A scenic trip to Rocky Mountain National Park showing some of its iconic birds and wildlife. The park covers some 265,727 acres and over one-third of this area is alpine tundra. It is a snowy environment in the winter months, but thawing snow turns the landscape green in the summer when beautiful alpine flowers bloom such as purple Pasque Flowers and Yellow Avens.
Herds of elk can best be observed in the fall, especially in the Moraine Valley.
Mule deer are commonly seen throughout the year and many moose make the Coyote Valley their home (Kawuneeche Valley). The park is famous for its Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep which can be observed in the Fall River valley and at the Sheep Lakes in the park.
Alpine lakes such as Dream Lake and Bear Lake offer spectacular mountain views. Sprague Lake and Lily Lake have pleasant trails for any fitness level.
Bird-watching is best enjoyed in the spring and summer months when you can see a variety of birds such as Steller's Jays, Grey Jays, Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Song Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, and Black-billed Magpies. Mountain Bluebirds can be spotted in the spring. Hummingbirds can be observed in summer. Serious birders should keep an eye out for birds such as warblers, vireos, Clark's Nutcrackers, and tanagers, however. A wonderful place to visit and enjoy hiking in during any season.
#rockymountainnationalpark #roadtrip
Video: Nikon 950. Video and photos by Tanja Nayak. Includes some photos from previous trips using a Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and another camera.
The mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable make sure you have an insulated jacket and comfortable hiking shoes. You can experience four seasons in a day: sun, rain, snow, and wind.
Recommended outerwear:
The Cerium Hoody by Arcteryx is a warm insulated jacket that can be worn in fall (autumn), winter, or spring and can protect your head if it is snowy or windy (a base layer is required with this jacket in winter)
arcteryx.com/us/en/shop/women...
The lightweight Nano Puff jacket by Patagonia is another insulated jacket that can be worn for three seasons as well (a hooded option is also available), although I would recommend the Arcteryx on snowy days
www.patagonia.com/product/wom...
Both are Fair Trade Certified
I highly recommend the Merrell Women's Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots (newer options are available) which are very comfortable and suitable for rugged terrain. Although you may need Yaktrax if the trails are icy.
Hiking Boots:
www.merrell.com/US/en/hiking-...
Yaktrax:
yaktrax.com/
Useful for Summer:
www.recreation.gov/timed-entr...