Planning a trip to Rocky Mountain NP on October 20th...

A few friends of mine and I are planning to stay in the Estes Park area near the Rocky Mountain NP and was wondering if any of you had some advice as to the best hikes for photos in that area. One concern I am having is the weather. I know there is a possibility for snow in the higher elevation (above 9,400' or so), but are we going to limited in where we can hike/explore due to snow that late in October? Thoughts?

I was there a couple of weeks ago at at 10,000 feet it was 37F at 7:00 a.m. You can expect it to be below freezing when you get up to shoot. The sun will also be further south so the main road through the park with southern views will be complicated with the sun in the background. It's best to shoot very early or very late in the day. You should be prepared for snow at any time.

For hikes, there are many good ones. Easy would be driving to Bear Lake (about 25 min from the Estes Park entrance in good weather) and hiking to Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes (about 2 miles in), or to Lake Haiyaha (about 2.3 miles in and a little tougher). About a mile before the Bear Lake parking area is the hike to Alberta Falls, which is pretty cool but may be low on water this time of year.

From the Wild Basin entrance is a trail to Bluebird lake that is quite long - 6 or 7 miles, but lots of things to see on the way in and you can turn around at any time.

Tony-S wrote in post #15010191
I was there a couple of weeks ago at at 10,000 feet it was 37F at 7:00 a.m. You can expect it to be below freezing when you get up to shoot. The sun will also be further south so the main road through the park with southern views will be complicated with the sun in the background. It's best to shoot very early or very late in the day. You should be prepared for snow at any time.

For hikes, there are many good ones. Easy would be driving to Bear Lake (about 25 min from the Estes Park entrance in good weather) and hiking to Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes (about 2 miles in), or to Lake Haiyaha (about 2.3 miles in and a little tougher). About a mile before the Bear Lake parking area is the hike to Alberta Falls, which is pretty cool but may be low on water this time of year.

From the Wild Basin entrance is a trail to Bluebird lake that is quite long - 6 or 7 miles, but lots of things to see on the way in and you can turn around at any time.

Thank you for all of the great info!

Tony-S wrote in post #15010191
I was there a couple of weeks ago at at 10,000 feet it was 37F at 7:00 a.m. You can expect it to be below freezing when you get up to shoot. The sun will also be further south so the main road through the park with southern views will be complicated with the sun in the background. It's best to shoot very early or very late in the day. You should be prepared for snow at any time.

For hikes, there are many good ones. Easy would be driving to Bear Lake (about 25 min from the Estes Park entrance in good weather) and hiking to Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes (about 2 miles in), or to Lake Haiyaha (about 2.3 miles in and a little tougher). About a mile before the Bear Lake parking area is the hike to Alberta Falls, which is pretty cool but may be low on water this time of year.

From the Wild Basin entrance is a trail to Bluebird lake that is quite long - 6 or 7 miles, but lots of things to see on the way in and you can turn around at any time.

I agree on the Bear-Dream-Nymph-Emerald Lake loop. Very beautiful and not too difficult. Around 3 miles or so r/t. I think Dream is more popular at sunrise. Nymph is a little better to photograph on the way back when the sun is a little higher in the sky.

Alberta Falls is nice. Upper and Lower Copeland Falls are a very easy and short hike to see.

Also drive up Old Fall River Road and Trail Ridge Road if they are open. Some pretty views there.

I always suggest the Photographing the Southwest series of books. There are great tips on what places to photography, how to get there, and what time of day to be there.

Lmilosh wrote in post #15002985
A few friends of mine and I are planning to stay in the Estes Park area near the Rocky Mountain NP and was wondering if any of you had some advice as to the best hikes for photos in that area. One concern I am having is the weather. I know there is a possibility for snow in the higher elevation (above 9,400' or so), but are we going to limited in where we can hike/explore due to snow that late in October? Thoughts?

Most years we don't get our heavy snows until into November or even December. There probably will be some patchy snow laying around by Oct 20, but not enough to be a problem.

In addition to the other hikes people have mentioned, Mills Lake is nice. Also, Chasm Lake always looks like it is worth the hike, I have to say I haven't been there, but the photos I see always look great. That lake will be frozen by the time you are up there.

Lmilosh wrote in post #15002985
A few friends of mine and I are planning to stay in the Estes Park area near the Rocky Mountain NP and was wondering if any of you had some advice as to the best hikes for photos in that area. One concern I am having is the weather. I know there is a possibility for snow in the higher elevation (above 9,400' or so), but are we going to limited in where we can hike/explore due to snow that late in October? Thoughts?

Snow is possible anywhere in that area at that time of the year. It wasn't long ago that we had a major blizzard in September in Denver. Come prepared for fall and winter weather. Check with the ranger at the gate to see what trails are still free from snow. Trail Ridge Road will probably be closed by then. If there has been snow, south facing slopes clear off the fastest, so that's a consideration when planning hikes. Cub Lake, maybe Fern Lake at the upper end of Moraine Park are good possibilities.

Denver area checking in here,have hiked most of the area on the east side of the park, and headed to RMNP with the wife and kiddo this afternoon. Snow could be a concern in October at any elevation, however the weather pattern has been so insanely dry, I would hedge and say this year the odds of wet/snowy weather is less likely.

For hikes, if you want to get away from the "typical tourist" hikes, below are a couple of suggestions.

Odessa Lake - Ideally, park a car at Fern Lake trailhead and then either take a 2nd car or shuttle to the Bear Lake trailhead to start the hike. Start on the trail to Flattop Mtn and about a mile in turn off to Odessa, and that's where you leave the tourists behind. The overlook before you drop down to Odessa is jaw dropping! Continuing to Fern Lake (where you pick the tourist back up) and then the Fern Lake trailhead makes a really nice 8.5 mile route.

Ouzel Lake - From the Wild Basin trailhead. It's nearly 10 miles round trip, but a beautiful hike with about 1500ft of vertical elevation gain topping out at about 10K feet.

patrick j wrote in post #15025422
In addition to the other hikes people have mentioned, Mills Lake is nice. Also, Chasm Lake always looks like it is worth the hike, I have to say I haven't been there, but the photos I see always look great. That lake will be frozen by the time you are up there.

Mills is also a nice hike, not as crowded as Dream/Nymph/Emerald hike (the quintessential RMNP tourist hike). IMO a better alternative is The Loch to Glass lake. Scrambling the rocks/falls to get up to Glass Lake is the payoff! I've done Chasm Lake and it's really something else, but parking is going to be a major issue as it starts from the Long's Peak trailhead, which in Oct won't be as crowded (which fills by 4am during late summer) but still busy, especially if it stays warm and dry.

Also check with the Ranger(s) at the visitor center before entering as they can be very helpful with suggestions and trail conditions.

If your group likes Coffee, skip Starbucks and hit up Long's Peak Coffee & Paper. It's right in Estes, but on the backside of the buildings along Main Street facing the river. You'll know what I mean when you are there.
If your group likes beer, check out the Estes Park Brewery or make the trip to Fort Collins to New Belgium Brewery.

Currently Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road are temporarily closed. Keep an eye on this web site from the park's service before planning your drive.

http://www.nps.gov …yourvisit/road_​status.htm

A big thank you to everyone who has responded. As always I have gotten some great information from all of you. Between this thread and some other sources (including "Photographing the Southwest") I have a pretty good list of sunrise photo destinations and hikes, but I don't have any ideas for sunset photos. Any suggestions for good sunsets?

The problem with sunsets is that the sun sets behind the Rockies. Therefore you don't get they typical low-sun illuminated foregrounds. You can still get very nice cloud colors and sunset shots, but you (well I) basically pick my spot and hope for the best. Usually try for a foreground that will look OK in shadow and bracket exposures. Sunsets aren't the easiest this side of the Continental divide.

Having said that, if you can get up trail ridge road, then you can look out over the east side of the Continental divide and I have had some great sunsets from either near the top of the road or partway down the other side.

I can't imagine it still being open in October, but like someone said, it's been dry so they might re-open it again before you get here.

One of our friends owns a house in Georgetown (a few miles to the west of Denver). She called this morning to let us know if snowed around a 1/2" last night...Denver did not get any. The snow was mostly gone by the afternoon.

We are headed there on Sunday. Needless to say, I rented a 4x4 for our trip.


BTW, the Colorado DOT has a warning that there will lane closures next week around Georgetown on I70 as they do some rock mitigation and other repairs in the area.

MCAsan wrote in post #15084665
One of our friends owns a house in Georgetown (a few miles to the west of Denver). She called this morning to let us know if snowed around a 1/2" last night...Denver did not get any. The snow was mostly gone by the afternoon.

We are headed there on Sunday. Needless to say, I rented a 4x4 for our trip.


BTW, the Colorado DOT has a warning that there will lane closures next week around Georgetown on I70 as they do some rock mitigation and other repairs in the area.

Sorry what?

Surely in Colorado you do not not call that "a snow"? I have gotten more out of manually defrosting a freezer.

I just hope the RMNP roads are all open next week.

MCAsan wrote in post #15085286
Surely in Colorado you do not not call that "a snow"? I have gotten more out of manually defrosting a freezer.

Yes I was thinking the same thing as Numenorean, but I am a bit closer to the hills at 6000ft. I don't think Denver proper got much.

Yea, it's not a 'real' snow, but it's the first of the season and this year 1/10" precipitation counted as rain, so we'll take what we can get.

ejenner wrote in post #15085334
Yea, it's not a 'real' snow, but it's the first of the season and this year 1/10" precipitation counted as rain, so we'll take what we can get.

Looks "real" to me -- as opposed to "fake" snow.