Winter in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park is beautiful! When the pace in Estes Park slows, when the snow flies, the adventures continue. More and more families are discovering that winter hiking can be great fun, especially when the snow is fluffy and deep enough to accommodate snowshoes. Bring your own gear or rent snowshoes and poles from Estes Park retailers, and then hit local trails. Anyone who hikes can master snowshoeing in a few minutes—grandparents and parents alike find it an enjoyable activity to share with children as young as four and five years old. Youngsters like it because they can see animal tracks in the snow. Because of the snowpack in Rocky Mountain National Park, snowshoeing is usually available from November 15 through May 15. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! And it is fun to float on the snow.
Beginners or those new to the area may wish to participate in guided snowshoe treks. Several outfitters in the area offer them, often inside Rocky Mountain National Park. Dozens of trails weave across the national park, where snowshoeing is at its best. Occasionally, we get enough snow at lower elevations in Estes Park to warrant snowshoeing—on those lucky days, snowshoers could try trails near Lily Mountain or break their own across the village’s open spaces. Most, however, head up to the higher elevations to snowshoe in Rocky Mountain National Park.
About Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is a great activity for so many reasons: it gets you outdoors, keeps you fit, and is inexpensive. You can snowshoe almost anywhere there is snow-cover and, as an activity, it is suitable for young, old and everyone in between. What’s So Great About Snowshoeing? The sport is easy to learn, virtually inexpensive (compared to other winter sports), poses little risk of injury and is a great way to exert energy during the cold winter months. According to research provided by Snowsports Industries America (SIA), 40.8 percent of snowshoers are women (a number that is increasing rapidly), 9.4 percent of snowshoers are children (ages 7-11), and 44.2 percent of snowshoers are ages 25-44. “Last season, 4,111,000 persons in the U.S. went snowshoeing at least once during the 2011/2012 winter. Participation increased 7.5 percent from the 2010/2011 season. In fact, snowshoeing was one of the only snow sports categories that enjoyed growth last season,” explained the SIA in its 2012 Participation Study. One of the more appealing facts about snowshoeing is how it can help enrich a person’s health. Known to help maintain or improve cardiovascular fitness, the sport helps burn more than 600 calories per hour. Snowshoers can burn more than 45 percent more calories than walking or running at the same speed, according to SIA. Snowshoeing is a great way to pursue losing weight; however, a healthy diet should be maintained to seek the appropriate effectiveness in a healthy lifestyle as well. Rocky Mountain National Park, with 355 miles of hiking trails, near Estes Park will be able to suit any fitness and experience level.
Where to Rent
Guided Tours
3 Hours |
6 Hours |
8 Hours |
| $65/guest, 2 guest minimum, or $99 for 1 guest |
$95/guest, 2 guest minimum, or $150 for 1 guest |
$115/guest, 2 guest minimum, or $185 for 1 guest |
| Snack Included | Lunch Included! | Lunch Included! |
* Experienced, friendly guide
* Snowshoes and poles
* Gators
* Hot Chocolate or Coffee and snack on 3 Hour Trip.
* Hot Chocolate or Coffee and lunch on 6 or 8 Hour Trip. Hearty sandwiches made right here at Kirks! Your choice of turkey, ham,
vegetarian or Laurie’s famous chicken salad!
* Backpack
Estes Park Mountain Shop Snowshoe Tours
Guided Snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park!
Come and join our staff for a guided snowshoe tour in beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. The National Park offers some of the most breathtaking scenery and beautiful snowshoeing in northern Colorado. Our guides will take you out into the backcountry and guide you through the winter wonderland of RMNP.
All of our rental snowshoes are new every year, so you are guaranteed to be on the latest and greatest equipment out there. Also, all equipment is provided at no extra charge.
A Quick Breakdown of the Trips we Offer
3 HOUR – $54/ person 2 person min. $85 for one.
Snowshoe to Emerald Lake (passing Dream Lake and Nymph Lake along the way), Lake Hiayaha, or Mills Lake. Amazing views of snow cover peaks, sheer cliff faces, and beautiful mountain lakes abound on these hikes. This trip gives you a chance to get a little further from the crowds and enjoy the quiet of snowy mountains.
6 HOUR – $79/person 2 person min. $149 for one.
Get off the beaten path with a 6 hour trip and head up to Flattop Mountain, the Boulderfield, or one of our park’s more remote lakes. This trip gives you more time to explore and play in the snow! The more distance you cover, the more amazing views you can see.
8 HOUR – $100/person 2 person min. $180 for one.
Go farther and longer if you have the endurance!
We provide snowshoes, hiking poles, and winter boots
at no additional charge (a $20.00 value)!
Lunch and Gratuity are not included.
Call 970-586-6548 to schedule your trip!
Snowshoeing and Cross-country (Nordic) Skiing
Please join us for private guided snowshoe and skiing trips in Rocky Mountain National Park. The snowshoe and ski trips are by private scheduling for you and your group. You may choose where and when you want to go. Besides being professional guides, we are also naturalists. So along the way we will teach you about the plants and animals of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Kaiyote Tours is authorized by the National Park Service, Department of Interior, to conduct services in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Snowshoeing – Private Trips
Cost: Snowshoe prices include snowshoes and poles. $45 per person (minimum 2 people), discounts for groups of 5 or more
Ages: Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
Group Limit: Our snowshoe trips are private tours with no limit for the number in your group.
Snowshoe fee does not include your admission fee into Rocky Mountain National Park, which is $20 per week per vehicle.
Snowshoeing Suggested Routes
Starting at Bear Lake:
Around Bear Lake .75 mile (very easy)
Nymph Lake 1.2 miles round trip (easy)
Dream Lake 2.2 miles round trip (moderate)
Starting at Glacier Gorge:
Alberta Falls 1.4 miles round trip (very easy)
Glacier Gorge 2.8 miles round trip (easy)
The Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge areas of Rocky Mountain National Park are some of the most spectacular and snowy places in the Park. Any choice of destination will be perfect.
Private Guided Snowshoeing Trips
A great snowshoeing or hiking adventure takes time. That is why you don’t see any 2 hour trips on our site. Try to give yourself a good part of the day – at least 4 hours – and we’ll do our best to give you a great experience.
Price: $160 for 1-2 people, $25 each additional person (lunch included)
Group Rates: $35 per person for 5 or more people (hot chocolate, but no lunch)
All trips include: snowshoes, poles, guide, hot chocolate
Does not include: park pass, guide gratuities always appreciated
Trails
Best Winter Hiking & Snowshoeing – Rocky Mtn National Park
Click here for all of the trails
Snowshoe Adventure & Nature Safari
Late November – May – Yellow Wood Guiding
Click here for details
Free Ranger Led Programs – National Park Service, Rocky Mtn National Park
Click here for schedule
Snowshoe Trails in and around Rocky Mountain National Park. https://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=11982
Click here for interactive map
Snowshoe Ecology Walk
Take a beginner-level 2-hour snowshoe tour with a ranger and explore the natural world of a subalpine forest. No previous experience needed. 12:30 pm, Satursay, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, Jan 3 – March 28. Reservations are necessary and may be made no more than seven days in advance. Call (970) 586-1223 from 8 AM – 4 PM daily. There is a limit of 6 people per reservation for this 2 hour program. For safety reasons, children under 8 years old are not allowed on this activity. Sleds, skis, hikers, and children in backpacks are not permitted. You must provide your own snowshoes. They can be rented in Estes Park sporting goods stores. Part of an organized group? Please call (970) 586-3777. See these Estes Park snowshoe retailers for equipment, guided tours and more.
Snowshoeing / Cross-Country Skiing Trails Map – http://www.oriconline.org/what_to_do/trails_and_trips/winter_trails_estes_park.htm
Click here for interactive trails map
Colorado Wilderness Guides – http://www.coloradowildernessridesandguides.com/snowshoeingtours/
Click here for Tours
Two Knobby Tires -A Journal of Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails. A private blog about Snowshoeing to Nymph, Dream, & Emerald Lakes – Estes Park, CO.
Snowshoeing Guides and Trips in Estes Park – popular Snowshoeing guides in Estes Park from the website Every Trails.
Videos
Vacation Rentals
And while you are here, rent one of our gorgeous, magnificent vacation rental homes. Many have a hot tub so that you can take a nice relaxing dip after a day of snowshoeing.
