Apurva BhiwapurkarI have been dreaming of living in a tent since childhood. Using quilts and sheets to make tents and pretend to be in a forest was my way of living the camping dream in my bedroom as a kid. Many years later, the kid in me was still waiting for its camping adventure, and the summer of 2020 was the answer! Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is one of the prominent attractions of Colorado. The Aspen leaves dancing their way from green to golden yellow is what makes this park one of the most celebrated national parks in the USA. 355 miles of gorgeous trail with breathtaking views and sunrises and sunsets in the picturesque lakes is a cherry on the cake!
Here’s presenting my first overnight camping experience at RMNP. Read on to find 7 lesser-known personal tips for an amazing first-time overnight camping:
Summertime is a busy season at RMNP and getting a reservation is a pre-planned activity. Camping is only allowed by reservation at various campgrounds spread over the park. We booked our overnight camping ground at Glacier Basin Campground and got lucky. You need a vehicle permit to enter RMNP and as slots open 48 hours before the booking time and sell in seconds. Be ready on your toes with your best running shoes while booking a vehicle pass!
Tip #1: Book in advance (like weeks and months in advance)
We got lucky to get a slot of 2-4 pm to enter the park. You will not need a vehicle permit if you have a camping booking. I had been drooling over the pictures on the internet of our campground and have been waiting eagerly for the weekend. Note for newbies at camping – REI (Recreational Equipment, INC) is a must-visit store. You will thank me later!
Tip #2: Always prefer 4-wheel drive (preferably SUVs )
Finally, the week is over, and we are all set in our SUV with all the camping gear and excitement. It takes about an hour and a half to reach RMNP from Denver city. We grabbed some breakfast at Boulder from Verde and hit the road again while hogging some amazing burritos. I jumped with joy as I spotted a strange-looking animal on a farm near Lyons. It looked like a shrunken version of a giraffe in a sheep’s body. It was another first for me as I spotted Llamas on our way near the town of Lyons. The picture “Adventure Alpaca my bags” hanging on my bedroom wall made all sense now! What a start! Look out for Llamas/ Alpacas as you approach Lyons on while taking the route at US 36.
Tip #3: Download google maps in offline mode( for times when there is no range in mountains)
A little detour never hurts when the city is Estes Park. We had downloaded google maps but the old-school in me wanted to get a king-size map of RMNP. The visitor’s center was closed but as they say, all is well that ends well, we looked around and stumbled upon Macdonald bookstore. It is a rustic vintage store with all kinds of books and maps. More on Estes Park later 😉 We were lucky enough to be greeted by a herd of mountain goats as we entered through the gates of RMNP. What an amazing start to the trip! We reached Glacier Basin Campground and to be honest, it turned out much better than I expected it to be. Each camping spot has a fire-pit, picnic table and bear box. We unpacked our tents and finally, my moment of making a tent and living inside it came true. YaY!
I took a hyper lapse of setting up our tent and it turned out awesome. We found a perfect spot for hammock amongst the canopy of pine trees adjacent to our tent. After settling in and a quick lunch session, we went for a hike to the mountains.
Tip #4: Use free shuttle service and save time and energy to find a parking spot
The parking spot to Bear Lake trailhead is usually full if you are not early. We took advantage of the free shuttle which was close to our campground. Off we went hiking and explore the aspen and pines of RMNP. There are numerous hikes and trails in the park, and we were counting our nearby options. I voted to explore the closer one with many water bodies (Just Pisces things!)The trail starts with Bear lake and we headed to Nymph lake followed by Dream lake and finally reached Emerald lake.
The hike is of moderate difficulty roughly 1.8 miles (one way). My energy was pumped up every time we crossed a lake on the way by its beautiful shades of turquoise. The friendly hikers along add to the fun element of the hike and do not make one tired.
I love to interact and exchange greetings along the trail with folks passing by. On our way back, we spotted a bunch on female Elks hogging on grass (suppertime in the wild) and a male Elk with his beautiful horns gracing us. The little Elks were jumpy, and the most exciting moment was when I could feel their thumps on the ground and got to see them from 10 feet afar (I am NOT exaggerating) Wow! Best Elk sighting experience ever! If you are into bird watching like me, you will be amazed by the variety RMNP has to offer in the winged beauties department. We spotted Mountain chickadee, Gray Jay, and Clark’s nutcracker to name a few. Steller’s Jay was our amigo along the hike to Dream Lake with his beautiful blue color and jovial nature.
Tip #5: Look out for movement alongside the trail at dusk for Elk sighting
After the super-awesome hike, we were craving for some hot and nice dinner. I was excited about my first campsite dinner making experience. We had packed instant Maggi noodles and some vegetables to stir fry. When camping, a stove is a must and the thrill to cook your meal as the dusk settles in is like meditation to a foodie like me.
The best thing I liked about our campsite was no electricity and no light. No ‘gram stories and filters; just good food and mood. We munched on chips and salsa while cooking and chopping. We finished our dinner with noodles and stir-fry vegetables and laughter. The cute little addition to our dinner at the picnic table was a lantern.
We cheered by clinking our wine glasses to the amazing hike that we had and more to come. Using a fire-pit was forbidden due to fire-ban in the state as wildfires were alive. Grilling in a campfire is on my mind already for the next camping trip. One thing to keep in mind while cleaning up after dinner is to make sure food items are either locked in the bear-box or your vehicle.
Tip #6: No lip balm/ flavored water/mint/chewing gum/cosmetics in your tent at night to not attract bears at night!
We snuggled in our tents and I was finally living my dream of sleeping cuddled at night in a tent. It was also my first-time using s sleeping bag and it was not a bad experience. For all you stargazers like me, camping in the mountains is a jackpot. The twinkling stars and planets throwing an illuminating display of lights are magical. There is something about watching the beautiful night sky full of glitter from the tent’s window in a soft throw blanket. Good Night and sleep tight!
The sun shined through the mountains and we woke up to the chirping of birds. What a natural and sweet alarm clock! We freshened up and had a scrumptious breakfast of parfait with fresh fruits. I am a chai person but made instant Nescafe as mountain mornings go well with a cuppa joe! Our target for the day was Alberta Falls.
I am proud to say that I witnessed the first leaf peeping of Aspens on the trail of Alberta Falls. It is an easy hike with Glacier Creek water running alongside you all the time. Trails running along the water are my favorite kind of hikes. The cute wooden bridges, streams and skipping stones complement the pine trees gorgeously. Being a Piscean, waterfalls make me zippy and I could hardly control the urge to jump into the water. As we reached the falls, I got rid of my shoes and dipped my feet in the fresh running chilly water. We had our share of clicking pictures and admiring the view. Raise your hands if you feel way back is always faster than going to a destination. Our downhill was all about – walk, water-break, admire the view, repeat!
A cool breeze sailed and made the Aspen leaves dance as if playing hide and seek with the sun. Here is where I saw some trees changing their colors in late August. Can you imagine! I collected the green, greenish-yellow and yellow aspen leaves and cushioned them in my pocket. It was time to pack stuff and head back to the concrete jungle. As we passed Moraine campground in our car, we spotted a beautiful herd of Elks as if they were waving us goodbye. The winding roads and mountains dressed in pines are etched in my memory forever.
We decided to make a stop at Estes Park for lunch and a stroll. This is a quintessential mountain town with adorable shops and smiling faces. The charm of a small town lies in looking around and finding what you want to do and where you want to go instead of asking Google for “food near me”. My eyes fell upon Café Di Pho Thai and I suddenly got a craving for some hot and soupy Vietnamese Pho.
Tip#7: Drop by Café Di Pho Thai for hot and savory pho in Estes Park (trust me on this one!)
After a filling lunch, it was time to explore the ‘everything in one street’ town. We entered shops that our hearts led us to. Shopped for souvenirs, maps, and little things. Judge me all you want but I do judge a book by its cover. Hence, Rocky Mountain Knife and Miller’s Indian Village caught my attention for its atypical name(Guilty as charged! I do judge a book by its cover) All kinds of uncommon and indigenous stuff grabbed our eyes and we ended up splurging. From a glass arrowhead to postcards, we loved it all. The umpteen home-made Ice cream and Taffy candy shops add to the color and vibe of this place. I got Colorado Mud from Danish Cold Factory and a box of all colors and flavors of taffy from The Taffy Shop. It was like a rainbow of sugarplum in the box. My sweet tooth fell head over heels in love with Estes Park right away.
Off we went from one jungle to another+. I have these moments where I ponder in a car as the wind passes through my hair and some travel songs playing as a background. This was one of those times. I was living the moment. Felt so happy and grateful for the eyes, ears and mouth we have been bestowed to experience, hear, and taste this beauty that Earth is!
My takeaway from the Rocky Mountain National Park – Respect and be grateful to Mother Nature and you will be surprised at the treasure she has to offer! As someone has rightly said –
Mountains are the soul’s fuel.
#HappyPuppy
