Educational Bus Tours
From the comfort of a 14-passenger bus, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy Field Institute offers guided bus tours throughout Rocky Mountain National Park to areas including Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake Road, Grand Lake, and meadow areas highlighting the elk rut in the fall. Each tour offers a different adventure and is led by one of our talented naturalist guides.
Unless otherwise noted, all tours will begin and end at the Estes Park Visitor Center at 500 Big Thompson Avenue in downtown Estes Park. Entrance fees and timed entry permits for Rocky Mountain National Park are included in tour fees.
Tour Descriptions
We are now taking reservations for all 2023 bus tours!
Welcome to Rocky! Educational Ecology Tour, June – August, 2 pm departure
Rocky Mountain National Park is a beautiful place where gorgeous mountain vistas greet you around every corner, but it’s easy to forget about the unique inhabitants that make this area so special. Join our naturalist guide on a 14-passenger minibus as we visit iconic locations and seek out the interesting critters of RMNP. Spend the afternoon at some of the park’s most breathtaking locations, including Horseshoe Park, the Alluvial Fan, Moraine Park, and more, learning about the wildlife that make this region so fascinating. This tour is approximately 3 hours in length.
Adults: $50, children 12 & under: $25
Trail Ridge Road Scenic Ecology Tour, June – August, 8 am departure
One of the premier attractions of Rocky Mountain National Park is Trail Ridge Road, the nation’s highest continuous paved highway. Trail Ridge Road meanders through various life zones on its way through the park, and over one of the largest, most pristine stretches of alpine tundra in the lower 48 states. Participants receive a unique overview of the park’s history, flora, fauna, and geology while viewing the landscapes from the comfort of our 14-passenger minibus, with opportunities for taking pictures at many stops along the way. The tour is approximately 4 hours in length and includes time for participants to eat lunch at the Alpine Visitor Center.
Adults: $75, children 12 & under: $45
Journey to Grand Lake Scenic Ecology Tour, June – August, 9 am departure
Rocky Mountain National Park contains breathtaking scenery, abundant wildlife, and opportunities to connect with the past along Trail Ridge Road, the awe-inspiring byway across the Continental Divide. Participants on this expanded tour will receive a unique overview of the park’s history, flora, fauna, and geology while viewing the landscapes from the comfort of our 14-passenger minibus as we travel from Estes Park to Grand Lake. Stops include Rainbow Curve, the Alpine Visitor Center, Milner Pass/Continental Divide, Holzwarth Historic Site, and the Historic Town of Grand Lake. This tour is approximately 6 hours in length and includes time for participants to eat lunch in Grand Lake.
Adults: $95, children 12 & under: $55
Fall Scenic Ecology Elk Tour, September – October, 3 pm departure
It’s impossible to ignore the magic of fall in the Rockies! The fall rut is a spectacular display of elk mating behavior featuring bugling, posturing, and herding displays by the bulls. Paired with the reds and golds of fall foliage, this extraordinary event will be available for viewing from the comfort of our 14-passenger minibus staffed by a professional educational guide who will discuss elk ecology, interpret elk behavior for guests, and have elk artifacts such as antlers and hides for participants to see and touch. This tour is approximately 3 hours in length.
Adults: $50, children 12 & under: $25