Day Hiking Trails: Kids’ activities abound at Rocky Mtn. NP

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Kids’ activities abound at Rocky Mtn. NP

Ranger-led program at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Courtesy Rocky Mountain NPS.

A trip to Rocky Mountain National Park can be an educational experience for kids – though they may be having too much fun to even notice that they’re learning!

The park delivers a variety of great activities that children can participate in from spring through autumn. Among the many offerings:
• Ranger-led events – Free programs for kids throughout the park focus on a range of interests, from wildlife and plants found in the Rocky Mountains to preserving local natural and cultural treasures. Check the current park newspaper for topics, times and locations.
• Junior Ranger Kids – Kids between the ages of 5-12 can become a Junior Ranger. They’ll first need to obtain a Junior Ranger booklet (available online and at any park visitor center) and complete its activities, and then they can receive a Junior Ranger badge.
• Junior Ranger Headquarters – From late June to mid-August, several ranger-led programs for kids are held at Hidden Valley off of Trail Ridge Road. Programs are offered four times a day, every day of the week, with each lasting about a half-hour.

Learn more about the park’s day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at Rocky Mountain National Park guidebook.

Meet the Author

My name is Rob Bignell. I'm a long-time hiker, journalist and editor. My son Kieran and I have been hiking together for the past decade. Before Kieran, I taught middle school students in New Mexico and Wisconsin, served as an infantryman in the Army National Guard, and worked in newspapers. I've won several journalism awards, from editorial writing to sports reporting. In 2001, The Prescott Journal, which I served as managing editor of, was named Wisconsin’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year. Currently I own and operate an online editing business, Inventing Reality Editing Service. After spending several years in Southern California, my son and I now live in Wisconsin on the scenic Red Cedar River.