Rocky Mountain National Park - Estes Park, Colorado

 Print This Post

Climbing the Colorado Mountains

Any tourist or resident will tell you that Colorado’s premier attraction is the state’s awe-inspiring mountains.  Part of the Rocky Mountains is found in Colorado and the state contains the highest peaks of the United States portion of the region.  The state of Colorado is actually split down the middle by the Rockies and the dividing line characterizes two distinct environments: the high prairie dry land of the east and the rugged mountain ranges of the west.

Colorado has more than 500 mountain peaks that exceed 4,000 meters and 54 mountain peaks that soar above 14,000 feet.  The state’s highest mountain peak is named Mount Elbert, and it measures 14,433 feet above sea level.  The Rocky Mountain region is the most popular area for mountain viewing, since it contains 51 peaks that are of the highest elevation, colloquially called fourteeners, not to mention 71 peaks that top out 12,000 feet.

The best way to see the entire region is to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park.  What can you expect from a tour of the Colorado Rocky Mountain area?  There are many activities to choose from including hiking, mountain climbing, skiing and fishing.  Mountain climbing is a popular activity and due to terrain does not require any ropes or technical experience.  The only down side is that if you climb a fourteener be prepared to deal with heavy traffic.  It may be to your advantage to climb a smaller mountain peak, like a thirteener (mountain peak at 13,000 feet) which is typically less crowded.  

Many visitors like to drive over the famous Trail Ridge Road, as well as other scenic routes like Fall River Road and Bear Lake Road.  Some visitors enjoy hiking and backpacking throughout the walking trails.  Some mountain climbers are willing to stay overnight at a camping site since the park contains over 349 miles of trail.  Other activities include horseback riding (including llama back riding) as well as fishing around the many lakes and streams.  The most popular areas for mountaineering are Longs Peak, Hallett Peak and Lumpy Ridge.

The mountains are covered in snow during winter season and in winter comes a variety of sporting events such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and even downhill skiing.  Many spots within the park are isolated and full of rich green forests, which is preferable to some travelers hoping to avoid the rush of traffic that comes from three million tourists a year!

Estes Park, Colorado