These are the best cities and towns near Rocky Mountain National Park to stay in when you visit! I felt overwhelmed looking at all the places we could stay near Rocky Mountain National Park, so I created this guide to help you make the right decision.

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the United States because it offers beautiful snow-capped mountains, scenic drives, alpine lakes, waterfalls, and wildlife. You can spend your days hiking to some of the most beautiful views in Colorado or enjoying a scenic drive along one of the tallest roads in the United States. There is truly something for everyone, and you will quickly see why it is one of the best national parks!

I recommend spending at least 2-4 days in Rocky Mountain National Park to give yourself plenty of time to explore everything the park offers. You can find accommodations near Rocky Mountain National Park in a few nearby cities or towns that make perfect base camps for your adventures.

Each of these places is unique and in different areas of the park. I created this guide to help you pick the best cities and towns to stay in near Rocky Mountain National Park for your trip!

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Cities and Towns to Stay in Near Rocky Mountain National Park

Estes Park

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 5 miles (10 minutes) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and Fall River Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Beaver Meadows, Fall River

Things to Do Nearby: Trail Ridge Road, Old Fall River Road, Bear Lake Corridor, Mustang Mountain Coaster

Estes Park is the best town near Rocky Mountain National Park because it is right outside the two most popular entrances, Fall River and Beaver Meadows.

We stayed in Estes Park during our trip and loved our time in the town! It was the perfect place to stay since most of what we wanted to do was on the eastern side of the park. Estes Park gave us easy access to Trail Ridge Road, Old Fall River Road, and Bear Lake Corridor, which are the most popular areas in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Estes Park is a quaint town with everything you need for your stay, including accommodations, cute shops, great restaurants, and beautiful views. Estes Park also has hikes near downtown, a mountain coaster (it is so much fun!), and many other things to do outside the national park.

Accommodations tend to be on the pricier side since it is the best place to stay near the park, but you can find a place within your budget.

Also, because it is the most popular place to stay, accommodations book up quickly, and I recommend booking yours as soon as you can. We waited until the last minute and only had a few options to choose from. Learn from our mistakes!

Best Places to Stay in Estes Park:

Grand Lake

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 5 miles (10 minutes) to Grand Lake Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Western

Closest Entrance Stations: Grand Lake

Things to Do Nearby: Trail Ridge Road, Adam Falls, Cascade Falls, Lake Verna

Grand Lake is a small town on the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park and is the second-closest town to the park. It is incredibly scenic, sitting along the largest natural lake in Colorado, and it is right near the Grand Lake Entrance, which brings you to Trail Ridge Road.

Grand Lake is a great alternative to Estes Park because it has everything you need for your stay, including accommodations, restaurants, and shops. It is much quieter than Estes Park because it is on the western half of the park, but it is a great place to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park!

We only drove through Grand Lake, but if we revisit Rocky Mountain National Park, we will definitely spend more time in the area! It has so many beautiful trails and viewpoints inside the town that we wished we had time to explore.

Best Places to Stay in Grand Lake:

the rocky mountain national park entrances

Granby

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 17 miles (30 minutes) to Grand Lake Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Western

Closest Entrance Stations: Grand Lake

Things to Do Nearby: Trail Ridge Road, Grand Lake, Nine Mile Mountain, Monarch Lake Loop, Crater Lake

Granby is just south of Grand Lake and another great town near Rocky Mountain National Park to stay in. The town is small with only a few accommodations and restaurants, and it is further from the Grand Lake Entrance, but the drive is easy and beautiful.

If you plan to visit Breckenridge after you visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Granby is a great central point between the two for your road trip. We almost stayed here because we went to Breckenridge before visiting the national park, but we ended up staying in separate accommodations closer to our itinerary spots.

Best Places to Stay in Granby:

Lyons

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 25 miles (40 minutes) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and Fall River Entrance Station; 22 miles (30 minutes) to Wild Basin Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Wild Basin, Beaver Meadows, Fall River

Things to Do Nearby: Ouzel Falls, Ouzel Lake, Chasm Lake, Sandbeach Lake

Lyons is a town south of Rocky Mountain National Park on the eastern section and a great alternative to Estes Park.

Although it is about a 40-minute drive from the east park entrances, it has everything you need, including a few accommodations, restaurants, and shops. You can also visit the Wild Basin section of the park, which is incredibly beautiful and underrated.

It also has many beautiful trails outside the park and is not too far from Denver and the airport. It is a great central point between Rocky Mountain National Park and the city.

Best Places to Stay in Lyons:

2-day rocky mountain national park itinerary

Longmont

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 35 miles (1 hour) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and Fall River Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Beaver Meadows, Fall River

Things to Do Nearby: Eagle Wind Trail, McIntosh Lake, Boulder Reservoir Loop, Picture Rock Trail

Longmont is the closest city to Rocky Mountain National Park, about an hour from the east park entrances and Estes Park. It offers many accommodations, restaurants, and shops to enjoy during your stay, and it is half an hour from Boulder and an hour from Denver.

And if you love a good brewery, Longmont might be the place for you since it is home to some of the best! We have friends who rave about the breweries in Longmont, so I know you will not be disappointed.

Best Places to Stay in Longmont:

Allenspark

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 3 miles (10 minutes) to Wild Basin Entrance Station; 20 miles (30 minutes) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and Fall River Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Wild Basin, Beaver Meadows, Fall River

Things to Do Nearby: Longs Peak, Ouzel Falls, Ouzel Lake, Chasm Lake, Sandbeach Lake, Bear Lake Corridor, Trail Ridge Road

Allenspark is a small town near the Wild Basin section of Rocky Mountain National Park, which is an underrated part of the park and home to some of the most beautiful hikes in the area, including the iconic Longs Peak! It is also a quick half-hour drive to Estes Park and the popular park entrances.

Although it is small, Allenspark has a few accommodations and restaurants to enjoy if you stay there during your trip. Wild Basin is also a lesser-visited area in Rocky Mountain National Park, so the trails (except Longs Peak) usually have fewer crowds.

Allenspark is a great place to stay if you want to visit the entire eastern section of the park, since you are not too far from the more popular areas, such as Trail Ridge Road and Bear Lake Corridor.

Best Places to Stay in Allenspark:

easy hikes in rocky mountain national park

Loveland

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 36 miles (1 hour) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and Fall River Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Beaver Meadows, Fall River

Things to Do Nearby: Keyhole via Wild Loop Trail, Devil's Backbone Nature Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, Carter Lake Sundance Trail, Loveland Recreation Trail

Loveland is another one of the closest cities to Rocky Mountain National Park and makes the perfect base camp if you want to explore areas out of the park. It is a great central point to many beautiful places, including Estes Park, Denver, and Boulder, since it is about a 45-minute drive to all three.

Loveland offers plenty of accommodations for all budgets as well as restaurants, trails, and many other outdoor activities outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. Although Loveland is an hour away from the national park, the drive goes by quickly because it is incredibly scenic.

Best Places to Stay in Loveland:

best places to see wildlife in rocky mountain national park

Boulder

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 40 miles (1 hour) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, Fall River Entrance Station, and Wild Basin Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Beaver Meadows, Fall River, Wild Basin

Things to Do Nearby: Royal Arch Trail, Chautauqua and Bluebell Trail Loop, Green Mountain West Ridge Trail, Mallory Cave Trail, Red Rocks and Anemone Loop

Boulder is easily one of the most beautiful cities in Colorado because it sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains. And it is also one of the largest cities on this list!

Boulder has plenty of accommodations, restaurants, and fun outdoor activities, and it is the perfect base camp to explore Rocky Mountain National Park and other nearby areas, including Eldorado Canyon State Park.

The drive to Rocky Mountain National Park is about an hour, but it goes by quickly because it is incredibly scenic! And if you want to visit more than just the national park, it is the perfect place to stay because you have access to many incredible hiking trails.

We did not have time to stop in Boulder, but it is on our bucket list for when we return to Colorado! We have friends who live there and absolutely love the nearby outdoor activities.

Best Places to Stay in Boulder:

Denver

Distance from Rocky Mountain National Park 70 miles (1.5 hours) to Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, Fall River Entrance Station, and Wild Basin Entrance Station

Section of the Park: Eastern

Closest Entrance Stations: Beaver Meadows, Fall River, Wild Basin

Things to Do Nearby: Garden of the Gods, Rocky Mountain National Park, Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Cherry Creek State Park

Of course, if you would like to stay in the largest city near Rocky Mountain National Park, you can find an accommodation in Denver .

Denver is a great city with many fun things to do that are not just outdoor activities, and if you want one base camp to explore multiple areas, including Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods, and Boulder, Denver is a great central point. It also has endless restaurants, shops, and fun activities, so you will never be bored!

The drive to Rocky Mountain National Park is about 1.5 hours, which is a bit of a haul, so honestly, I would recommend staying closer to the park to cut down your driving. We always try to stay near where we are visiting to have less time in the car and more time exploring.

Best Places to Stay in Denver:

This guide is the perfect starting place if you are looking for the best cities and towns near Rocky Mountain National Park. I created it to help you find the best places to stay near Rocky Mountain National Park for your trip!