Rocky Mountain National Park spoils its visitors with alpine lakes, fascinating wildlife and tall mountain tops. With elevations of more than 14,000 feet, you really feel on top of the world in this Colorado park. But where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park for the best experience?
The gateway towns Estes Park and Grand Lake are the best places to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park. In these convenient towns, you find a great selection of Rocky Mountain hotels. Further away, Loveland and Boulder offer Rocky Mountain lodging on a budget.
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Where to stay overview
- Estes Park – Eastern gateway
- Grand Lake – Western gateway
- Loveland/Boulder – Bigger cities
- Estes Park vs Grand Lake
Estes Park, CO – The best place to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park in the east
There are no places to stay within Rocky Mountain National Park. But the gateway towns Estes Park and Grand Lake offer Rocky Mountain National Park lodging in the front row.
Estes Park is Rocky Mountain National Park’s eastern gateway town. From Rocky Mountain lodging in Estes Park, it only takes you minutes to get to the park adventure.
Trail Ridge Road is a park highlight cutting through the park from Estes Park in the east to Grand Lake in the west. The famous road is easy to reach from Rocky Mountain National Park hotels at both ends.
Still, the eastern location is extra convenient as that’s where you find many of the other most visited Rocky Mountain spots. Emerald Lake, Alberta Falls and Bear Lake are among the popular highlights on the eastern side of the Colorado park.
From Rocky Mountain hotels in Estes Park, it’s just 14 miles (23 km) and 30 minutes to Bear Lake, at the very end of Bear Lake Road.
Estes Park is also the perfect Rocky Mountain base if you prefer a more lively town. It’s the bigger of the two gateway towns, where you find more Rocky Mountain National Park hotels, restaurants and things to do.
Downtown Estes Park presents an appreciated selection of cute souvenir shops, candy stores and eateries.
The combo of attractive location and lively vibe makes Estes Park very popular for where to stay when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. Therefore, make sure that you book your Rocky Mountain lodging as early as possible if you want Estes Park as your base; the best places to stay here constantly sell out.
In short, Estes Park is overall the best option for where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park. If you pick Estes Park, you get both great access to the most popular park spots and a fun liveliness. But look towards Grand Lake if you prefer Rocky Mountain lodging in a quieter town.
Pick Estes Park for: The whole Rocky Mountain package.
Favorite location. Estes Park is the alternative for where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park that has it all. The town with charming Rocky Mountain hotels offers both superb access to the most popular parts of the national park and off-the-park entertainment.
Recommended Rocky Mountain hotels in Estes Park
The Inn on Fall River – Cozy Rocky Mountain accommodations by the river
At the Inn on Fall River, it’s easy to believe that you’re staying inside the actual national park. The setting on Fall River is very peaceful, and the Rocky Mountain lodging is a great place to relax after a day in the park. Especially with the sound of the splashing river present, it has never been easier to unwind.
Just the ambience makes the Inn on Fall River one of the best places to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park. However, its location near both the national park and Estes Park activities is also spot on.
Rams Horn Village Resort – A spacious Rocky Mountain National Park resort
Rams Horn Village Resort conveniently sits between Downtown Estes Park and the national park. The resort offers homey Rocky Mountain National Park lodging at its best.
Above all, it’s one of the best places to stay near Rocky Mountains National Park for families and couples who want something spacious. At the resort, you can spread out and to the fullest enjoy the beautiful environment. And if you’re lucky, you might even get to see elk and deer roam the property of the Rocky Mountain National Park resort — wow!
Grand Lake, CO – The best place to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park in the west
Grand Lake is Rocky Mountain National Park’s western gateway town. From Rocky Mountain accommodations in Grand Lake, you effortlessly get to the adventure in the adjacent Colorado park.
In particular, you easily access the popular, soaring Trail Ridge Road from Grand Lake. Exploring the sky-high road snaking through the park is one of the best things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park.
However, Rocky Mountain lodging in Grand Lake puts you away from the must-see spots on the park’s eastern side, including Emerald Lake, Alberta Falls and Bear Lake. From Grand Lake, it’s 52 miles (84 km) and two hours to Bear Lake.
Isolated and less frequented, Rocky Mountain’s western side is for good reason called the quieter side.
Fitting the bill, Grand Lake is much stiller than Estes Park. The western gateway town provides fewer Rocky Mountain National Park lodging options, restaurants and things to do off the park — here it’s all about nature.
The unique location and rare calm makes Grand Lake a top alternative for where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park. Hotels sell out here too; secure your Rocky Mountain National Park accommodations as early as possible.
To sum up, Grand Lake is a great option for where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park if you look for peacefulness. The western side of the park is an excellent choice if you want to avoid larger crowds and don’t mind being further away from the popular spots on the eastern side.
Pick Grand Lake for: Hotels near Rocky Mountain National Park in the quieter west.
Recommended Rocky Mountain hotels in Grand Lake
Spirit Lake Lodge – Stay in the heart of Grand Lake
In the heart of Grand Lake, the inviting Spirit Lake Lodge sits. Just steps from the town’s offerings and the scenic lake, the location couldn’t be any better. In addition, the Rocky Mountain lodge also has a rustic appearance that it’s hard not to like.
Loveland & Boulder, CO – Rocky Mountain lodging further away
Are Estes Park and Grand Lake sold out? Although located much further from the park action, Loveland and Boulder are two additional options for where to stay when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park.
From Loveland, it’s 30 miles (48 km) and 45 minutes by car to Estes Park. If you stay in Boulder, the drive is even slightly longer.
To that, add all the driving required inside the park.
Consequently, it’s much more comfortable and rewarding to stay at Rocky Mountain National Park hotels in the gateway towns, where you also find that true Rocky Mountain National Park ambience.
But the hotel rates tend to go down the further away from Rocky Mountain National Park you look. So Loveland and Boulder are options if you visit Rocky Mountain National Park on a budget.
All in all, Loveland and Boulder aren’t the best options for where to stay when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. Still, they are alternatives for where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park on a budget.
Pick Loveland/Boulder for: Rocky Mountain National Park on a budget.
Budget location. Especially during peak season, the rates at Rocky Mountain National Park hotels in the gateway towns tend to be rather steep. Roughly an hour from the park, Loveland and Boulder are appreciated options for where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park on a budget.
Should you pick Estes Park or Grand Lake?
As long as Rocky Mountain National Park has existed, people have asked if Estes Park or Grand Lake is the best park base. But if you should pick Estes Park or Grand Lake depends on what attributes you prefer.
Getting there
A huge majority of Rocky Mountain National Park visitors travel to the park from the Denver area. As the quickest route from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park goes through Estes Park, it’s the easiest gateway town to reach.
Grand Lake is at the western end of Rocky Mountain National Park a little bit more hidden. The drive to get there is longer for most visitors, but the solitude is also an attribute that many travelers enjoy.
Estes Park vs Grand Lake: Estes Park is more convenient, but Grand Lake is more off the beaten track.
Exploring the park
As Estes Park and Grand Lake are located at the border to Rocky Mountain National Park, the two offer great park access. From Rocky Mountain National Park hotels in both Estes Park and Grand Lake, you effortlessly reach the renowned Trail Ridge Road.
Still, most of the famous park spots are easier to reach from Estes Park. Emerald Lake, Alberta Falls and last but not least Bear Lake are all located on the eastern side of the tall Colorado park.
The difference in driving distance to Bear Lake is significant. From hotels near Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, it’s only 14 miles (23 km) to Bear Lake. In contrast, it’s 52 miles (84 km) to get across the park from Grand Lake to Bear Lake.
Estes Park vs Grand Lake: Estes Park is closer to a majority of the most visited park spots.
Town atmosphere
Estes Park is the bigger and busier gateway town. Most park visitors stay in Estes Park, and the town offers more Rocky Mountain National Park hotels, dining options, shops and things to do.
On the other hand, the western gateway town offers more peacefulness. Grand Lake gets fewer visitors and has a smaller selection of Rocky Mountain lodging, restaurants, stores and attractions off the park.
Estes Park vs Grand Lake: Estes Park means more liveliness and things to do in contrast to the quieter Grand Lake.
Final words about where to stay at Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain Park has two gateway towns: Estes Park and Grand Lake. Although both offer superb park access, they couldn’t be much more different.
Estes Park is the energetic one, offering an array of Rocky Mountain places to stay and things to do off the park. Some say it’s touristy, while others call it plain fun. As a bonus, this is the prime location for the popular Bear Lake area.
In contrast, Grand Lake is the quiet neighbor where nature comes first, second and third. It’s a great option for where to stay at Rocky Mountain National Park if you prefer something more off the beaten path.
Where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about where to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Estes Park, the eastern gateway town, is the most popular option for Rocky Mountain National Park lodging. This hub offers great park access and a lively vibe. West of the park, Grand Lake is a quieter gateway town for those who prefer solitude and don’t mind the longer drive to the Bear Lake area.
The adjacent gateway towns Estes Park and Grand Lake are the towns closest to Rocky Mountain National Park. Other options, such as Loveland and Boulder, are located much further away from the park.
Both Estes Park and Grand Lake are top options for where to stay when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park is livelier and gives you better access to the Bear Lake area, while Grand Lake is the more peaceful option that feels further away from it all.
There are no hotels or other accommodation options within Rocky Mountain National Park. However, the gateway towns Estes Park and Grand Lake provide great Rocky Mountain National Park lodging just a stone’s throw from the park border.
Although you find several cabins near Rocky Mountain National Park, there are no Rocky Mountain National Park cabins inside the park. But if you want to avoid the traffic in the gateway towns, Rams Horn Village Resort offers comfy and peaceful Rocky Mountain cabins right where the adventure begins.
Three days in Rocky Mountain National Park gives you time for the most scenic drives and popular hikes in the park. But add more time if you want to explore the trails in the park more extensively.
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