Whether you're strolling around Lake Estes or camping on the side of a cliff, Estes Park is primed for and welcomes every level of adventure. When it comes to thrilling outdoor experiences, we have the classic and the unexpected. Follow along as Eric Hanson explores all the outdoor adventure Estes Park has to offer.
Estes Park Via Ferrata
To climb a via ferrata is to climb iron rungs bolted into the rock face while being tied into steel cables also bolted into the rockface. It’s a different and exhilarating way to rock climb, fun if you’re a climber and fun if you’ve never climbed. Kent Mountain Adventure Center (KMAC) takes out private groups to climb their two via ferrata routes. They provide all of the gear and guides. Views from the route look across the Estes Valley and into Rocky Mountain National Park here, too. It’s stunning. Check out Eric Hansen's experience on the Via Ferrata:
Colorado Cliff Camping
Would you willingly sleep on the side of a mountain? Even if you answered "No" to that question, chances are, you have questions. Kent Mountain Adventure center offers a cliff camping experience, which allows non climbers and climbers with a smaller skillset to experience sleeping on a porta-ledge. Here are the answers to all of your burning questions. Check out Eric Hansen's cliff camping experience:
Mountain Biking
For mountain biking trails in Estes Park, Roosevelt National Forest offers the most abundant opportunities, as Rocky Mountain National Park doesn't allow mountain biking on their trails. Dozens of trails cover hundreds of miles in this preserved area. Pedal through pine-filled forests, across open grasslands and into terrain studded with rocks and hills. Check out Eric Hansen's mountain bike excursion in Hermit Park:
Rock Climbing
Colorado’s Estes Valley has been a hub of rock climbing and mountaineering activity since the 19th century, so it’s no surprise that the area is chock-full of some of America’s most classic routes. Whether you’re looking for big alpine lines, bolted sport climbs, or high-country bouldering, there’s no shortage of high-quality rock in and around Estes Park. Check out Eric Hansen's experience conquering the "Edge of Time" route:
Trailrunning
Coming into its own as a well-known destination for trail running, Rocky Mountain National Park possesses the qualities trail runners seek: soft, varied terrain; solace; natural beauty; and different habitats. These runners want to engage and experience their surroundings. They want variety. And they want the benefits of working their whole foot and leg. Here's a Runners Guide to Estes Park. But first, check out Eric Hansen's experience trail running:
Horseback Riding in Estes Park
Horseback riding outfitters throughout the valley offer numerous guided rides-from 1-hour to 8-hour to overnight. Some offer breakfast or steak dinner rides. Others offer pack trips that take fishermen to remote lakes and streams. Bringing your own horses? There are plenty of trails to check out, including those at Hermit Park Open Space. Check out Eric Hansen's experience horseback riding in Hermit Park:
