Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park, Colorado

Guided Hikes & Nature Walks

Rocky Mountain National Park has 359 miles of hiking trails! Covering 416 square miles, the park contains some of the most spectacular mountains and tundra in North America. Over 300 different species of birds have been identified. Elk, Moose and Coyotes can be seen openly roaming the meadows, while Bears, Mountain Lions and Bobcats are some of the more elusive predators we find in the forested areas. Little critters like Marmots, Chipmunks and Ground Squirrels are abundant. During the summer, the colorful wildflowers and tundra plants are stunning. Longs Peak, the highest mountain in the park, rises up to 14,255 feet. Trail Ridge Road crosses over the tundra and the continental divide and summits at 12,100 feet! Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park will be an experience you will not forget!

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

Birding, Botany and Wildlife Watching
Please join us for wonderful guided short hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. We specialize in birding, botany and wildlife watching as well as wildflower and tree identification. We hike slow and take our time to enjoy and experience all that nature in the mountains has to offer.

Cost: $30 per person, $45 per person for private trips.
Age: 10 and older. Children age 10-17 must be accompanied by a legal guardian
Group Limit: 7 people (unless a group booking)

Hiking fee does not include your admission fee into Rocky Mountain National Park.

Rates for private trips and groups:
1 – 4 people - $45 per person
5 people - $40 per person
6 people - $35 per person
7+ people - $30 per person

For private trips you may request any location within the park you like.

Weekly Schedule May through September (round trip miles)
Sunday: Cub Lake - moderate hike 4.6 miles
Monday: The Big Thompson Pool - easy hike 3.4 miles
Tuesday: Hollowell Park Loop - moderate hike 3.4 miles
Wednesday: Cub Lake - moderate hike 4.6 miles
Thursday: Upper Beaver Meadows - moderate hike 4.3 miles
Friday: Moraine Park - easy hike 2.5 miles
Saturday: Hollowell Park Loop - moderate 3.4 miles

Times
The morning hikes usually begin between 7:00am and 8:00am, depending on that day’s schedule. When available, you can schedule or request a hike for any time you like. Please ask.

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.

If mornings just aren’t possible for you, please call and we can make special arrangements for an evening hike. Evening hikes are shorter and usually last from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Cost is $35 per person.

Do you need a little more excitement?
Mountain Treks: We can guide you on a mountain trek to the summit of one of Rocky Mountain National Park’s incredible peaks. Pricing: 1 - 2 people $185/day; 3 – 4 people $235/day; 5 – 6 people $285. There are additional fees for hikes over 13,000 feet and/or 14 miles long.   

Backpacking: guided backpack trips begin at $285/day for 1 – 2 people. We also offer backpack trips using horses or llamas to bring you and your gear in and then we hike out, which is all down hill! These are very fun and enjoyable trips. Please call for pricing.

Stargazing: We don’t have a telescope, but we love to go in the Park at night and look for shooting stars, falling meteorites, the Milky-way and orbiting satellites. We will teach you about the constellations of the sky. The mountain sky is very clear and on a moonless night, you will be amazed about the number of stars in the sky. When the moon is out, it is so bright you can read a book! Night time is also a great time for night sounds. Dress warm, the mountains are very cold at night. Bring a blanket and a flashlight if you can, but if not we can supply those items. Stargazing usually lasts about 45 minutes to one hour. The cost is $20/per person. The start time varies depending on the time of year. Please contact us for more info.

Printable Wildlife Checklists
These are lists of all the wildlife we have seen on each particular trail.

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.

• Big Thompson Pool
• Cub Lake/Moraine Park
• Hollowell Park
• Upper Beaver Meadows

Hike Descriptions

	Monday: The Big Thompson Pool – easy level hike. Trailhead 8155; 3.4 miles round trip and 245 foot elevation gain. This is a good hike for plants, birds and small mammals. This hike starts at the Fern Lake Trailhead. The trail follows the Big Thompson River. Along the way we will see signs of beaver activity and lots of very interesting rocks left behind from the glaciers.
	Tuesday: Hollowell Park and Mill Creek Basin Loop – moderate 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 were 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.
	Wednesday: 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.
	Thursday: 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.
	Friday: Moraine Park – easy level hike. This is our easiest hike. Trailhead 8080 feet: 2.5 miles round trip and 50 feet elevation gain. We begin at the Cub Lake Trailhead, following the trail for about .5 mile and then we head east along the south side of Moraine Park. This hike is great for birds, elk, coyotes and little critters.
	Saturday: Hollowell Park and Mill Creek Basin Loop – moderate 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 were beavers have damned up the creek and willows are filling 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 pine where it drops down into Mill Creek Basin.
	Sunday: 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.

Requirements
We hike slow, but please remember that our hikes usually begin at 8,500 feet and some go as high as nearly 9,500 feet. Please read the hike descriptions carefully and sign up for a hike that best suits your abilities.

What to Bring

1. Backpack for your gear
2. Water; 1 liter
3. Snacks
4. Lunch
5. Sunscreen (for lips too)
6. Hat
7. Sunglasses
8. Rain poncho
9. Emergency whistle

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

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

Wear

1. Layered comfortable clothes.
2. Be prepared for both warm and cold weather. Rain showers are likely.
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.

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

Kaiyote Tours Colorado Summer Policies

Reservations
Advance reservations required. You will need to make your reservation and payment at least a day in advance. Please contact us regarding any questions you might have and to make your reservations.

Payment
We require a credit card to hold a reservation, we accept Visa and MasterCard. 

Cancellation
You may cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a 100% refund. Cancellations within 24 hours will result in either the forfeiture of your payment or the payment can be used as credit towards a future booking.

- Back to top