[Gallery] An Iowan’s Escape to the Rocky Mountains, Part 2

My first two days in Rocky Mountain National Park were filled with breathtaking views and exciting adventures. And I'm happy to report day 3 and 4 were as well. Check out the extensive Part 1 gallery here. We hiked to stunning spots like Gem Lake, Alberta Falls, and Dream Lake, covering about 30 miles of trails in total. Despite encountering snow at Dream Lake, we marveled at its beauty and enjoyed the challenge.

Staying in Loveland, we drove through the scenic Big Thompson Canyon Road each day, witnessing incredible wildlife including elk, moose, marmots, and more. Now, as we move into days three and four, we'll explore the awe-inspiring Trail Ridge Road, the Alluvial Fan, and the Tundra Community Trail, reaching elevations over 12,000 feet.

For a guy that's scared of heights, driving on Trail Ridge Road was a fear-beating experience. The road winds around the mountains reaching well above that 12,000 feet mark, and it's totally worth it. It's an easy and necessary event on any itinerary, when visiting the Rockies.

Bierstadt Lake is a must accomplish trail for anyone exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. That being said, if I had more time, I would have done the entire Boulder Creek Trail as well.

Food for thought for those of you planning a trip to the Rockies. Certain areas are extremely busy. We went when it was still early days, so we were able to experience many of the sites with much less people than normal. However, we did have to deal with heavy snow on some trails. Personally, I think it made the views look even better and I'm a fan of colder hiking too.

Thoughts for exploring families. Over the years I've found that the less I complain, the less my children complain when working towards summits and on difficult hikes. My 9-year-old twins and 14 year-old daughter are for sure troopers. The twin's first summit trip was Black Elk Peak in South Dakota. They did that at just 5 years old and have never looked back; adding huge hikes across the Smoky Mountains, the U.P., Palo Duro Canyon, the Badlands, and all across the state of Iowa.

Now, check out the final part of my adventure through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Plan your adventure in the Rockies to experience all this and more. Better yet, check out these adventures closer to home.