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Rocky Mountain NP

Saturday, July 18, 2026 - Saturday, July 25, 2026 -- $1900 ★★★★


Discover the raw beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park like few ever do—on foot, deep in the backcountry. This weeklong guided backpacking adventure takes you far beyond the crowded viewpoints and into the heart of the Rockies, where alpine lakes, wildflower meadows, and panoramic ridgelines await. Over 40 miles of rugged trails will challenge and inspire you as you traverse elevations starting at 8,080 feet and climbing higher throughout the week. This route offers a rare opportunity to explore the park’s most scenic and remote areas—places that most tourists never see.


This immersive wilderness experience takes you through dense forests, along tranquil lakes, and over breathtaking passes. Nights are spent under the stars at peaceful, secluded backcountry campsites. Along the way, you may encounter elk, moose, bighorn sheep, black bears, marmots, coyotes, and other native wildlife. The route winds through diverse ecosystems rich with Colorado blue spruce, Quaking Aspen, and wildflower-covered meadows, especially vibrant in July.


The trek begins at the Cub Lake Trailhead, one of the lowest elevation points of the trip at 8,080 feet—so arriving well-hydrated is essential to adjust to the altitude. From there, you'll travel past Cub Lake and Old Forest Inn, then continue to Spruce Lake and Odessa Lake. The journey continues into more remote terrain near Sourdough, offering some of the most scenic and least-traveled sections of the route. You'll pass through Bear Lake, one of the park's most visited landmarks, before heading back into solitude. The trail leads to Andrew’s Creek and the glacial waters of Andrew’s Tarn, then loops back toward Cub Lake via Bierstadt Lake, where a previous group cooled off with a chilly but unforgettable swim.



Topographical Map of Proposed Route

See Topo map


Weather

Weather is always an important consideration when hiking in the Rockies, especially at high elevations. Summer is the ideal season for this trek, offering generally favorable conditions and the park's most vibrant landscapes.


Daytime temperatures during the hike typically range from the 70s to 80s°F, with nights cooling down into the 40s and 50s°F. However, weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. Be prepared for occasional daytime highs reaching into the 90s°F and nighttime lows that may drop into the 30s°F.


Afternoon thunderstorms are common during the summer months and often occur at high elevations. These storms can bring heavy rain, sudden temperature drops, and even hail. For both safety and comfort, we plan our days to avoid exposure during these predictable afternoon events.


To stay comfortable and protected, bring sun protection including sunglasses, a hat, and high-SPF sunscreen. You'll also need to carry water containers with a total capacity of at least 5 liters, as hydration is critical for both performance and altitude adjustment.



Probable Trip Leaders

Julie Quibodeaux
Collin Chambers
Any Other Guide(s) TBD

Cost

$1900 per person double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. With single room accommodations are available for purchase. You will also be responsible for transportation to and from Denver International Airport (DEN) and any gratuities for guides. You may also be charged for any parking charges for leaving your car at the hotel all week if you drive.


Covered expenses include 2 hotel nights, storage fees, 6 days of trail meals, airport transfers, ground transportation to/from/within the National Park, park permits, park entrance fees and awesome guides.


Tipping: In order to keep our prices competitive with (and hopefully favorable to) other outfitters, we shamefully can’t pay our guides as much as we think they deserve. Like most other guiding services, we rely on the generosity of our participants to make up this shortfall by tipping the guides. Gratuity can comprise a significant and important part of a guide’s compensation. The industry recommended gratuity amount is 10-20% of the trip cost. Gratuities are always optional and based on level of satisfaction but generally account for 30-60% of their income through gratuities. Fitpacking supports tipping to the greatest extent possible while remaining tactful and professional. Guides are not permitted to solicit tips in any way other than doing an exceptional job supporting and providing exceptional customer service to our participants. If your guides have served you well, please support them with gratuities so they can continue living their extravagant lifestyles of eating powdered meals, sleeping in the dirt and pooping in smelly outhouses and small holes they've dug.



Important notes about this trip

While trails in Rocky Mountain National Park generally offer solid footing, the elevation changes can be significant. These steep ascents and descents increase the physical demands of the hike—but they also provide the kind of sweeping, unobstructed views that make this trek so memorable.


Participants coming from lower elevations may find the altitude especially challenging. To support acclimatization, our trip begins with a day in Denver, and we strongly encourage staying well-hydrated before and during the hike. Even so, it typically takes a few days for the body to fully adjust to the thinner mountain air.


At higher elevations, snowfields may still be present in late July. While they are typically passable, hikers should be prepared to cross occasional patches of snow.


As required by Rocky Mountain National Park regulations, each participant will carry a bear canister for food storage. While somewhat bulky, these canisters are highly effective at protecting food and can double as a convenient camp seat. In addition, the park recommends the use of Restop2 wag bags for packing out solid human waste at the Andrews Creek campsite, in accordance with Leave No Trace principles.


Proper preparation will help ensure a safer and more enjoyable experience in this rugged and rewarding landscape. 


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Itinerary
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Cost
Important Note
Difficulty (Please Read)
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Itinerary


Saturday, July 18, 2026

Fly into Denver International Airport (DEN) or drive into Denver. The best time to arrive is between Noon-3PM. However, if you can save a substantial amount on your flight by arriving an hour or two later or earlier, then do so.

Take the free airport shuttle to local hotel: TBD

We will assemble at: TBD, To Be Determined

Equipment shakedown. We go through your packs to make sure you're prepared for the trip equipment-wise.

Make-your-own trail mix bar. You craft your personal trail mix from a cornucopia of nuts, fruits, sweets and occasional wildcard items that we provide.

Go to Denver Flagship REI Store, 1416 Platte St, Denver, CO 80202, (303) 756-3100 for forgotten and last minute equipment purchase

Go out to welcome dinner at local restaurant. Cost of dinner not included in trip cost.

Stay in local hotel: TBD, To Be Determined


Sunday, July 19, 2026

Free Hotel Breakfast

All the items that you won't bring on the trail will be set aside and put in storage.

Shuttle to Rocky Mountain National Park (1.5hrs)

You have about 20 minutes of unstructured time while guides do permitting paperwork at Beaver Meadows Ranger Station.

If you have a National Park Pass, please bring it

Board National Park buses for the park. Deboard at Moraine Park.

Transfer to Cub Lake / Fern Lake bus. Deboard at Cub Lake Trailhead.

Begin hiking at Cub Lake Trailhead, elevation 8080'

Hike 0.5 miles to Cub Lake Trail, elevation 8100'

Hike 2.2 miles to the South Lateral Moraine Trail, elevation 8650'

Hike 0.7 miles on the Mill Creek Trail to the Old Forest Inn Turnoff (just before bridge), elevation 8400'

Hike 0.1 miles to Old Forest Inn Campsite, elevation 8400'

Camp at Old Forest Inn Campsite, elevation 8400'.

Miles today: 3.5. Total miles: 3.5

Possible bailout: Cub Lake Trailhead


Monday, July 20, 2026

Hike 1.8 uphill miles on the Fern Lake Trail to Marguerite Falls, elevation 9430'

Hide packs and day-hike 1.8 miles to Spruce Lake, elevation 9800'

Pick up packs and hike 2.5 uphill miles with sweeping views to Sourdough, elevation 10600'

Camp at Sourdough, elevation 10600'.

Miles today: 6.1. Total miles: 9.6

Possible bailout: Cub Lake Trailhead


Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Hike 2.0 downhill miles on the Fern Creek Trail to Flattop Mountain Trail, elevation 9950'

Hike 0.5 miles to Bear Lake Trailhead, elevation 9750'

Hike 0.5 miles to Bear Lake, elevation 9475'. Expect lots of tourists here.

Hike 1.0 miles to Emerald Lake Trail, elevation 9475'.

Stash packs and Day-Hike 1.4 round trip miles to Emerald Lake, elevation 10110'

Hike 0.7 miles on the Bear Lake Trail to the Lake Haiyaha Trail, elevation 10150'

Stash packs and Day-Hike 0.7 round trip miles to Lake Haiyaha, elevation 10220'

Hike 1.2 miles to Loch Vale Trail, elevation 9800'

Hike 0.8 miles to Andrews Glacier Trail, elevation 9,900'

Hike 0.2 miles to Andrews Creek Campsite, elevation 10,560'

Camp at Andrews Creek campsite, elevation 10560'

Note: This is an environmentally sensitive area and we are must pack out our human waste in a Restop2 wag bag

Miles today: 9.0. Total miles: 18.6

Possible bailout: Bear Lake


Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Day-Hike 1.4 round-trip miles to Andrew's Tarn with views of Andrew's Glacier, elevation 11390'

Pack up camp

Hike 0.2 miles to Andrews Glacier Trail, elevation 9,900'

Stash Packs and Day-Hike 1.2 round-trip miles to Sky Pond, elevation 10300'

Hike 0.8 miles to Loch Vale Trail, elevation 9800'

Get packs and Hike 1.4 miles on Loch Vale Trail to North Longs Peak Trail

Hike 2.6 miles on North Longs Peak Trail to Boulder Brook, elevation 10300'

Camp at Boulder Brook, Campsite, elevation 10300'

Miles today: 7.6. Total miles: 26.2

Possible bailout: Bear Lake Road


Thursday, July 23, 2026

Hike 2.0 miles on the Boulder Brook Trail to the Glacier Creek Trail, elevation 8850'

Hike 0.4 miles to Bear Lake Rd, elevation 8800'.

Hike 1.6 miles to Bierstadt Lake Trail intersection, elevation 9450'.

Hike 0.5 round-trip miles to Bierstadt Lake, elevation 9419'.

Hike 1.1 miles to Mill Creek Basin, elevation 9000'.

Hike 2.0 miles to Cub Creek Campsite, elevation 8600'

Camp at Wind River Bluff, campsite, elevation 8600'

Miles today: 7.6. Total miles: 33.8

Possible bailout: Bear Lake Road


Friday, July 24, 2026

Hike 4.6 miles to Tuxedo Park, elevation 7930'

End of hiking portion of trip

Miles today: 4.6. Total miles: Hiking 38.4

Shuttle Back to Denver (1.5hrs)

Shuttle back to local hotel: TBD, To Be Determined

Gather your off-trail items from storage

Farewell dinner at a local restaurant (Dinner cost not included in trip price)

Stay in our local hotel (included in trip cost)

This is the official end of the trip. You are welcome to spend the night at the hotel, however if you drove and would like to get on the road or if you flew and would like to schedule a late flight (or a red-eye if this is a West Coast trip) you can definitely do so.


Saturday, July 25, 2026

Free Hotel Breakfast

Take free airport shuttle or we will pay for a shared cab/Uber


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