When I visited Rocky Mountain National Park this past May, I heard often, “There’s a reason they’re called the Rocky Mountains.” I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated, but there are lots of ways to explore the area without taking on a massive challenge like Longs Peak—the only 14er within park limits. I learned long ago that your hikes are still valid and adventurous even if you don’t summit a big mountain. This mindset has helped me throughout my life, but it’s been particularly resonant recently.

A few weeks before the trip, I had a pretty devastating orthopedic doctor’s appointment. I need knee surgery, but the doctor said he wasn’t willing to operate because of my body size. Until I figured out my next steps, I needed to be gentle on my joints. Even though I’m an avid hiker, I needed to find some easy hikes that would support my joints and give me the chance to explore.

My husband, on the other hand, was looking for a big challenge. Longs Peak still had heavy snowpack in late May, but he wanted to find an alternative that met his fitness level and hankering for high-altitude hiking.

To make sure my husband and I both found what we were looking for, we stopped by the YMCA of the Rockies, an outdoors hub surrounded on three sides by the national park, to craft an itinerary at the Boone Family Mountain Center, an outdoor activity facility within the YMCA. The center, which is also home to an indoor climbing wall and lots of educational programs, has volunteers who are happy to talk visitors through any trail, no matter its length or difficulty.

Jeff, a YMCA volunteer from Ohio, helped us plan our adventures. His goal, he said, “is to find something that will make people want to come back to nature.” Exploration doesn’t have to always be hard-core. He suggested a couple trails that I could hike without wearing down my knees. These trails are flat-ish but still immersed in nature and wonder.

Enger Family Nature Trail

When it comes to Estes Park hikes, this trail is among the newest. Just a couple years old, the loop begins behind the Boone Family Mountain Center and is relatively level as you explore the YMCA campus. The path takes you by Glacier Creek, which separates the YMCA of the Rockies from Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Sprague Lake via Mountainside Drive

This 4-mile hike from the YMCA of the Rockies begins at the parking area up Mountainside Drive. This trail is a forested oasis that leads to a .7-mile the loop around Sprague Lake, which is wheelchair and stroller accessible. (To just to hike the lake loop, you can drive in and park at the Sprague Lake Trailhead within the park.) 

Cub Lake Trail

Beginning at the Fern Lake Trailhead, you’ll see beautiful meadows and maybe even moose on this trail. In the summer, you’ll encounter wondrous wildflowers such as Chiming Bells Penstemon and Golden Banner (you can even join a special guided flower hike offered by the YMCA). If you visit in the colder months, this makes a perfect snowshoeing trail.

Bible Point

This trail begins at the YMCA of the Rockies livery at the Glacier Creek trailhead. The payoff is panoramic views of the Continental Divide from Flattop Mountain, Longs Peak, and all the high points between them. At some points, this trail can be steep, but it’s not technical.  

Alluvial Fan Trail

Just a 10-mile drive from the YMCA, this trail is in the national park, but if you arrive after 6 p.m., you don’t need a timed-entry pass. It’s well worth it for the view of the amazing Horseshoe Falls, which formed in July 1982 when a nearly 100-foot-long section of a dam collapsed, sending a powerful wall of water rushing down the valley.

Tips For Estes Park Hikes 

Nature can truly be welcoming, especially if you find trails or natural spaces that work with you. So many people have abandoned outdoor activity because of negative experiences, whether it’s the limits of our bodies or the judgments of others. If you’re getting back out there or trying to hike for the first time, it’s important to do so with the guidance of the others.

A few pointers for folks who haven’t visited the Estes Park area before:

• These trails start at 7,500 feet, and it can take a few days to fully acclimatize. Before you arrive, train with walks and hikes to prepare your body for the high elevation. 
• If you don’t have proper footwear, Boone Family Mountain Center at the YMCA of the Rockies has boots you can borrow, along with pole rentals for $5. There are daily guided hikes, so if you don’t want to go at it alone, you can have company.
• There are benches and chairs around the YMCA property for you to sit and take in the landscape. There are also meditative spaces like the Labyrinth to take introspective, gentle steps while admiring the same views you can see on many of these hikes. You can also find historical walks and archeological hikes at the museum.