the crisp air, the breathtaking views, 11 month old Cecy content the whole hike…now that’s what my dream hikes are made of!
We started out at Lumpy Ridge trailhead and hiked through boulders and unique rock formations with frequent stops to catch our breath and take in the panoramic views of Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain range behind us. This was a moderately strenuous hike because of the steep steps that lead up to the lake, but the short distance at 1.8 miles each way made it pretty attainable.
Aspens
Paul Bunyan’s Boot
Rocky Mountain views
Up, up, up!
Gem Lake
Cutest little hiker on the trail
If you work up a thirst, you can try out one of the new breweries in town called Lumpy Ridge Brewing Company. Located in an old gas station, the brewery has a small, eclectic tasting room plus a couple of outdoor picnic tables where you can enjoy the beer and Lumpy Ridge views.
rocky mountain tot 