I can’t think of a better place to spend a milestone birthday than my husband’s favorite mountain town, Estes Park, CO. His birthday is close to Memorial Day, and right after school ended for the year, so we had many reasons to celebrate and rest after the end-of-school-year sprint. Today I’m going to share the hikes we enjoyed and the wildlife we spotted on our recent trip.

Memorial Day Adventures in Rocky Mountains

Memorial Day feels like the unofficial start to summer, but when you come to the mountains, you can still expect cool air and some snow, especially at higher elevations. We chose our hikes based on their relatively lower elevations and current trail status. Expect rapid weather changes. It’s always best to start hikes in the morning, so you are below treeline before common afternoon thunderstorms.

Hiking Gear to Pack

• Waterproof hiking boots – after checking trail conditions we determined that we didn’t need extra traction like Yaktrax which can be helpful when the trails have more snow and ice.
• Hiking socks -I can’t say enough about wool hiking socks. Each time I forget them, I regret my decision. They make such a difference!
• Adjustable poles – I find trekking poles are helpful on my way back down mountains to absorb impact on my knees.
• Small hiking backpacks – We packed essentials like snacks, water, and sunscreen.
• Rain jacket and layers
• Sunglasses and/or hat
• Breathable quick-dry fabrics

Deer Mountain

Along with having stunning views and being one of the more moderate summit hikes in the park, Deer Mountain is also one of the best year-round options due to its proximity to the Fall River entrance and the fact that the snow tends to blow off/melt out earlier here than in some of the other popular trailhead areas, such as Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge. It’s roughly 6.2 miles round-trip and gains just over 1,200 feet of elevation.

Choose this hike if you want a family-friendly summit hike with views.

Ouzel Falls

Ouzel Falls is located in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. This area is often less crowded and lower in elevation than the Bear Lake area. The hike to Ouzel Falls begins at 8,500 ft of elevation and gains 950 ft. The total distance is 5.4 miles. Before arriving at Ouzel Falls, the trail passes Copeland Falls and the Calypso Cascades, which are both beautiful destinations on their own.

Choose this hike if you love lush forests and waterfalls. If you prefer taking your time and savoring several destinations along the way, this might be your new favorite hike.

Gem Lake

This hike begins at the Lumpy Ridge trailhead. We like the boulders and unique rock formations that give us an excuse to catch our breath and take photos along the way. Plus, the views looking back over Estes Park and the mountain range beyond, wow! This is a moderately strenuous hike because of the steep steps that lead up to the lake, but the short distance of 1.8 miles each way made it pretty attainable.

We were feeling good, so we added the Lumpy Ridge Loop, which made this hike a little over 4 miles.

Choose this hike if you want a short, rewarding experience, and pair it with a fun reward like ice cream in Estes Park.

Bierstadt Lake

The trail to Bierstadt Lake is 1.4 miles each way, starting at the Bierstadt Lake Trail Head, located in the Bear Lake Area. If you aren’t familiar, getting a park pass and a timed-entry pass is often necessary throughout the park, but it mostly impacts access to trails in this popular area. We were able to make a reservation the evening before (tickets for the following day are released at 7 pm). More information about the entry system is available on Recreation.gov.

The trail up to Bierstadt Lake gains 566 ft. of elevation along several switchbacks. You can add on extra mileage by walking around the lake, which we recommend to get the best views of Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak.

Choose this hike if you want it all – views, an alpine lake, and towering pines.

Twin Sisters

After several days acclimating to the elevation and hiking 4-6 mile hikes, we decided Twin Sisters would be a great grand finale hike on my husband’s birthday. Twin Sisters trail head is located six miles south of Estes Park on Highway 7.

Round trip, it is about 7 miles reaching 11,413 ft of elevation on the West Summit, a gain of 2,253 ft. The East Summit is slightly higher, but we decided to shorten the trip this time by going up just one side. 

Choose this hike if you feel ready for a challenge and as a warm-up to harder summit hikes like Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak.

Shorter Hikes

Besides the hikes mentioned, we also enjoyed strolls around Lily Lake, Sprague Lake, and the Estes Park Riverwalk in downtown.

Wildlife Spotting

In this post, I want to share a few of the animals we spotted on our latest trip, rather than a full list of all the animals you might see in the park and when/where you might spot them. So, if you have any wildlife tips or questions, please post in the comments.

Moose

On this trip we spotted several moose, including this guy near Sheep Lakes where there is a pull-off and no hiking is required.

Velvet Elk

I think elk are fascinating animals, and you may notice this time of year their antlers look fuzzy. Why? Here are a few fun facts I found on the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s website:

• Antlers are the fastest bone growth in the world
• Immature antlers are covered in skin with a short, dense fur called velvet
• Elk antlers grow about an inch per day

Salamanders

Another cool animal species we spotted was the tiger salamander in Lily Lake. My daughters think they look like axolotls. I found an interesting article about the amazing amphibians on the national park’s website.

Final Thoughts

I love that my husband wanted to spend his 40th birthday doing something he loves (hiking) in a beautiful and meaningful place with our family. It’s hard to capture the silliness and joyful energy that my daughters had during our trip, but it felt so healthy and refreshing after a busy spring.

I hope your summer is off to a great start, too. I would love to hear about your favorite hikes! Please share what hike we should try on our next trip in the comments.