A Dog-Friendly Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park
A dog-friendly trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.
With this trip, I can officially say that my dogs have been to every national park in Colorado (and in Utah, too).
The funny thing is, this might be the national park we (the humans) have been to most: it's by far the most accessible from our home in Morrison, and when people visit, they usually want to go.
Unfortunately, although I love Rocky, I have admit that it's not particularly dog friendly. In fairness, it's about the same level as Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Capitol Reef, or Arches (pups must stay in the car). Unlike Capitol Reef and Arches though, being car-bound does limit what you can see of the park.
But, on the bright side, there is plenty to do with dogs around Rocky, which I'll share a bit of here.
Is Rocky Mountain National Park Dog Friendly?
Not really, because of all the wildlife that could be distributed in the park, dogs aren't allowed pretty much anywhere in the park. That said, you can drive through.
Where are dogs allowed?
- Established roads or in parking areas
- Established campgrounds and picnic areas
- Endovalley Road (this is mentioned on the nps.gov site, but I have not walked my pups here)
Where aren't dogs allowed?
- Trails
- Tundra and meadows
- In buildings
Getting Around
If you do have dogs with you while you explore Rocky, you can still drive through and enjoy amazing views and hopefully spot some wildlife!
Just some of the wildlife we've seen at Rocky!
Keep in mind that the wildlife has the right-of-way in Rocky (and in Estes Park), so be prepared for delays.
On the left is what Estes Park locals call an "elk jam." On the right is an example of how little the Elk care about traffic laws.
Rocky has multiple entrances, and because of the impact that the weather can have, it's essential that you check the NPS website to check what's open. Probably the most commonly used entrance is the Beaver Meadows Entrance, which is closest to the town of Estes Park. This entrance can get pretty crowded, so you can also use the Fall River Entrance.
Scenic Drives
Rocky has some great scenic drives, but they are subject to seasonal closures (if you go in winter, you'll understand why). The most popular scenic drives are:
- Trail Ridge Road: 48 miles that take you through the park from Estes Park to Grand Lake (or vice versa).
- Old Fall River Road: 9.4 miles of rustic driving that take you uphill, and may test your courage.
These drives and others in the park offer places to pull over and enjoy scenic views like these.
Estes Park
If you're visiting Rocky, one of the most obvious stops is Estes Park, which has plenty of shopping, dining, and lodging, as well as lots of mountain town charm.
We love Estes Park, but the dogs have actually only been once or twice, since we're usually on the way to Rocky (where they probably won't have much fun).
Estes Park Dog Park
When we took the dogs to their first visit to Rocky, we made a stop at the Estes Park Dog Park. We'd seen this park during previous visits to Rocky, and it looked nice, but not too fancy. When we finally went, we were impressed with the size and amenities, and we noticed that right next to the entrance was an underpass that led to the walking path around Lake Estes, which we definitely want to check out in the summer.
As you can probably tell in these pictures, Maya was in a MOOD at this park (she was having fun).
Rocky Mountain Crepe Company
I don't think we've actually taken the dogs here, but they have a nice outdoor seating area and the crepes are great. As a bonus, this place is right next to the River Walk, where you can stroll and pop in some stores.
