Birding Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park and Grand Lake, Colorado

Over 300 different species of birds have been identified in Rocky Mountain National Park. The park covers 416 square miles and has 359 miles of hiking trails.

We offer two types of birding trips: Private tours and non-private nature walks. Our non-private nature walks are open to everyone 10 years and older. We see a lot of birds everyday on these hikes. It is our suggestion, however, that if you are specifically looking for birds, that you book a private trip. This will enable us to move at “birding” speed, which means we can take our time to find as many birds as possible.

Kaiyote Tours is authorized by the National Park Service, Department of Interior, to conduct services in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Non-Private Nature walks
Sunday: Hollowell Park
Monday: Hollowell Park
Tuesday: Upper Beaver Meadows
Wednesday: Moraine Park
Thursday: Upper Beaver Meadows
Friday: Moraine Park
Saturday: Hollowell Park

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for descriptions of the nature hikes.

Pricing for weekly scheduled non-private nature hikes
Cost: $45 per person.
Distance: 2 – 3 miles, depending on the group (about 2 ½ - 3 hours)
Age: 10 and older (unless a private booking).
Children age 10-17 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.

The hiking fee does not include your admission fee into Rocky Mountain National Park, which is $20 per week per vehicle.

Times
The morning hikes usually begin between 7:00am and 8:00am, depending on that day’s schedule. If mornings just aren’t possible for you, please contact us and we can make special arrangements for an evening hike.

Why do we start out so early? The best times to see wildlife are early mornings and evenings. The weather is better in the morning and the trails are also a lot less crowded. You may not be an early riser, but you will not regret waking up to see and feel the calm, cool air of a mountain morning.

Private Birding Hikes
Cub Lake and Upper Beaver Meadows are two of the best birding places to see a lot of different species of birds. But if you are looking for specific birds, we can take you to any location in the park to find specific birds. If you will be in the national park area for an extended period of time, we highly recommend spending time in all 5 life zones in the area. Starting in Rocky Mountain National Park, you will find different species of birds in the three major zones in the park: Alpine, Sub-alpine and Montane. Just east of Estes Park, you will find the foothills and the plains. We can arrange an extended birding tour of the area for you. Contact us for more info.

How many different bird species is it possible to see in one day in Colorado? Our record is 101 different spiecies.

Pricing for private birding walks

1. Private half day hikes (one location): 1 - 2 people $135 and $35 for each additional person.
2. Private full day hikes (two locations): 1 - 2 people $185 and $35 for each additional person.

The hiking fee does not include your admission fee to Rocky Mountain National Park, which is $20/per week per vehicle.

Pricing for extended birding tours

1. Private half day (multiple locations): 1 - 2 people $155 and $35 for each additional person.
2. Private full day (multiple locations): 1 - 2 people $265 and $35 for each additional person.

Printable Wildlife Checklists

Below are printable lists of the wildlife we have seen in Rocky Mountain National Park and on a few of our favorite trails for nature hikes. Print page one of the checklist first. Then using the back side of page one for the second page, you can make a small pamphlet.

• RMNP
• Cub Lake/Moraine Park
• Upper Beaver Meadows
• Hollowell Park

Nature Walk Descriptions

Cub Lake – moderate level hike. This is our best hike for birds and wildlife. Trailhead 8080 feet: 4.6 miles round trip and 540 foot elevation gain. Cub Lake is a large lily covered pond where Ring-necked ducks nest and bears like to swim. The trail starts along Moraine Park and follows along marshy ponds before it heads up to Cub Lake.

Upper Beaver Meadows Ute Trail – moderate level hike. This is our most difficult hike. Trailhead 8,440 feet; 4.3 round trip and 870 foot elevation gain to 9,310. This hike is great for birds, elk, coyotes and little critters. The trail starts out at the Upper Beaver Meadows picnic area and follows the Ute Trail to the top of the moraine with great views of Longs Peak and Moraine Park.

Hollowell Park and Mill Creek Basin Loop – easy level hike. Trailhead 8400 feet; 3.4 miles round trip and 620 foot elevation gain. This is a great hike for birds and wildflowers.The trail starts out in a small meadow where beavers have damned up Mill Creek and willows have filled in the area. The trial then follows the creek, which has many beautiful little cascades. The trail rises through an aspen grove and then through pines where it drops down into Mill Creek Basin.

We will supply

1. Backpack for your gear
2. Water
3. Rain poncho
4. Bug Spray

You should bring

1. Snacks/Lunch
2. Sunscreen (for lips too)
3. Hat
4. Sunglasses

If you have a Park pass or valid entrance receipt, please bring it along. If you do not have a pass, you will need to purchase a $20 vehicle pass at the entrance gate the day of the hike if you are driving. The pass will be good for 7 days. If you are riding in our vehicle and do not have a pass, you have an option to purchase a $10 one-time entrance pass or a regular $20 pass.

Suggested to bring

• Camera
• Binoculars
• Pencil and paper
• Field guide
• Magnifying glass

Wear

1. Layered comfortable clothes.
2. Be prepared for both warm and cold weather. Wind/rain pants and jacket are highly recommended, especially for full day hikes. Rain showers are likely. For hikes above 12,000, bring hat and gloves.
3. Shoes: Either hiking boots or athletic shoes, as long as they are already broken in and comfortable. Hiking boots that go above your ankle are strongly recommended because they will support and protect your ankles from injury.

Printable directions to The Beaver Meadows Visitor Center at Rocky Mountain National Park on Highway 36

Click here for Maps

Kaiyote Tours Birding Policies

Reservations
Advance reservations required. You will need to make your reservation and payment at least a day in advance. Please contact us at info@kaiyotetours.com or call 970-556-6103 for any questions you might have and to make your reservations.

We will also need to know: 1) Is anyone in your group under the age of 17 and if so, what their ages are. 2) Will you have your own transportation to and from the trailhead?

Payment
We require payment to hold a reservation. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Cancellation
You may cancel up to 72 hours in advance and receive a 100% refund. Cancellations within 72 hours will result in either the forfeiture of your payment, but can be used as credit towards a future booking.

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