Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is one of the most visited national parks in the system. On a nice summer weekend, it will seem like most of Denver is up in the national park. The national park preserves a small sliver of the Rockies - don't feel like you have to visit this park to see the Rocky Mountains and fight the crowds.

Rocky Mountain National Park is conveniently located near Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins, making a day trip possible from any of these Front Range cities. There are five car campgrounds to spend the night in the park, and lots of hotels in Estes Park, the main gateway town.

The highlight of the park for many is driving Trail Ridge Road, which reaches a high point of 12,183 feet, well above the tree line. The road was designed as a scenic drive, with lots of overlooks and short hiking trails. Be sure to drive slowly and take in the vistas - don't just rush from Estes Park to Grand Lake.