Rocky Mountain National Park: Landscapes or Wildlife?

Its almost been decided that our family trip will be to Rocky Mountain National Park. We will be staying in Granby starting Memorial Day weekend and into the first week of June. Any recommendations for what I should focus on for the trip: landscapes or wildlife? I've seen loads of gorgeous landscapes on the forum, and I've also seen lots of elk shots, but I don't know what time of year they were taken. There is lots of elk talk around September for the rut. Is there any wildlife wandering around this early in the year?

Why not both?

I don't know about the season, but if it was me I'd be looking for the scenic/lanscapes but packing a wildlife lens as well. Especially once you get up into the higher elevetions, there can be interesting critters that can pop up, mountain goats and such.

digital paradise wrote in post #13717053
Why not both?

Money becomes an issue if I want to buy/rent something longer than what I have vs. get some more filters. I don't want to focus on wildlife if there isn't much to be seen either: that would be a letdown.

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #13717064
Money becomes an issue if I want to buy/rent something longer than what I have vs. get some more filters. I don't want to focus on wildlife if there isn't much to be seen either: that would be a letdown.

Well, do you have a lens that could work for at least some wildlife, a 70-200 or such?

tonylong wrote in post #13717121
Well, do you have a lens that could work for at least some wildlife, a 70-200 or such?

I do have a 70-200. I guess it depends on how friendly the critters are.

I see you have the 70-200 f/4, I'd just have that along, just in case! True, it's not your typical "wildlife lens" but at least you could get a shot, and if you find yourself close to a critter you could get a great shot!

tonylong wrote in post #13717130
I see you have the 70-200 f/4, I'd just have that along, just in case! True, it's not your typical "wildlife lens" but at least you could get a shot, and if you find yourself close to a critter you could get a great shot!

That's very true, but you're not helping me come up with an excuse to buy something.

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #13717136
That's very true, but you're not helping me come up with an excuse to buy something.

Ahh, the famous "hidden agenda"!

If it were me, I'd pack my 100-400 and my 1.4x TC, it's a fairly compact lens, and with the TC you get a 560mm focal length.

If I planned a full-bore wildlife "expedition" where I knew there would be critters, and where I planned to actually spend money to get those critters, I'd maybe look at renting a 500mm f/4 and use it with the TC, and maybe even with my 2x TC...my wildlife camera can AF at f/8, so the TCs "work".

'Course, there's also the 60mm f/4 or the 800mm f/5.6!

It's funny when you love shooting wildlife how far you can consider going to nail those critter shots!!

tonylong wrote in post #13717209
Ahh, the famous "hidden agenda"!

If it were me, I'd pack my 100-400 and my 1.4x TC, it's a fairly compact lens, and with the TC you get a 560mm focal length.

If I planned a full-bore wildlife "expedition" where I knew there would be critters, and where I planned to actually spend money to get those critters, I'd maybe look at renting a 500mm f/4 and use it with the TC, and maybe even with my 2x TC...my wildlife camera can AF at f/8, so the TCs "work".

'Course, there's also the 60mm f/4 or the 800mm f/5.6!

It's funny when you love shooting wildlife how far you can consider going to nail those critter shots!!

That's similar to what I'm thinking. I don't have the required extra stuff for a big prime yet (sturdy enough tripod, etc).

Wildlife: rent a 100-400 and have fun.

Landscapes: buy a 15-85 and a couple more filters.

The 100-400 is nice -- it's what I think of as a "wildlife walkaround lens" -- not real heavy (compared to the big primes) and when the zoom is "pulled in" it's pretty compact.
so you can shoot hand-held quite effectively and then move about without toting heavy-duty gear.

And then, when I put on the 1.4x TC and especially when the light gets lower, I use a monopod, which is easier to get around with than a tripod, and gives me good results.

Well, it sounds like you are coming up with a plan!

tonylong wrote in post #13717334
The 100-400 is nice -- it's what I think of as a "wildlife walkaround lens" -- not real heavy (compared to the big primes) so you can shoot hand-held quite effectively.

And then, when I put on the 1.4x TC and especially when the light gets lower, I use a monopod, which is easier to get around with than a tripod, and gives me good results.

Well, it sounds like you are coming up with a plan!

I am. I just like bouncing ideas off of people.

Back in the 80's I practically lived in the Park on weekends. You can spend days and rarely see much wildlife, or you can be falling over elk and bighorn sheep all over the place. I've watched coyotes hunting, I've been just 3 feet from a porcupine which was quite unimpressed by me. You can find a use for anything from ultrawide to 400mm telephoto.

That time of the year, access depends a lot on the snowpack. Trail Ridge Road is usually open by then unless there is a late snowstorm while they are trying to clear the road. I can't remember the last time that they didn't get it open by Memorial Day.

There are some great hiking trails in the Park. If the trail is passable, you have to take the hike up Glacier Gorge (trailhead is on the road to Bear Lake, about a mile before the parking lot) to The Loch, and then backtrack about a mile to the Mills Lake trail and head up to Mills, Jewel, and Black Lakes. At Black Lake you are at the foot of the west side of Long's Peak, 14,000+ feet, only you are several thousand feet below the summit. This is one of the most scenic areas of the park.

Preeb wrote in post #13717378
Back in the 80's I practically lived in the Park on weekends. You can spend days and rarely see much wildlife, or you can be falling over elk and bighorn sheep all over the place. I've watched coyotes hunting, I've been just 3 feet from a porcupine which was quite unimpressed by me. You can find a use for anything from ultrawide to 400mm telephoto.

That time of the year, access depends a lot on the snowpack. Trail Ridge Road is usually open by then unless there is a late snowstorm while they are trying to clear the road. I can't remember the last time that they didn't get it open by Memorial Day.

There are some great hiking trails in the Park. If the trail is passable, you have to take the hike up Glacier Gorge (trailhead is on the road to Bear Lake, about a mile before the parking lot) to The Loch, and then backtrack about a mile to the Mills Lake trail and head up to Mills, Jewel, and Black Lakes. At Black Lake you are at the foot of the west side of Long's Peak, 14,000+ feet, only you are several thousand feet below the summit. This is one of the most scenic areas of the park.

Thank you so much! The last trail you mention, going to Glacier Gorge, how strenuous would you say this would be? I have two 50+ parents tagging along with me.

Keep in mind that you may not get up to higher elevations at that time of the year.

If there is still enough snow to keep the road closed, you'll be limited to the west side of the park. So, perhaps you could limit your research to that part of the park, if you expect to be "snowed in" for the duration of your stay.

Or, if you thin you'd rather be "stuck" on the east side of the park, perhaps it's not too late to change your reservations? Two of the times I've been in RMNP I was limited to one side of the park due to snow, and it definitely changes the entire dynamic of the RMNP experience. It's best to be prepared for this eventuality.