WHAT TO DO
For most visitors, the park’s scenic splendors are the chief attraction. There is a choice of several auto drives; and miles of trails beckon those who prefer hiking or horseback riding. A few of the principal automobile and trail trips are described below.
The park ranger-naturalist activities are popular; so is fishing, a park sport for which a State license is required. All activities within the National Park are keyed to the natural scene.
The principal winter-use area in Rocky Mountain National Park is at Hidden Valley along Trail Ridge Road, 10 miles west of Estes Park. Skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, and platter sliding are popular here. The area is designed for family winter use, not as a typical ski resort. There are down-mountain ski runs and several practice areas so that either the expert or the novice skier will find slopes to his liking. Ski tows service popular slopes. A lodge and a warming shelter are provided at two popular locations within the area for the use of winter sports enthusiasts. Rental equipment, food service, lounge, and other facilities are available at the visitor center. Cross-country skiing may be enjoyed by the experienced skier at numerous locations on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park and on the western slope in the vicinity of Grand Lake.
Here are a few photo hints: the light is intense at high altitudes; many shots are made at half the exposure needed nearer sea level. Mornings are best for pictures; afternoons are often cloudy. Use side-light for depth, and break up the foreground on long shots. Color film will not register accurately the intense light of the sky and the dark green of the forest on the same exposure. Film, filters, and other supplies are available at the gateway towns. Color slides are sold at Moraine Park Visitor Center and nearby curio shops.