Staying in Estes Park? The Hiker Shuttle provides service to passengers from the Estes Park Visitor Center in the town of Estes Park (near the intersections of HWY 36 and 34), to Rocky Mountain National Park's Park & Ride Transit Hub , located on Bear Lake Road.
The Hiker Shuttle allows you to leave your vehicle where you lodge or parked in the Estes Park parking structure (adjacent to the Estes Park Visitor Center) and access many of the park’s most well known destinations within the Bear Lake Road corridor using the park’s interior shuttle system. Additionally, the shuttle system allows you to create your own “loop” hikes enabling you start at one trailhead and exit at another. You may view a shuttle route map on this page (in the photo carousel) or on the park's Shuttle Buses and Public Transit page which also shows ticket release dates and the days/dates when the park requires reservations (scroll to the Hiker Shuttle section).
Tickets go on sale on or around May 1 each year for arrival dates beginning the Friday before Memorial Day. Reservations are required daily during peak season (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day) and on weekends during shoulder season (the weekend after Labor Day through mid-October).
All riders in a party are required to have a Hiker Shuttle Ticket. A reservation for Hiker Shuttle Tickets is $2.00 for up to 4 Hikers in a party. Reservations for Hiker Shuttle Tickets are only available through Recreation.gov.
Are there more than 4 people in your party? A second person with a separate Recreation.gov account will need to book the additional Hiker Shuttle Tickets for your group. One Recreation.gov account can only book one reservation per day, which covers up to 4 Hiker Shuttle Tickets on one $2.00 reservation.
Departure Time Schedule for Hiker Shuttle buses leaving the Estes Park Visitor Center and heading to Rocky Mountain National Park: 9:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:15 p.m.
The Hiker Shuttle will return to the Estes Park Visitor Center Park & Ride at the following times: 9:45 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 5:15 p.m.
When you are ready to return to the Estes Park Visitor Center, simply return to RMNP's Park and Ride Transit Hub to catch a return Hiker Shuttle back to town. Please remember, the last bus departs from Park and Ride at 5:15 pm. Do not be late, there are no other public transportation services available to return from the park to the Town of Estes Park.
Please keep in mind that Hiker Shuttle tickets only allow you to access to the Bear Lake Road corridor inside RMNP. Your Hiker Shuttle ticket is only valid for the Hiker Shuttle. You cannot drive your vehicle into Rocky using this ticket. The Hiker Shuttle does not pick up passengers at any other locations in Estes Park or in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Hiker Shuttle Ticketholders must also have a valid entrance pass to enter the park. The park honors valid Federal interagency passes (e.g., Annual, Senior, 4th grade, access, Golden Age, etc.). All others may purchase your entrance pass upon arrival or in advance through Recreation.gov.
The Rocky Mountain National Park Hiker Shuttle departs from the Estes Park Visitor Center in the Town of Estes Park and transports passengers to RMNP's Park and Ride Transit Hub, located on the Bear Lake Road. The Hiker Shuttle does not provide service to any other stops in the park.
At the Park & Ride Transit Hub, riders will transfer to the Bear Lake or Moraine Park Shuttles to reach destinations like Bear Lake, Glacier Gorge, the Cub Lake Trail, the Fern Lake Trail, Moraine Park, and more.
You may also need a Timed Entry Permit reservation. Please visit the park's Timed Entry Permit System page for information about requirements for Timed Entry Permits in 2023.
A valid park entrance fee or park pass is required to enter the park. Entrance fees may be purchased on line in advance or upon arrival to the park. If you already have an annual or senior interagency pass, you will need to present it (with Photo ID). All entrance passes will be checked at the time of boarding the Hiker Shuttle. For more information on park entrance fess and annual passes please visit the park's Fees & Passes web page.
To check the most current season dates, please visit the Shuttle Bus and Public Transit page on the park website (scroll to the Hiker Shuttle section). Tickets go on sale on or around May 1 each year for arrival dates beginning the Friday before Memorial Day. Hiker Shuttle tickets are required every day during peak season--Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Tickets are also required on weekends during the shoulder season—the weekend after Labor Day through mid-October.
Modifications or Cancellations may be made up to 24 hours in advance. The $2 reservation processing fee is not refundable.
For specific entence fee and annual pass information please visit: the park's Fees & Passes web page .
1000 HY 36 Estes Park CO 80517
970-586-1206