Over the weekend a close friend and long-time Boulder runner confessed that he’d never visited Rocky Mountain National Park. The iconic park just outside of Estes Park turns 100 this year! And it’s full of great opportunities for adventure running.
First, and it must be said, the park gets crowded. Weekend runners should plan to start early, or head up on a weekday. When there though, consider these runs.
Easy
The lakes! Start at the popular Bear Lake trailhead and head to Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes. Stretch it further to Lake Haiyaha, Mills Lake, Glass Lake, and/or Sky Pond. Options are limitless here and can range from a casual 3-4 miles to an all-day adventure. Glass Lake and Sky Pond beta, when starting from the Glacier Gorge trailhead.
Difficult
Simply, Longs Peak is a must-do for any active adult on the Front Range. The keyhole route offers a more technical climb than most 14ers, but not so much that climbing gear is required. People do, however, die on it every year, something explored in depth by the Fort Collins Coloradoan last year. Consider a helmet if climbing on a busy weekend, and study up before attempting a climb of this 14,255’ peak.
Most Difficult
The Mummy Traverse, or Mummy Mania, is only for experienced runners and capable route finders. The Mummy Range hits the park’s northeastern quadrant and this run hits some little-visited peaks. The adventure quotient and wow factor is high on this one, as best told in Nick Clark’s 2009 trip report.