Rocky Mountain National Park Guided Tour
Description
Explore towering alpine peaks, high-elevation tundra, and Colorado’s most celebrated national park—all in one expertly guided day. Begin your journey in Boulder, framed by the iconic Flatirons, before traveling into the mountains toward Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Visit the historic The Stanley Hotel, surrounded by sweeping mountain views, before continuing into the park where alpine lakes, wildflowers in summer, and golden aspens in fall create a vibrant, ever-changing landscape. Travel in comfort with a professional guide who brings the scenery to life with stories of the park’s history, geology, flora, and fauna. From panoramic overlooks to the heights of Trail Ridge Road, experience Colorado at its most spectacular before returning through the foothills—an unforgettable Rocky Mountain adventure.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder, Colorado, consisting of flatirons. There are five large, numbered Flatirons ranging from north to south along the east slope of Green Mountain.
Boulder is a city at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. To the west, the trail-lined Flatirons are craggy rock formations overlooking the city. The University of Colorado Boulder campus is home to the Fiske Planetarium and the Museum of Natural History, with zoology and anthropology exhibits.
Hidden in the gently rolling foothills of Colorado is the small town of Lyons an under-the-radar adventure destination and the unofficial “Double Gateway to the Rockies.” For decades, thousands of people have passed through the small town en route to the eastern entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, which can be accessed via two scenic 30-minute routes that begin in Lyons.
Stanley Hotel, famous for its inspiration of the book and movie “The Shining. Some time in 1974, horror writer Stephen King and his wife Tabitha spent one night at the Stanley Hotel. At the time, King was struggling with Darkshine as the working title of his latest project.
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the country's most visited parks. Inside the Park, 110 peaks reach as high as 11,000 feet in altitude, including the celebrated Longs Peak, which boasts a height of 14,260 feet. The beautiful scenery in this area can be viewed by car or on foot. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, you can also anticipate seeing a broad range of birds and animals in their natural habitat, as well as other unforgettable sites.
Trail Ridge Road is the most popular route among tourists and interestingly, it is North America's highest continuous paved roadway.
The Fall River Visitor Center offers one of the largest retail spaces in Rocky Mountain National Park, with an extensive selection of souvenirs, gifts, apparel, and locally inspired merchandise. Inside, you’ll also find engaging exhibits that highlight the park’s geology, wildlife, and high-alpine ecosystems—making it both a shopping destination and an educational stop.
Estes Park is a town in northern Colorado. It’s known as a base for the Rocky Mountain National Park, home to wildlife including elk and bears, plus miles of trails.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- **LUNCH & LIGHT SNACKS INCLUDED** - This tour comes with a choice of a Turkey + Swiss, Turkey + Pepper Jack, Roast Beef + Provolone, Turkey & Roast Beef (no cheese), Tuna Salad, Gluten-Free Salad, Gluten-Free Bar and Fruit. Please send us a message via Viator/Tripadvisor with your lunch preference for all travelers in your group otherwise if we don't hear from you, a turkey sandwich will be provided.
- **MEETING LOCATION** - Colorado Convention Center, in front of Blue Bear sculpture
- Guests Ages 8+ No children under 8 unless it has been authorized by tour operator.
- Subject to weather conditions. If canceled due to weather conditions, an alternative date or full refund will be offered.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- Small group tour.
- Recommend clothing layers for cooler temperatures and inclement weather.
Reviews(289)
Absolutely wonderful excursion. Our guide Brian was very knowledgeable about the Rocky Mountain National Park and the history of the surrounding areas. And the vistas of the mountain range are spectacular, breathtaking, amazing…there aren’t enough superlatives. I never really understood how the pioneers could struggle getting across, but I certainly empathize now. I just had no idea the depth of the range. We got up to 12,158 ft above sea level. The picnic lunch was great and at the perfect spot by the lake. If I get back to Denver I will take Explorer Tours excursion to Pike's Peak.
An absolutely wonderful day with Eric our guide. We had a visit to this historic Stanley Hotel, we had a wonderful stop at Sprague Lake for lunch with plenty of time to walk around and enjoy the scenery, followed by great stops to see the beautiful vistas of Rocky Mountain national Park with plenty of time to enjoy our surroundings. The group played animal bingo where we spotted elk, moose, mule deer and marmites. We only lacked the bear!!
Robert is the best guide. He drove so well. Did not feel the uphill and downhill roads much. He was knowledgeable, very courteous and jovial. He made the entire experience fun. All 5 of us friends felt this. The bus was clean. Robert was ready with water bottles, Gatorade and food of choice. We all loved it.
Great one day experience and thanks to Brian for sharing with us his love for the Rocky Mountains
We covered a lot of beautiful sites and none involved a real hike so I was relieved. Our guide Robert was very informative throughout
David was a wonderful and knowledgeable guide. He shared many fun facts about Denver / Colorado along the way and also took us to many iconic spots in the national park. The flow and schedule was smooth. Overall it was a great experience!
Great job! Our tour guide was very informative and did a great job explaining everything. It was the perfect tour because there were snacks and lunch provided so there was no worries about what we were going to eat. Our group was punctual so we were able to see all of what the tour had to offer. I would do this again. Thank you!
Eric was an excellent and courteous guide to visiting the Rocky Mountains. It was a very enjoyable experience overall and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to book a tour.
Robert did a really good job, he made it very enjoyable
What a day trip from Denver! Thanks to Brian, the drive was smooth, comfortable and completely enjoyable. Every stop topped the previous one and we ran out of adjectives to describe the experience. The park where we stopped for lunch has a lake and we had an opportunity to enjoy the provided lunch lakeside. We went all the way up to the tree line and saw some of the remaining snow patches. I’d definitely do it again.
