All of the campsites at the park were full so we had reserved a site at a county campground. We had to go down a dirt road about two miles but the scenery was great. It was a primitive campground with no running water so Adrienne was quite the trooper. But it was our final camping stop of the trip so we sucked it up and enjoyed the solitude. It also helped that I found a sink elsewhere in the park by a day use area!
We awoke early the next day to drive into Rocky Mountain. We had read about the large crowds so we wanted to be able to find parking at the trailhead we chose the day before. It was already full though so we had to park in another lot and take a shuttle bus to the trail. Turns out it was worth it. The crowds that I was worried about never materialized even though it was a popular hike.
We made our way uphill for about half a mile before we came across the first of three lakes. Sully got an energy boost by throwing rocks into it and then we moved on. The kids loved timing their breaks with large rocks to climb on alongside the trail. The second lake was the prettiest with a greenish-blue hue to the water. We spent a bit of time relaxing there before pushing on to the last.
Before getting to the final lake we hard to power through a steep part of the trail, but that also meant the stream connecting them turned into a fun waterfall coursing along a giant slab of rock that we could scramble up. Sully and Emma found a steep part that acted as a slide while Riley decided to sit and take a break at the bottom. The last stretch of trip was flatter so we made to the final lake while breathing easier.
It was the most scenic lake I've ever been to. The peaks of a few mountains rose straight up from the water and we were right at the treeline so it was all gray stone with a little bit of snow at the top. If we had been able to set up camp there I don't think I would ever leave. But the kids were getting hungry so we had to turn back. The downhill trip was much easier, but I don't think Sully's legs could've made any farther. They all did great on this challenging hike of over three and a half miles.
We sneaked into a campground to use their bathrooms with running water before finding an idyllic spot for a picnic lunch. We ate under a big ponderosa pine in a meadow with the mountains providing a backdrop. After we were all full it was time for the drive to the top of the park.
The Alpine Ridge Road is similar to the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier by way of steep inclines and a general disregard for guard rails. I wasn't looking forward to it as we climbed in elevation. At certain points, the white line looked to be painted on top of thin air but we slowly made our way up. At least we had perfect weather in this park for the drive. After a couple of stops at scenic viewpoints, we made it to the visitor center located along a peak in alpine tundra. It was a beautiful spot and had a trail that led to the highest point in the park with having to backpack. Somehow, the kids ran ahead of us and made it to the top where the elevation is 12,005 feet. That's two and a half miles higher than our low point in Death Valley.
Our trip back down led us to two large herds of elk grazing on another expanse of tundra and not far from there we spied four stunning male elk with giant antlers. Before exiting the park we rewarded each kid with a stuffed animal from the final visitor center. They had been asking at every stop for the past five weeks so they were very happy. On the road to our campground we came across two young bull elk that ignored us as they grazed yards from the car.
We woke up early on our final camping day and packed away all of our equipment. While leaving the campground we had two adult elk right on the edge of the road which was a great way to leave. We couldn't stay long though because we had to find a quick breakfast before finding a place to go horseback riding.
We had been trying to take the kids horseback riding for what seemed like the entire trip. The rain up north made it impossible and the heat in Utah put a squash on it. But Rocky Mountain was the perfect mix of sunny, moderate weather and amazing views. Each of us were paired up with a horse and led on a private trail ride once we found a corral with availabilities.
Sully had a little trouble getting his horse to follow so our guide tethered him which made it easier. We had a peaceful ride through an open forest and I got to enjoy watching Adrienne's ornery horse give her problems! The girls were great and looked like pros on their horses. Once the ride ended we said our goodbyes to Colorado and started making our way back east.
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