and I should clarify we have an "off road" stroller so it can handle some rough terrain. I'd say if you would trail run it, we'd stroller it.
Rocky Mountain National Park - Hiking
- Thread starter JM4CY
- Start date
and I should clarify we have an "off road" stroller so it can handle some rough terrain. I'd say if you would trail run it, we'd stroller it.
3.5 miles hike. Its just a mile or so north. This link has directions and description.
http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/gem-lake.htm
I am sitting here calculating how you are getting from Madison to Estes in 9 hours when it is 12 from CR...
Also suggest Ouzel falls. Did that with our kids when they were in 2nd and 4th grade. Did gem lake, whatever it's called where you go to the pretty good sized lake well past Alberta Falls (The loch maybe?). Also finished that trip with a hike to cub lake, which ended with us watching a Moose with her two calves splashing around in the lake.
I just looked at that same page. I think we’ll be doing this one. Thanks for those that mentioned this. I knew CF would come through
This. This trip will be the first one where I don’t have a mule a damn kid up a mountain because the little is too big finally for one. I will not miss the people on the trail with the “aww that’s so cute! You having fun there little guy??” Then they want us to stop and have a small chat. Meanwhile his dad is sweating his balls off with burning legs wondering if he’s to big to be trout bait. “No *****. His amount of fun does not matter right now. Now get the hell out of the way so I don’t have to stop and start again or your going off this cliff.” Yes I realize this is a strong take. But if you’ve been there, you know.
If you end up doing Ypsilon, take an opportunity to catch Chapin and Chiquita on the way. C-C-Y (as we called it when I worked at YMCA of the Rockies) was a great hike and not impossible to do three peaks in one. I always enjoy Lily Mountain when I've done it with family, with the trailhead off of Hwy. 7. Back to bigger hikes, Mt. Lady Washington gets you a great view of the East Face of Longs from the summit. Also, if you want to get a flavor of Longs but it's not yet peak season, you could hike to the boulder field or keyhole. Have fun!
Yes I was thinking the CCY. I got halfway up Lady Washington on one of my times up to Chasm but some park ranger with a couple llamas yelled at me and said to get below the tree line because it’s going to storm. He was right.
Bad guess. and oh God it's that far, maybe not then. I should have known, I've done that drive before but stopped in Ames for the night.
Perfect timing on this. I'll be taking my fam to Estes Park in less than a month. Was looking for the same thing. Say hello to those with Clone license plates. 
Took us about 11:30 from SE Iowa, we took 80 out and then headed up to Cheyanne on the way out, MapQuest says its further, but a better road. On the way back took Colo. #34 over to the interstate 76. I felt that way was longer with more stop lights than the Cheyanne way.
I’ve done both. I feel like the latter is faster. You can go like 70 on that road because nothing is out there but cattle.
Late July should have the Keyhole Route free of snow on Long's. It's not really technical (some spooky spots for sure), just more of a slog.
I love RMNP, but Estes might be one of my least favorite CO mountain towns. It just seems more fake toursity, I guess. Kind of a weird layout, too. I like Breck, Dillon, Idaho Springs, Lake City, Salida/Buena Vista all more than Estes.
We were driving a lot faster than 70 mph all the way out, I think I set the cruise at 80 on the way out, and we followed my oldest son on the way back, he has one of those fancy radar detectors and we were pushing 85 to 90 most of the way.
Once you get past Lincoln there is nothing there but open interstate.
I like Highway 14 heading west out of Sterling, drive thru the Pawnee National Grasslands and not many stops, then drop down I-35 to Hwy 34 to Estes.
Meh I travel for work. Cities and towns are a dime a dozen. Estes isn't far from Denver and the view is amazing.
As a kid, my family rented a cabin for a week each summer in Estes through most of the 80s. It was a nice quaint little town back then. In the 90s, more people discovered it, plus when they rebuilt after the floods, I think they really ramped up the tourist attraction element.
