Estes Park
Knoll Willows Trail Head
Knoll-Willows is a patch of open space right behind the shops in downtown Estes Park. Short walk, a hillside view, and the stone ruins of an old bungalow.
Open now · open 24 hours0.2 mi from downtown
Where to Go · Places
Trails & Hikes Outside the Park in Estes Park
Not every good walk around Estes Park needs a Park reservation. The trails on this page sit outside Rocky Mountain National Park or on its edge: granite domes on Lumpy Ridge, the three ways up Crosier Mountain near Glen Haven, Lily Mountain off Highway 7, and short loops you can start from downtown. Thirteen are listed.
Jan's take
Go shorter than you think. Seriously. The altitude doesn't care how fit you are at home, and a two-mile walk that ends at a lake beats a six-mile death march every time. Drink water before you're thirsty and turn around when your head starts to pound.
The short list
- 1A walk from downtownKnoll Willows Trail HeadOpen space right behind the shops downtown: a short walk, a hillside view and the stone ruins of an old bungalow.
- 2Flat and pavedLake Estes TrailLoops the lake in town on a flat, paved path, the easiest walk on the list.
- 3Short climb to a lakeLumpy Ridge TrailheadStarts the Gem Lake hike, short and steep, with a small lake at the top and views back over town.
Rules and closures differ by trail and season. Check each trail's page before you drive out.
Downtown
Around the valley
Estes Park
Horseshoe Park
About two miles from the Fall River entrance, inside Rocky Mountain National Park, Horseshoe Park is a wide U-shaped valley above 8,500 feet with forest around the edges. Elk graze here often enough that pulling over is half the visit, and moose turn up too.
Kid-friendlyReservations requiredWheelchair accessible
Hours not confirmed5.8 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Little Horseshoe Park
West of town, about a mile and a half from the Fall River entrance and two from Beaver Meadows, Little Horseshoe Park is an easy outing with kids. Not much else is on record.
Kid-friendly
Hours not confirmed4.6 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Bible Point - Edwin Bradt Grave
A short, steep climb to the grave of Edwin Bradt, an 18 year old who died in a car accident in 1918 and was buried on this hill at his father's request. At the top there's a mailbox with a Bible and a register, and wide views toward the Park.
4.3 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Crosier Mountain Garden Gate Trail
Garden Gate is the middle trailhead for Crosier Mountain, a small pullout on County Road 43 east of Drake. It's easy to find and tiny to park in, so get there early.
8.8 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Crosier Mountain Glen Haven Trailhead (#931-2)
Glen Haven is the long way up Crosier Mountain. You start behind the stables at the west end of the little town, cross open meadows, then turn onto a steep final half mile to the top.
6.5 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Crosier Mountain Rainbow Trailhead (#981)
Rainbow is the shorter, steeper, quieter way up Crosier Mountain, a gravel cut on the south side of the road well past Drake. The Forest Service says it's the least used of the three trailheads.
Open now · open 24 hours7.5 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Enger Family Nature Trail
The Enger Family Nature Trail is a short, gentle path on the YMCA of the Rockies grounds on the west side of town. It's a place to slow down and look at trees.
3.4 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Kruger Rock Trailhead
Kruger Rock is a summit with a big view of Meeker, the Divide and the Mummy Range. The trail is in Hermit Park, southeast of town, and it's one of the few real summits where your dog can come along.
3.5 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Lake Estes Trail
The Lake Estes Trail loops the lake right in town, flat and paved, with the Visitor Center on one side and the marina on the other. It's where I'd send anyone with a stroller, a bike, a leashed dog, or just a need to walk off lunch.
1.2 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Lily Mountain Trailhead
Lily Mountain is the short, steep climb off Highway 7 that people skip because it sits outside the Park. Their loss.
4.4 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Lion Gulch Trailhead (#949)
Lion Gulch is the way into Homestead Meadows, where eight old homesteads sit back in the trees about seven miles east of town. You get some real history at the end of it, but you pay with a steady climb along a creek first.
7.5 mi from downtown
Estes Park
Lumpy Ridge Trailhead
Lumpy Ridge is the wall of granite domes and spires just north of town, and this trailhead starts the Gem Lake hike. It's short and steep, with a small lake at the top and views back over Estes Park.
1.4 mi from downtown
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What to know
For an easy hour, the Lake Estes Trail loops the lake in town on a flat, paved path, and Knoll-Willows is open space right behind the shops downtown. Kruger Rock and Lion Gulch, the way into the old homesteads at Homestead Meadows, are longer days on county land south of town.
Inside-the-Park hikes like Bear Lake and Longs Peak live on the Rocky Mountain National Park page, along with the timed-entry rules. Out here, the rules change from trail to trail and season to season, so read each page before you load the car, and give the elk room on the way.
Are there hikes near Estes Park that don't need a Park reservation?
Yes. Most of the trails on this page sit outside Rocky Mountain National Park, including Crosier Mountain, Lily Mountain, Kruger Rock, Lion Gulch and the Lake Estes Trail. Each is managed by a different agency, so check the trail's own page for rules and closures before you go.
What's the easiest walk in Estes Park?
The Lake Estes Trail is flat and paved and loops the lake in town. Knoll-Willows, right behind the downtown shops, is short too, with a small climb to a view.
Where do Bear Lake and Longs Peak start?
Both are inside Rocky Mountain National Park and are listed on the Park page, which covers the timed-entry reservation the Park requires in the busy season.
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