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8 Must-See Attractions in Rocky Mountain National Park

May 3 – 9, 2020 is National Travel and Tourism week. Given our current travel restrictions in the United States, the U.S. Travel Association decided on the theme of ‘the Spirit of Travel cannot be broken.’

Since I heard the theme, I’ve been contemplating what the ‘spirit of travel’ means to me. I ran across this quote from novelist Anita Desai.

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”
Anita Desai

That’s it. I feel that a part of me is missing right now. The part of me that likes to travel, explore, find adventure, and plan trips. In a world where I can’t go to the grocery store without a face mask on, it seems silly to miss travel as much as I do. But, I do!

Must-See Attractions in Rocky Mountain National Park

It’s comforting to think the places you love become a part of who you are. In honor of travel week, I put together a list of must-see attractions in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This list includes the places I feel best represent the diverse landscapes of Rocky Mountain National Park. I chose spots that are accessible to most travelers (you don’t have to walk 10 miles to see them). Together, they showcase the dynamic spirit of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bear Lake

Bear Lake is a popular destination in Rocky Mountain National Park. The lake sits at 9,475 ft in elevation. Behind the lake, you can see an open view of Hallett Peak. Our kids love walking the half mile loop around Bear Lake. Starting from the Bear Lake trail head, hikers can access destinations like Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, and Hallett Peak.

Alberta Falls

You can hike to Alberta Falls from Bear Lake, but the shortest route starts from the Glacier Gorge trail head. The hike to the waterfall is less than a mile. After enjoying the magnificent waterfall, you can continue on to Mills Lake, The Loch, or even Sky Pond.

Moraine Park

Moraine Park is one of our favorite places in RMNP to spot herds of elk. The Big Thompson River winds through the valley. Compared to other areas of the park, Moraine Valley is lower in elevation, so we typically choose hikes in this area when we are acclimating to high altitude. I recommend a hike to The Pool which leaves from the Fern Lake trail head or a hike to Cub Lake which starts at the Cub Lake trail head.

Gem Lake Trail

The Gem Lake trail begins at the Lumpy Ridge trail head. This area has unique rock formations that attract skilled rock climbers. This trail offers views of the Estes Valley and Rocky Mountains that are stunning. Another hike we enjoy in the Lumpy Ridge area is the Black Canyon trail.

Wild Basin

The Wild Basin of Rocky Mountain National Park feels a bit more rugged. You will find towering trees, vibrant wildflowers, and waterfalls. From the Wild Basin trail head, you can hike to Copeland Falls, Calypso Cascades, and Ouzel Falls.

Trail Ridge Road

Trail Ridge Road is a scenic highway that connects Estes Park, Colorado to Grand Lake, Colorado. Along the way, there are several places to pull off to take in the sweeping views of the tundra. On this road trip, you will reach over 12,000 ft in elevation! The Alpine Visitor Center is a great place to stop for a restroom break, snack, souvenir shopping, and to learn more about the unique landscape.

Adams Falls

Adams Falls is located on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park near the town of Grand Lake, Colorado. The hike to Adams Falls is only .3 miles each way. There is a viewing deck for visitors to see the falls from. From this spot, you can continue on to beautiful destinations like the East Meadow.

Longs Peak Viewpoint

Take a drive down Highway 7, and you will come to a vantage point of Longs Peak that is worth stopping to appreciate. At 14,259 feet in elevation, Longs Peak is the highest summit in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Learn more about Travel and Tourism week here.

Learn more about the destinations mentioned in this article

Bear Lake: Bear Lake, Dream Lake, Hallett Peak

Alberta Falls: Alberta Falls, Mills Lake, Sky Pond

Moraine Park: Moraine Park, Cub Lake, The Pool, Fern Falls

Gem Lake: Gem Lake, Black Canyon Trail

Wild Basin: Copeland Falls, Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls, Finch Lake TH

Trail Ridge Road: Alpine Ridge Trail, Ute Trail

Adams Falls: Adams Falls and East Meadow, (video)

Longs Peak: The Keyhole

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the places I am missing most. It is a part of me. Ocean views, mountain town, bustling city, desert landscape… what destination are you missing most? I hope you share in the comments.

Safer at Home – Colorado

when is rocky mountain national park going to reopen?

We are itching to get out to the serenity of the Rocky Mountains, but it looks like the Rocky Mountain National Park won’t be open for another month (at least). I’ve been reading through the Safer at Home guidelines that the Governor of Colorado put out earlier this week. The Executive Order restricts Colorado citizens to recreational travel that is no more than 10 miles from their places of residence.

Safer at Home orders will continue for 30 days from April 27, 2020 with the possibility of extension. For out-of-state travelers like us, it just not a good time to visit Colorado. You can learn more at www.colorado.com.

#thinkingofRMNP

In the meantime, Rocky Mountain National Park is featuring pictures on instagram that visitors have taken during previous trips. Tag your photos with #thinkingofRMNP for a chance to be featured by RMNP.

our favorite photos

We recently put together a slideshow on our home page with some of our favorite photos from Rocky Mountain National Park and Northwest Arkansas. I’ll also post some of our Colorado highlights right here. I’m not going to lie, going through all these photos and remembering the happy (normal) times, makes me a bit teary. Uncertainty is tough, but it’s comforting to know that the mountains aren’t going anywhere. I hope you all stay safe and healthy wherever home is to you!

Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Online Plant Sale

This week I’m nerding out about plants, specifically the upcoming plant sale at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.

Butterfly at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks

In 2020 our family purchased our first membership to the Botanical Garden which is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Typically, the garden is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm.

The Children’s Garden at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is a magical place

The gardens are currently closed, but the plant sale will still go on. This year it is online. Members can start shopping the morning of April 27 to April 29. Starting April 30 through May 8, the sale is open to the general public.

The names and prices for all the plants are listed here. I’m a plant enthusiast newbie. To be honest, I have no idea what most of these plants look like or what care they need. So, I created a (really cool) word document listing out all the plants and if they like sun, if they are lethal for my dog to eat, etc. Based on all my research, I came up with my wish-list.

Shopping Wish List: Botanical Garden of the Ozarks Plant Sale

>Hardy Geranium ($7) – I like that this flowering plant will (hopefully) come back each year.
>Smooth Hydrangea ($10) – There is a spot under my bedroom window that is pretty shaded, I’m hoping hydrangeas will grow well there.
>Lavender ($6) – I love the smell of lavender and I’m hoping I can grow it in a well-drained pot, or in my front yard which gets a lot of sun.
>Basil Genovese ($6) – There are several types of basil for sale, but I think this will be great for making homemade pesto.
>Common Rosemary ($6) – I like to add rosemary to chicken and pork dishes. We’ve tried to grow rosemary in pots from seeds and they haven’t done well, so I’m hoping a nice starter plant will get us on our way to growing this fresh herb at home.

The annual plant sale has sponsors, so we want to support them too! The sponsor on the top of my list is way awesome for my current preschool home school. My girls will love a Venus flytrap from Fayetteville Flytraps. Let’s be honest, I will love a flytrap too.

safety first – how to pick up your plants

Reading through the plant sale logistics, it looks like a lot of thought has gone into how to order and pick-up the plants in ways that will keep everyone safe and healthy, so I will link all of that information here.

It’s a bummer we haven’t been able to enjoy the Botanical Garden during the spring months, but I’m looking forward to this online shopping event.

Spring blooms at the Botanical Garden (2019)

I wrote more about the gardens last year in, Falling for Fayetteville – The 12 Best Things From Our First Year in Northwest Arkansas.

Hiking Arkansas: Alum Cove Trail

Alum Cove trail is a one mile loop that features a 130 foot natural bridge, a cave, shelter bluffs, stream, and a seasonal waterfall.

We took a picture of the trailhead map and signage to help us find our way.

how to get to alum cove

This recreation area is managed by the National Forest Service. From Jasper, Arkansas take highway 7 south for 15 miles, then turn right (west) on Arkansas 16 and go 1 mile. Turn right (northwest) on Forest Service Road 1206 and go 3 miles. (online brochure).

Tip: The scenic road is curvy, so plan ahead for any family members who are prone to car sickness.

open durnig covid-19

There are a lot of trails and recreation areas that are closed in Arkansas to cut down on the spread of COVID-19. As I’m writing today (April 22, 2020), Alum Cove remains open for hiking. Some amenities are probably not open such as restroom facilities. A good place to get updated information is the US Forest Service’s facebook page.

Alum Cove Recreation Area has shaded picnic areas.

The woods in Arkansas are beautiful this spring.

Alum Cove Natural Bridge — Walking over the natural bridge. There is a fence, but since there is a big drop off it’s a good place to hold on to little one’s hands.

Alum Cove Recreational Area. Arkansas National Forest — We passed over a small stream (after we splashed in it a little).

Alum Cove. Arkansas National Forest Service — Tip: Pack fun snacks to encourage kids to walk on their own (especially uphill). Our 5-year-old can hike on her own, while our 3-year-old is still wanting to be carried a lot. There was a bench right after this uphill portion of the trail.

Cave Arkansas. Alum Cove. — Soon, we found a cave.

Cave on loop trail. Alum Cove. — Caves = childhood wonder + imagination explosion

Seasonal waterfall. Alum Cove. — Past the cave, there is a seasonal waterfall.

Cave and shelter bluffs at Alum Cove. Colorado. National Forest Area. — We had fun exploring the caves and shelter bluffs. We had so much fun exploring, that we got turned around and walked down a side trail. Oops!

Alum Cove. — Once we made our way back to the main trail, we noticed that we should have started down this steep rock staircase.

We hiked this on our 8th wedding anniversary. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon as a family.

Kid-approved? Yes. Our girls have been lucky to go on a lot of trails in Colorado and Arkansas, and they said this one was one of their all time favorite hikes.