Rocky Mountain National Park Snowshoeing Tour

We meet our guides and fellow guests this morning at the REI Flagship store in Denver, Colorado. After introductions and an orientation, we have time to purchase any last minute items before hitting the road. We enter the park where we find a winter wonderland just waiting to be explored. Wasting no time, we hit a trail that leads us to first of many beautiful, frozen subalpine lakes as we gain our "snow legs" along the way. When we arrive at our destination, we are greeted by a glistening, frozen lake surrounded by pine trees and towering snowcapped mountains. We return to our trailhead and make our way to Estes Park where we'll have time to get situated before regrouping for a delicious dinner in town.

Snowshoeing: 4.5 miles; Total ascent/descent: +668'/-657'; Low/high point: 9,438'/9,794'

Van transfer: 2.5 hours

Our trail today takes us to the stunning Mills Lake. Named after the Father of "Rocky Mountain National Park", this glistening glacial lake is considered by many to be the most beautiful lake in the park. Standing on the shoreline, we soak up the views of the surrounding mountains, Long's Peak, Keyboard of the Winds, and Pagoda Peak. This picturesque view is the same image printed on the 2006 Colorado state quarter. We have a picnic lunch here before retracting our steps back to Glacier Gorge Trailhead where we began today's adventure. Conditions permitting, we'll roast s'mores around a crackling campfire where we'll try to settle the controversial debate of lightly toasted vs burned marshmallows once and for all.

Snowshoeing: 5.5 miles; Total ascent/descent: +1,004/-954; Low/high point: 9,187'/10,002'

Van transfer: 1 hour

Today we venture into the Wild Basin! We warm up on a flat, wide path before entering a dense forest of frosted pine and spruce. The once thundering North St. Vrain Creek has slowed to a trickle, the sound replaced by the muffled crunch of snow beneath our feet. We follow the meandering snow-covered creek as we bask in the winter's stillness. When we arrive at Calypso Cascades, we enjoy lunch together before retracing our steps back to the trailhead. We return to Estes Park this afternoon and take time to relax and clean up before enjoying our final celebratory dinner.

Snowshoeing: 5.7 miles; Total ascent/descent: +654'/-638'; Low/high point: 8,333'/8,798'

Van transfer: 1 hour

We see more avid adventurers on today's trail, but it doesn't take long to discover why. Just a stone's throw from the trailhead, we are already greeted by the crystalline beauty of Bear Lake. As the trail climbs steadily, we pass by the picturesque Nymph and Dream Lakes on our way toward the true star of this hike. Tucked in a bowl-shaped basin at just over 10,000 ft, we reach the visually stunning Emerald Lake with the freshly powdered peaks of Flattop Mountain & Hallett Peak reflecting on its icy surface. Here we enjoy our final lunch together before making our way back to the trailhead. We watch Rocky slowly fade away in the rearview mirror as we make our way back to Denver and say our goodbyes. That is until our next adventure together, of course.

Snowshoeing: 3.2 miles; Total ascent/descent: +689'/-678'; Low/high point: 9,521'/10,152'

Van transfer: 2.5 hours