Free Shuttle Buses in Estes Park
The Town of Estes Park operates five free, seasonal shuttle routes allowing you to get around town either from your lodging, or by parking at one of the large (free) hubs in Estes.
Rocky Mountain National Park operates a Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Park & Ride Transit Hub located on Bear Lake Road. There are no other stops in the park. At the Park & Ride, riders will transfer to the Bear Lake or Moraine Park shuttles to get to their trailhead destinations.
Estes Park Transportation
Estes Transit's free summer shuttle service, featuring a variety of daily routes, runs from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. The 2024 schedule is available here. Un mapa en Español está aquí.
The Peak will offer free, special event service for a number of fall and winter events, including Scot Fest (Sept. 7-8), Autumn Gold and Rails in the Rockies (Sept. 21-22), the Tree Lighting Ceremony (Nov. 23), and the Catch the Glow Parade (Nov. 29).
Rocky Mountain National Park Seasonal Shuttles
The Rocky Mountain National Park shuttles operate from May 23 - October 19, 2025 and offer transportation within the park and to and from the Estes Park Visitor Center.
Don't forget that timed-entry permit and entry fees still apply. Park passes are available at the Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor Center and entrance stations. You can also buy 1-day, 7-day, and annual passes online here. See full shuttle information here.
Bear Lake Shuttle Route
Dates: May 23 - October 19, 7 days a week
Fee: Free
Schedule Information:
- 6:30am to 7:30pm
- Buses run every 10-15 minutes
- Plan Ahead: Last Bear Lake Shuttle departs from Bear Lake Stop at 7:30pm
Route/Stops:
- Park & Ride
- Bierstadt Lake Trailhead
- Glacier Gorge Trailhead
- Bear Lake
Moraine Park Shuttle Route
Dates: May 23 - October 19, 7 days a week
Fee: Free
Schedule Information:
- 7am to 7:30pm
- Buses run every 60 minutes
- Plan Ahead: Last Moraine Park Shuttle departs from Fern Lake Stop at 7:30pm
Route/Stops:
- Park & Ride Transit Hub
- Sprague Lake/Glacier Creek Stables
- Glacier Basin Campground
- Park & Ride Transit Hub
- Hollowell Park
- Tuxedo Park
- Moraine Park Campground (C Loop)
- Cub Lake Trailhead
- Fern Lake Bus Stop
Rocky Mountain National Park Hiker Shuttle
Hop on the Hiker Shuttle for convenient transportation between the Estes Park Visitor Center and Rocky Mountain National Park’s Park & Ride Transit Hub on Bear Lake Road. From the Park & Ride, connect to the Bear Lake or Moraine Park shuttles to explore top destinations like Moraine Park, Sprague Lake, Glacier Gorge, and Bear Lake.
Hiker Shuttle Service Availability
- Hiker Shuttle service begins May 23 - September 1, 2025, 7 days a week.
- Saturday & Sunday Only service begins September 6 - October 19, 2025.
Hiker Shuttle Route Schedule
- Hiker Shuttles Depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center at 8:30am, 9am, 10am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12pm, 1pm, and 1:30pm.
- Hiker Shuttles pick up returning passengers from RMNP's Park & Ride and return to Estes Park at 9:30am, 10am, 11am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1pm, 2:30pm, 3pm, 4pm, 4:30pm, and 6pm.
Make a Reservation for Your Hiker Shuttle Tickets
To ride the Hiker Shuttle, tickets are required. All passengers, regardless of age, must have their own ticket.
- Beginning on May 1, 2025, reservations for Hiker Shuttle Tickets will be available on a first, come, first-served basis through Recreation.gov
- You can visit Recreation.gov online, use the Recreation.gov Mobile App, or call 1-877-444-6777
- Hiker Shuttle Tickets are not available in person at Estes Park Visitor Center or any RMNP Visitor Centers
Hiker Shuttle Tickets are $2.00 per reservation. One person can purchase up to 4 tickets per each reservation. You can add up to 2 Hiker Shuttle Reservations to your cart in one transaction, for a total of 8 tickets per person.
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Have more than 8 people in your party? A second person with a separate Recreation.gov account will have to make an additional reservation to cover all the people in your party.
Passengers with Hiker Shuttle Tickets will board the Hiker Shuttle outside of the Estes Park Visitor Center. The Hiker Shuttle does not pick up or drop-off passengers at any other locations in Estes Park or Rocky Mountain National Park.
What Will I Need to Board the Hiker Shuttle?
All passengers riding the Hiker Shuttle will need two things: a reservation for Hiker Shuttle Tickets and a valid park entrance pass.
- Entrance passes should be purchased before arriving. If you do not already have a valid park pass, digital site passes can be purchased online via Recreation.gov
- Already have a valid lifetime or annual pass to your national parks (including RMNP Annual, America the Beautiful Annual, Senior, Military, Access, 4th Grade, or Volunteer)?
- Then you are covered! Be ready to show your pass when boarding the bus.
- If you don't have a valid pass and are traveling by yourself, purchase a 1-Day Individual Pass for $15.
- If there are 2 or more people in your group (and you traveled together in the same vehicle), purchase a 1-Day Vehicle Pass for $30.
Parking
The Town of Estes Park Visitor Center offers guests free parking, with the Riverwalk Parking Garage hosting 415 spots, restrooms and access to all six town shuttles, including the downtown trolley. Located at 500 Big Thompson Avenue, the visitor center also provides free Wi-Fi and visitor information.
The largest and free parking area in Estes Park is the Park & Ride stop located at the Estes Park Events Complex at Stanley Park at 1209 Manford Avenue, just east of Highway 7 and south of Highway 36. This parking lot is serviced by the Silver Route daily between July 1 and September 4. Public restrooms also are found at this location.
With shuttle routes passing nearly every lodging property in the Estes Valley, you likely can hop on very close to your hotel, avoiding driving and parking altogether.
