Rocky Mt National Park in late September
 

We're going to RMNP for 7 days the last week of September. Just booked lodging in Estes Park (we have to be based there the whole time because of a conference my husband will be attending) for our family of 4 with 2 young kids.

In addition to the easy day hikes we're planning to take, climbing on rocks near Gem Lake, becoming a Jr. Ranger (my 5 year old), going on some ranger-led programs and driving up Trail Ridge Rd to the alpine area one day, what do you recommend doing in late Sept? What are good ways to experience the elks bugling, and great places to spread out a blanket and picnic under the yellow aspens? What other activities are especially good to do in late September in the park or surrounding areas?

Since our younger child will be only 17 months old during the trip, we won't be able to ride horses, unfortunately, but would love to experience the park in other ways than just hiking. Does the park or outside areas offer (kind of cheesy, but fun) activities like the covered wagon ride to a cookout that they have at Yellowstone? Are there any water activities, not rafting of course, but something on flat water, in/near the park (for the 5 year old; I doubt we'd take the baby on that)? Also, since the baby doesn't love car trips, we won't be taking scenic drives unless there is a good reason to (such as getting to the high parts of Trail Ridge road).

Thanks for any suggestions you have to enhance our mainly hiking- based trip, and for thoughts on how to best enjoy fall in the park and surrounding areas.

You've picked a great time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park!

We've been there several times to watch the elk in rut. We always go to Moraine Park to watch the elk. There will be park rangers stationed there for crowd control and to make sure people don't get too close.

I'm not familiar with any places that have covered wagon rides, so hopefully someone else will chime in. Although some of the kids activities will be shut down by late September (like MacGregory Ranch), check out Trout Haven Fishing Pond for kids: http://www.trouthavenfishing.com/

Keep in mind that weather conditions in late September can bring an early snow, so plan your drive up to Trail Ridge Road on the front end of your trip. There's a really short hike near the top (I think 1 mile round trip) called the Tundra Communities Trail that has rock formations called "mushroom rocks" the kids might enjoy:

http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails...ties-trail.htm

As far as a picnic spot, Lily Lake is a lovely setting has several places you can spread out a blanket and enjoy lunch.

http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails...-lake-loop.htm

There are lots of easy hikes that have short mileage since I assume someone is going to have to carry the 17 month old.

http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails...easy-hikes.htm

You might want to check out Estes Park Marina to see if there are any water activities for kids, if they are still open that time of year.

www.evrpd.com

Thanks, wave725. Are the elks in Moraine Park something we can see all day, or just early mornings and evenings?

Those look like great picnic and hiking options. I think our 5 year old will love the newness of seeing a high alpine setting, and hopefully neither kid will get altitude sickness! We won't stay too high up for too long, just in case.

I appreciate your advice!

Early morning and evening around dusk are the most reliable time to see the elk and hear the bugling. That said, the elk apparently have not read any instruction manuals about this, and it's possible to see them at any time.

If you want to get away from the crowds jamming the Moraine Park road, then walk along the trail towards Cub Lake. You need to be there early enough to park near the trailhead. A few hundred yards along the trail are a couple of rock outcrops that command a nice view over Moraine Park. No climbing is required, it's just a walk up from the trail. These have the advantage of having the sun at your back in the evening.

You can also keep walking to where the trail turns right to Cub Lake (0.4 miles), then you turn left and there are more somewhat secluded rocks outcrops along there. This is the south side of Moraine Park. The last time we did this the rules were as long as you stuck to the established trail it was OK to walk there.

The elk may or may not be there all on a given morning or evening, but these places have proven generally reliable over the years.

Other locations for elk viewing include Horseshoe Park, Beaver Meadows, Hallowell Park, and the Estes Park golf course.

My wife and I like Hallowell Park for picnics. Have a great trip.

P.S. Bring binoculars if you have them. Sometime the wildlife will be within spittin' distance. But more often the big herds are out in the middle of the meadow.

The sound of the bugling carries quite far and is memorable and eerie the first time you hear it.

Thanks, Nelson, for these great recommendations for viewing elk. You mention that I'll "need to be there early enough to park near the trailhead." Is the park that crowded even on weekdays in late September? I was hoping that by going in the fall, and being there from Sunday to Saturday, we could avoid crowds.

Hidden Valley is also a wonderful picnic area (blanket spreading vs. tables at the base of what was a ski area); lovely meadow with views, some nice walks.

Fall weekends can be very crowded, but weekdays shouldn't be a problem. (If they are, you know to start earlier.)
Check out the park website for closures, delays, and changes due to the floods in 2013 and the ongoing construction (Bear Lake Road).
The park people will be able to direct you to reliable sites to view the elk and listen; they keep on top of that stuff.

Diito what sylvia said, weekdays should be reasonable, but the parking areas near the Cub Lake trail are pretty small. My wife and I were there yesterday (Thursday) and able to get a spot at prime time, about 11:00 AM. That won't happen within a few weeks, or on weekends, but by September you should be OK. As sylvia also noted, you'll have a few days to figure that out.

On our way out yesterday we stopped in Moraine park which now has countless thousands of wild iris in bloom. There was a large herd of elk, about 150-200 animals, out in the meadow close to the Cub Lake trailhead. Also a group of 4-5 bucks with beautiful velvet antlers near the Moraine Park museum. This was around 4:00-5:00 PM, or 3-4 hours before sunset.

Sunrise in late September is roughly 6:45 PM, so getting there around 5:00 PM or so would be ideal. My wife and I often time a hike to end then, so we hang around the spots I mentioned and watch the action.

Wild iris?! Dang, Nelson, I just about had the DH ready to take a drive into the park, and we didn't go. Shoot.
p.s. I think you mean sunset is 6:45?:)

The kids should be okay driving at high altitude, just be sure to keep them well hydrated prior to and during the trip.

sylvia, the iris are slightly past their prime, but should be around for several more days. We heard that the Lily Lake loop trail, mentioned in wave's post above, is a great place to see them. I drove past there to climb a peak in Wild Basin last Saturday, and there were plenty along the roadside in that stretch.

They haven't been this intense for years. Perhaps a side effect of the rains last fall?

(BTW, ditto on an astonishing profusion of evening primrose on the Pawnee Grasslands east of Ault, but they are probably done by now.)

Thanks for catching my sunrise / sunset goof.

Thanks for the great advice! It's great to hear that the park shouldn't be crowded in late Sept, and to learn about the park in June. The wildflowers sound fantastic!

Another question: I've been focused on spending our 7 days in the national park itself, and am wondering if we should branch out to other areas. (We will spend 2 days in Boulder visiting friends before arriving in Estes Park.)

Are there any places or activities in the vicinity (under 1 hr drive each way) that you recommend as particularly impressive in autumn and/or great to do with young kids? We mainly focus on nature/hiking/outdoor activities, but our 5 year old also likes trains and boats, children's museums that are interactive, and of course great playgrounds.

Thanks!

pantanal, here are a few options for you to consider, but given your short time there is not necessarily any reason to leave either Boulder or Estes / RMNP.

For trains the Georgetown Loop Railroad, about an hour from Boulder. Never taken it so can't comment personally.
http://georgetownlooprr.com/

Closer to Boulder is the Colorado Railroad Museum. This is a great place for train enthusiasts of any age, IMHO. They have ride the rails Saturdays, but maybe not when you will be there:
http://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/tr...ide-the-rails/

In Fort Collins, where I live, is a nice new museum that is hands on and geared toward kids:
http://www.fcmod.org/

A few blocks from there is a farm in a park, also geared towards families / kids:
http://www.fcgov.com/recreation/thefarm.php

Finally real trains go through the center of town, right past the museum, so your daughter could have it all! Not all townsfolk are amused.
http://archive.coloradoan.com/articl...n-Fort-Collins

Fort Collins is about an hour from either Boulder or Estes.

We've camped in Moraine Park Campground several times during elk rut and they are pretty much there all day and night. Believe me, we hear them bugling constantly, which is okay since that is why we go at that time.

There is a road just below the campground. A lot of people pull off along there. Turn into the Moraine Park Campground road and pretty soon Fern Lake Rd turns off before going into the campground. You might want to bring chairs. Most people just sit and watch for a while.

https://goo.gl/maps/yrA7f

Nelson, we just returned from an 8-day trip in RMNP and the wildflowers were spectacular! We usually visit in late August to late September so this was our first experience with the spring wildflowers and snow on some of the trails! The flowers were spectacular (the allergies not so much!)

We were happy to see that the construction on Bear Lake Road was completed. We still arrived at the trailheads very early - usually by 7AM - to avoid crowds and parking issues and to avoid having to take the park shuttle to the trailheads.

wave, allergies aside, glad to hear you had a great trip!

It's been a spectacular year for flowers, all the way from from the Pawnee Grasslands out east, up to the alpine tundra at the Divide.

Perhaps all the rain from last September's devastating floods has something to do with it? The ground was saturated for months afterward.

Enjoy your next visit.