Rocky Mountain National Park offers guided snowshoe walks

Rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park will spend the winter offering guided snowshoe walks in the park near Estes Park and Grand Lake. 

The walks are two hours and participants will walk through hilly, uneven, snow-covered meadows and mixed conifer forest areas within the park. 

Participants do not need any previous experience but rangers warn that the walks are considered to be moderately strenuous and suggest that participants have a baseline fitness level that allows them to snowshoe appropriately one mile over hilly terrain at high elevations. 

The walks are free, however, park entrance fees are still required. There is a maximum of 20 participants per walk. Reservations are required. 

Walks on the west side of the park — near Grand Lake — will begin on Jan. 6 and will take place on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. Participants can register as early as the Wednesday before. This program will last through March 17.

The program on the east side of the park — near Estes Park — begins on Jan. 9 and takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. Participants can register for this program up to seven days in advance. The program ends on March 28. To make a reservation call 970-586-1223.

Snowshoes are not provided. Participants can rent snowshoes in neighboring communities.