Before my recent trip to Cody, Wyoming and Yellowstone, I decided to “road trip it” and see a few other things on my way.  One of the places I decided to stop was a little roadside attraction called Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s never been on my priority list of national parks, but it provided an unrivaled opportunity to see the Rockies in their natural, unspoiled state and a few hard lessons on altitude sickness.

First thing first- the altitude! My hometown has an elevation of an entire 705 feet. The Alpine Visitor’s Center in the park is at 11,796 feet. I’ve driven through mountains with no ill effect, but I attempted a half mile hike at the Alpine Visitor’s Center and thought I was going to keel over on the side of the trail! Unfortunately, the best photo ops and some really stunning views require a little hiking. That means planning ahead and paying close attention to your body. When they say drink lots of water, they mean LOTS. A gallon a day is recommended. A few preventative painkillers can also keep a headache from ruining your trip. A little time to acclimate isn’t a bad idea either. I think having some time in the area before attempting the park helped me.

I arrived the night before I planned to see the park and stayed in Loveland. I had no idea what to expect, but was very pleasantly surprised. Loveland has a large artist community and there are plenty of little shops to explore along the road between Loveland and the park entrance.  My favorite stop was Bacchus Meadery. Mead is like wine brewed from honey instead of grapes. It’s really worth trying if you haven’t done so! Bacchus Meadery offered a nice selection with a variety of styles, all made on site with Colorado honey. I sampled them all and bought a bottle of “Slascha” home to share with friends.

The next day, I got up early to make the 33 mile, hour and 15 minute drive from my hotel in Loveland to the Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center outside of Estes Park. I stayed in Loveland, but I recommend staying in Estes Park for convenient access to the park entrance. Big Thompson Canyon separates Loveland and Estes Park and, while it is beautiful, it is an extremely curvy two lane road.

I chose to take the Trail Ridge Road bus tour that would take me past the continental divide on the far side of the park and back, stopping at the Alpine Visitor’s Center for lunch. The cost is $22 for an adult or $11 for children under 16. This tour usually sells out in advance so make sure to call ahead. I could have driven this myself, but the entrance fee for my car would have been $20 and I preferred letting a professional drive so I could gawk at the view. The bus made lots of photo stops and gave us plenty of time for lunch. There is a café at the visitor’s center or you can bring your own lunch, if you prefer. I thought it was worthwhile to go all the way to the top of the park. The views were simply breathtaking and we were lucky enough to see both elk and big horn sheep. At one point, I stood on the very top of a mountain and watched it snow on the peak across from me while I stayed completely dry.

After the tour was over, I got back into my car at the Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center and decided to check out Estes Park. The downtown area has lots of high-end shopping and restaurants. I was looking for something a little different, so I decided to have lunch at The Stanley Hotel. Yes, that Stanley. As in The Shining and Stanley Steamer automobiles The hotel is just as elegant 100 years after it opened as it was in its heyday. If you decide to tour the hotel, be aware that they charge a $5 parking fee for non-guests. I had a tasty barbecue elk sandwich and fries in the bar area before walking around the hotel and ogling the restored Stanley Steamer in the lobby.

When I first arrived at the hotel, I got a little lost (staring at everything besides where you’re going will do that) and ended up coming in a side entrance closer to the parking area. To see the rest of the grounds, I decided to exit through the main doors and walk around the outside. The second I cracked the front door, I was glad I did. The view is amazing. The front terrace offers a fantastic panoramic view overlooking Estes Park and the surrounding peaks. In fact, if you walk straight out of the front doors to the far side of the plaza, there is a small bronze half circle with lines pointing to each visible peak along with the peak’s name and height. It’s worth checking out.

Unfortunately my time in Colorado had to come to an end. If you’re ever driving by, consider staying an extra night and enjoying everything Loveland, Estes Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park have to offer. From there, I headed north into Wyoming to explore Cody and Yellowstone National Park.

Cody is the eastern gateway to Yellowstone and makes a great stopover on your way into the park. Two full days can easily be filled in this small mountain town. If you’re short on time, let the AAA TourBook be your guide. All of the attractions with the GEM designation really are “must-sees”! A full day can be spent at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, a GEM attraction, exploring the 5 museums contained within it. My personal favorite was Trail Town. To be honest, I would have probably passed this motley collection of cabins by, but I’m glad I went. Where else can you walk through one of the Hole in the Wall Gang’s cabins, or touch the bullet holes left in a saloon door after a gunfight? Everything on site is original, and each cabin is filled with artifacts. Make sure you grab a guide at the gate before you start your tour! After your long day of exploring Cody, have dinner at Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel. The rosewood bar in the dining room was a gift from Queen Victoria to Buffalo Bill for a command performance of his Wild West Show!

When you’re ready to move on from Cody, Yellowstone is only about an hour away via the east gate. Once you’ve reached the park, a good map is invaluable. If you have limited time, I strongly recommend the lower loop. This area of the park has the highest concentrations of hot springs, geysers, and waterfalls, but still has plenty of wildlife! My favorite overlook is Artist’s Point, which provides spectacular views of the Lower Falls and Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. You can also see Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, Morning Glory Pool, and the Upper Falls in the lower loop. If viewing wildlife is very important to you, make sure you travel in the right season for the animals you want to see. Bears are out in the spring; moose and elk in the cooler seasons. Wolves are almost exclusively seen in early spring and winter. Bison, a few elk, and antelope can be seen year round.

Travelers should be aware of park conditions. The park is cool in the morning and evening, but can be warm during mid-day, so dress is layers. Comfortable walking shoes are also a must. There can be heavy traffic during the Memorial Day to Labor Day peak season and road construction happens frequently, so check with your local AAA office for updates. Be sure to drink plenty of water to combat altitude sickness, pack extra batteries for your camera, and enjoy our nation’s first national park. No matter how young or old you are, with a budget large or small, you can enjoy Cody and Yellowstone. Cody’s history and Yellowstone’s timelessness make this a trip worth taking at least once in a lifetime.