Summer

These mountain towns, at the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, sit on great fishing lakes with beautiful, unspoiled views. Anglers will find rainbow, brook, mackinaw and cutthroat trout in abundance and large Kokanee salmon as well. From Granby, Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Willow Creek Reservoir are all close at hand.

Resting on the shores of the largest natural lake in Colorado, Grand Lake is an alpine village with board sidewalks, log-front stores and the modern amenities of dining and shopping. At 8,369′, this rustic town is enveloped by peaks, especially the impressive, bald Mt. Craig. Grand Lake has access to two reservoirs, two national forests, the national park and the Never Summer Wilderness Area which is accessible only by hiking trails. You can horseback ride, boat, hike, golf and river raft in this beautiful area. When the snow starts,Grand Lake and Granby become a winter playground, with groomed trails for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and close by slopes for downhill skiing. Ute, Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes used to hunt and fish in this Middle Park area and when you visit you’ll see why this was land worth fighting over.

FISHING

Grand Lake is filled with rainbow, brook, mackinaw, cutthroat trout, and large kokanee salmon. The nearby rivers and streams are also a very popular place for catch and release fly-fishing. Connected to Grand Lake is Shadow Mountain Lake, carrying a good supply of brown trout, rainbow trout, and salmon.

Grand Lake also offers a swim beach and a boat ramp. There are no restrictions on boats at Grand Lake, and it is known as the world’s highest yacht anchorage. The boat ramp is located at the southeast side of the lake and can be accessed by traveling south on Highway 278.

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of Colorado’s most well known parks. Established on January 26, 1915, the park attracts over 3 million visitors each year. Covering 265,828 acres, the park’s elevation reaches up to 14,259 feet at the football field size summit of Long’s Peak. Estes Park and Grand Lake are located on opposite sides of the park.

A unique aspect of Rocky Mountain National Park is its wilderness areas. In 1964, the Congress of the United States passed a law known as the Wilderness Act, intended to provide an “enduring resource of wilderness” for future generations. Rocky Mountain National Park has 2,917 acres that are designated as wilderness areas. However, an additional 248,464 acres were recommended as wilderness in 1974 and have been treated as such.

Trail Ridge Road is another unique aspect of RMNP. This road is the highest continuous paved road in the world, climbing past the tree line and traveling past Colorado tundra. The road travels 48 miles from Estes Park to Grand Lake, and is generally open from late May through mid-October. The road reaches up to 12,183 feet at its highest elevation. With 60 peaks over 12,000 feet in the park, following this road can bring you to eye level with some of the highest peaks in Colorado.

Rocky Mountain National Park offers many hiking trails. The 359 miles of trails always offers new ground to explore. Most of the trails are in the 248,464 acres of area recommended as Wilderness Area. Ranger activities include guided hiking in the summer, as well as snowshoeing and cross-country ski tours in the winter. Visit http://www.nps.gov/romo/visit/park/hike/suggested.html to see suggested hikes at various levels. Mountaineering, climbing, backcountry camping, and biking are also popular activities in the park.

Winter

The Grand Lake area is transformed during the winter into a snowmobiler’s paradise, commonly referred to as snowmobile capitol of Colorado. Many of the areas are more easily explored in the winter on a snowmobile. Grand Lake is one of the few towns that allows snowmobiles on town roads! The snowmobile trails in the Grand Lake area start at the western edge of Rocky Mountain National Park and winds through the Arapahoe National Forest. The trail ends at Milner Pass on Trail Ridge Road. The first snow can fall as early as September.

Whiskey Park is an excellent place for beginning snowmobilers. This open meadow is a great place to gain experience in controlling a snowmobile. Deep in backcountry, the Whiskey Park route connects with the Gravel Mountain route. This 11,768′ mountain route leaves little to be desired for a great snowmobiling experience.

Be sure to also visit two of Colorado’s 5 “great lakes,” Lake Granby and Shadow Mountain Lake. Lake Granby is 7,250 surface acres with rainbow trout, Mackinaw trout and salmon making for excellent ice fishing in the winter. Shadow Mountain Lake has 1,346 surface acres with brown trout, rainbow trout and salmon for ice fishing.