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Explore Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter |
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Monday, January 16, 2012 16:30 |
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By KYLE PATTERSON, SPECIAL TO THE ESTES PARK TRAIL GAZETTE
For many visitors, winter is their favorite season to enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park.
The park is less visited but still very much open and alive with activity. Beautiful backcountry areas can be reached on snowshoes, skis and, at lower elevations, even with hiking boots. Elk, coyotes, deer, snowshoe hares and other wildlife remain active through the winter.
Their story is told by the tracks left in the snow. For those visitors who are prepared, winter is an enchanting time to explore the park.
Snowshoeing and skiing are fun ways to experience the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park. The park offers ranger-led snowshoe ecology walks for beginner-level snowshoers on the east side, and for beginner and intermediate-level snowshoers and cross-country skiers on the west side. Reservations are required and there is no additional fee beyond park admission.
Snowshoeing is easy to learn and opens up a new way to see the beauty of nature during its quietest season. For beginners, the snowshoe program is a two-hour exploration of the natural world of the subalpine forest. No previous snowshoe experience is required. On the east side, this walk is held Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at 12:30 p.m. through March 24. The beginner snowshoe tour on the west side is held Saturdays at 9 a.m. and at 1 p.m. through March 17.
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