When planning a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, most visitors flock to the eastern entrance near Estes Park. However, taking an RV road trip to the park’s quieter west side offers a serene experience packed with historic lodges, alpine lakes, scenic drives, and family-friendly mountain towns.
Below is a complete itinerary and guide for exploring the best sights and adventures on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.
1. Grand Lake: Historic Basecamp & Lakeside Retreat
Grand Lake serves as the historic west entrance to the park and is home to Colorado’s largest natural lake.
- Water Activities: Visitors can rent paddleboats, paddleboards, or pontoon boats, or relax at the public swim beach.
- Kauffman House: Built in the late 1880s, this log cabin-turned-hotel is the only remaining historical lodge of its kind along the lake. It features an attached museum detailing the area's rich history.
- Downtown Boardwalk: Explore the old-fashioned wooden boardwalk lined with local shops and dining.
- Grand Lake Lodge: Opened in 1920 inside the park (now under private ownership just outside), it was known as "America's Front Porch" for its sweeping vistas. A unique piece of trivia: many of the rustic cabins on-site were originally purchased directly from the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog.
2. Scenic Drives & Overlooks on Trail Ridge Drive
Trail Ridge Drive is the park’s primary artery connecting the east and west entrances across the Continental Divide. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the highest continuously paved highway in North America, climbing above 12,000 feet.
Key stops along the west-side ascent include:
- Fairview Curve Overlook: Provides panoramic views of the Kawuneeche Valley, the Colorado River, and the Never Summer Mountain Range—the park’s only volcanic mountain range.
- Milner Pass & Poudre Lake: Located right on the Continental Divide at over 10,000 feet elevation. Hikers can trek around Poudre Lake or take a four-mile trail up to the Alpine Visitor Center.
- Medicine Bow Curve Overlook: Positioned on a dramatic hairpin turn above the tree line, this spot offers your first views of the Alpine Tundra. On clear days, views extend all the way into Wyoming and the Medicine Bow National Forest.
- Alpine Visitor Center & "Huffer's Hill": Situated above 11,000 feet, this is the highest visitor center in the entire National Park System. From the parking lot, you can climb the steep 0.25-mile Alpine Ridge Trail (gaining 300 feet of elevation up to 12,000 feet), affectionately nicknamed "Huffer's Hill" due to the thin air.
3. Hiking Away from the Crowds: East Inlet Trail
For those looking to escape the heavily trafficked trails of the eastern corridor, the East Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake is a hidden gem.
- Adams Falls Trail: A family-friendly round-trip hike with moderate elevation gain that leads to a cascading waterfall.
4. Detour to Winter Park for Family Fun
Located just south of Grand Lake, the mountain town of Winter Park offers plenty of activities:
- Scenic Gondola Ride: Rides up to over 10,000 feet elevation offer panoramic mountain vistas, top-of-the-mountain hiking, a kid-friendly mini ropes course, and dining.
- The Alpine Slide: Colorado's longest bobsled-style alpine slide stretches 3,000 feet down the mountain.
- The Foundry: An indoor entertainment complex featuring a bowling alley, arcade, pizzeria, and dine-in movie theater.
5. Camping Basecamp: Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountain
A top RV basecamp recommendation on the west side is Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountain, located 15 miles from the park's west entrance. The resort features mountain views, small lakes, biking trails, and amenities like an on-site bowling alley. The RV sites offer full hookups, including 30-or 50-amp electric, as well as pull-through and back-in sites.
