A Perfect Covid-Friendly Getaway
After being locked down for half the year, like everyone else, we were eager to have a change of scenery. Traveling during a pandemic can be quite anxiety-inducing and honestly, we were undecided about whether or not to go to Rocky Mountain National Park until the very last moment. As if navagting the pandemic aspect wasn’t enough, wildfires rapidly spreading near Estes Park also cast doubt on whether our trip would even happen.
Eventually, the stars aligned and we decided it was safe enough to go. I am so thankful we did as it was the perfect Labor Day weekend escape.
Colorado is beautiful to visit year round, but in my opinion, nothing tops being there during late summer/ early fall. The weather is ideal, the leaves are starting to change color and wildlife are out and about! Our original plans were to explore Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. However, when wildfire closures trapped on west end of the park (story below), we also unexpectedly got to discover Grand Lake.
Estes Park
Just 70-miles from Denver, Estes Park is the perfect home base for quick access to Rocky Mountain National Park. There are a variety of lodging options available from motels to luxury Airbnbs. We opted to stay in an Airbnb with gorgeous mountain views that was centrally located.
Most of our time was spent in Rocky Mountain National Park, but Estes Park has plenty to offer as well. From outdoor activities to exploring the town and taking in sights, here are some of my favorite activities in Estes Park:
1. Downtown Estes
Despite being small, downtown Estes is quite charming. It is the perfect place to spend an afternoon exploring the little shops selling everything from high end decor to kitschy knick knacks. There is also a riverwalk in town that is perfect to stroll along.
While downtown, we grabbed a quick lunch at Ed’s Cantina & Grill. I highly recommend making reservations as it was difficult to just walk into a restaurant due to COVID-19. If you need a quick pick-me-up, Kind Coffee is a popular spot.
As far as I could tell, all restaurants observed social distancing and mask wearing. However, the overall number of people in downtown made us uncomfortable, so we ended up not spending much time in that area.
2. Estes Lake
Lake Estes isn’t very large, but offers plenty of activities – boating, paddle boarding, biking, golfing and a walking trail. If you don’t have your own equipment, it can be easily rented from the Lake Estes Marina. We opted to rent bikes (you can rent single or multi-person) and do the Lake Estes Trail- a 3.75 mile loop around the lake.
3. Wineries & Brewery
The nearby city of Denver is popular for breweries and that trend has made its way to Estes as well. If you want a break from the hiking, check out some of these local breweries. Many local beers are also available at restaurants in the area, if you aren’t able to make it to the breweries.
4. Eats
There are several dining options available for dine-in and pick-up in Estes. In order to limit our exposure as much as possible, we hit up Costco prior to leaving and enough food to feed half of Estes, so we did not eat out much.
For dinner, one night we picked up Antonio’s Real NY Pizza and it was absolutely delicious! We did not get to try these places, but I hope to on our next visit: Nepal’s Café & Dunraven.
Rocky Mountain National Park
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Rocky Mountain National Park many times and each time it takes my breath away. There are endless trails to explore and sights to take in.
Some things to note:
- During COVID-19, Rocky Mountain National Park requires timed entrance passes to be purchased.
- Be sure to bring enough water and food for your visit as any snack shops are closed due to the pandemic.
- Bring layers, especially if you plan to do Trail Ridge Road – it gets quite chilly at the top!
- Both Estes & Rocky Mountain National Park are at a high altitude, so be sure to give your body time to acclimatize, if necessary.
You could spend weeks in the park and keep discovering something new. However, here are some of my favorite things to do in the park:
1. Emerald Lake Hike
This 3.6-mile hike is probably one of the most popular hikes in the park because it is family friendly and passes multiple points of interest, making it a good option for those interested in a longer, yet manageable hike. The trail does get quite busy, so start early, if possible.
It starts at the Bear Lake Trailhead/ranger station and passes Nymph Lake (0.5 mile), Dream Lake (1.1 mile) and eventually ends at Emerald Lake (1.8 mile). The scenery throughout is stunning and if you’re lucky, you’ll see some elk playing in the lake!
Start of hike 
Views along the way
Careful- these little guys are not shy! 
2. Chasm Lake Hike
This is not an easy hike. It is about 8.5-miles RT and will likely take about 6 hours to complete, depending on how often you stop. Much of the hike involves steep climbs and no shade, but the views along the way are spectacular.
Views along the way 
3. Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road is a 43-mile long scenic drive that connects Estes Park on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park to Grand Lake on the west side. It is also the highest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet. There are several viewpoints and hikes along the way to take in the scenery. I highly recommend doing Trail Ridge Road hike at the top of the road to take in the stark difference between the lush greenery at the bottom of the road to the barren landscape at the top.
4. Alberta Falls Hike
Alberta Falls is an easy, short hike (1.5-miles RT) that is accessible from both Glacier Gorge or Bear Lake. It’s the perfect “add-on” to any other activity or hike you do in the park.
Grand Lake
Located on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park is the charming little lake town of Grand Lake, named for the lake on which it is situated. Our original plans did not include spending time any time here, however, when Trail Ridge Road closed unexpectedly due to low visibility from nearby wildfires, we were forced to go around the Park to get back to Estes – a 3.5 hour drive. Separated from the rest of our group, we made the most of it and decided to stop and grab some coffee in Grand Lake and explore a nearby hike.
1. Adams Falls Hike & East Meadow
With limited time, we decided upon the Adams Fall hike, a quick 1-mile RT trail to Adams Falls. It is an easy, family friendly trail that continues on to Lone Pine Lake (about 5 miles) if you have more time explore.
Shortly past the falls, we stopped in an open area by the creek to enjoy a quick lunch.
We didn’t have enough time to go all the way to Lone Pine Lake, but did continue on to see East Inlet Creek and East Meadow. The photos do not do these views justice! The stillness of the creek created perfect reflections in the water which only added to the beauty of the meadow.
Note: Unfortunately, since my visit, Grand Lake was heavily impacted by wildfires.
Have you been to Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park or Grand Lake? We would love to hear about your favorite things to do in the area!
Check out other COVID-19 friendly vacation ideas here.
