Top Estes Park Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

Climb from the streets of the "Mile High City" to Rocky Mountain National Park, on a day trip that showcases the rugged beauty of Colorado's mountains. Weave through small, historic towns and drive over alpine passes, as you scan the horizon for mountain wildlife like elk, black bears, or moose. Take a breath of fresh mountain air while hiking out on the trails, and feel like you're standing on top of the world up here on America's backbone.

Custom tour designed for you and where your interests are. We are not on a schedule and can even adapt as we go depending upon what we find on your special day. I am a local historian and naturalist who has lived in the area for over 50 years. I consider myself an interpreter of nature adding color to the already stunning beauty you'll see. We'll concentrate on the myriad wildlife, the diverse biology, and incredible geology of the Rockies. We'll also get insight into what it might have been like for early pioneers and lodge keepers as well as indigenous people like the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute. My tours are completely flexible so if you want to hike for 3 or 4 miles, great! Or if you just want sit back and relax and enjoy the view that's fine too! Either way we'll stop often to photograph and talk about the amazing sights.

This class is a fun and entertaining introduction into Acrylic Pour Painting! Try out this new art medium without having to prep materials or clean up the mess yourself. It's great for families and special events as well as those just interested in learning something new. Every participant will leave with a finished piece they are proud of and is ready to be hung in their home.

Alpine Visitors Centre Tour - This is a great tour if you wish to cover all 3 ecosystems. We start in the lower valley and get you right up to the Alpine Visitors Centre at 11,796 feet. You will encounter breathtaking views, but remember to layer up and bring warm clothes as there is usually snow at the top year round. We get you to the areas most people drive past and give you extra time at each stop for photos. Tours are interpretive and we leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.

Discover the best of the Rocky Mountain National Park on a guided full-day tour. Park entrance, along with round-trip transportation from Denver or Boulder is conveniently included. Set at a moderate pace, the hike is perfect for people with some experience who also want to take time to appreciate the scenery. Stop for a complimentary packed lunch, which can be prepared to accommodate dietary restrictions.

This is a great tour if you are focused on wildlife and a little nervous about heights! We cover all the lower valley key areas such as Sheep lakes, Alluvial Fan Waterfall, Moraine Park, and either Sprague or Bear Lake. The views are amazing and this is typically where you will find most of the wildlife. All tours are interpretive and get you to areas most people drive past. We give you plenty of time at each stop for photos and to enjoy the beauty. This is a follow the tour guide tour. Customer must have their own car.

Head out on an Early Morning Wildlife Safari leaving from Estes Park in Rocky Mountain National Park. Each tour is limited to 4 guests and private so each trip is just for you and your group. We will pick you up outside the office of your Estes Park hotel at the time we confirm, usually 4:30am-5am depending on the exact date. Yellow Wood Guiding Wildlife Safaris are driving tours with many stops as we travel Trail Ridge Road and around Estes Park. Our tours are designed to both provide great views of wildlife, but also learn extraordinary information about these amazing animals and the wonderful Rocky Mountain ecosystem.  Nearly every Summer Safari we see Moose cows and sometimes bulls, Elk bulls and cow herds with calves, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep on the distant mountains through the spotting scope, Yellow-bellied Marmots, American Pika, and a number of small cute critters only found in the Rockies like Least Chipmunk, Ground Squirrels, many different birds and some hawk & eagles.

Enjoy a  Evening Wildlife Safari leaving from Estes Park in RMNP. Each tour is limited to 4 guests and private so each trip is just for you and your group. We will pick you up outside the office of your Estes Park hotel at the time we confirm, usually 5pm  or later but adjusted depending on the exact date. Yellow Wood Guiding Wildlife Safaris are driving tours with many stops as we travel across Trail Ridge Road. Our tours are designed to both provide great views of wildlife, but also learn extraordinary information about these amazing animals and the wonderful Rocky Mountain ecosystem.  Nearly every Summer Safari we see Moose cows and sometimes bulls, Elk bulls and cow herds with calves, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep on the distant mountains through the spotting scope, Yellow-bellied Marmots, American Pika, and a number of small cute critters only found in the Rockies like Least Chipmunk, Ground Squirrels, many different birds and some hawk & eagles.

We are the only tour company completely focused on wildlife tours. We also offer the longest tour day in the park which lasts 12 hours during the summer months.

Explore Rocky through your viewfinder on a 4 hour Photo Safari. Select from Landscape, Wildlife, or Instructional Photo Safari options to get the best experience you can. Our job is to get you to the right place at the right time, avoid the crowds, help you dial in the best settings and get the best compositions to get the best images to take home. This tour is highly customizable with many locations and subjects we can focus on, so everything is tailored to your interests. For the Landscape option we can shot Sunrise at an Subalpine Lake, on the Tundra, or along the river of a Mountain Meadow. Wildlife like Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Marmots, Pika, and on lucky days Bighorn Sheep can be captured. We can also focus more on education so you can learn to get the most out of your camera, to get off of Auto and learn your f-stop, exposure, focus, and composition. All guests have access to our arsenal of Nikon pro cameras and lens like the D810 and 600mm lens.

Explore Rocky through your viewfinder on a 4 hour Photo Safari. Select from Landscape, Wildlife, or Instructional Photo Safari options to get the best experience you can. Our job is to get you to the right place at the right time, avoid the crowds, help you dial in the best settings and get the best compositions to get the best images to take home. This tour is highly customizable with many locations and subjects we can focus on, so everything is tailored to your interests. For the Landscape option we can shot Sunset at an Subalpine Lake, or on the Tundra. Wildlife like Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Marmots, Pika, and on lucky days Bighorn Sheep can be captured. We can also focus more on education so you can learn to get the most out of your camera, to get off of Auto and learn your f-stop, exposure, focus, and composition. All guests have access to our arsenal of Nikon pro cameras and lens like the D810 and 600mm lens.

Custom tour designed for you and where your interests are. We are not on a schedule and can even adapt as we go depending upon what we find on your special day. I am a local historian and naturalist who has lived in the area for over 50 years. I consider myself an interpreter of nature adding color to the already stunning beauty you'll see. We'll concentrate on the myriad wildlife, the diverse biology, and incredible geology of the Rockies. We'll also get insight into what it might have been like for early pioneers and lodge keepers as well as indigenous people like the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute. My tours are completely flexible so if you want to hike for 3 or 4 miles, great! Or if you just want sit back and relax and enjoy the view that's fine too! Either way we'll stop often to photograph and talk about the amazing sights.

We will explore and photograph the appropriately named Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park. We will hike along the North Saint Vrain Creek, and stop along the way to photograph several waterfalls (including Copeland Falls, Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls). Bring your tripod and a polarizer filter, and I will demonstrate my techniques for capturing waterfalls and other moving water in a variety of lighting conditions, and help you capture great silky water photographs. The full hike to Ouzel Falls is about 5.5 miles (9 km) round trip, with just under 1,000' elevation gain. For those not able to do the full hike, we will do a more leisurely hike to Calypso Cascades (about 3.6 miles round trip, and about 700' of elev. gain), which still takes you deep into a beautiful area, with multiple falls, and wildflowers and fall color in season. Don't have a RMNP entrance reservation? (new this year) No need! My commercial use permit means we don't need an advance permit!

Custom tour designed for you and where your interests are. We are not on a schedule and can even adapt as we go depending upon what we find on your special day. I am a local historian and naturalist who has lived in the area for over 50 years. I consider myself an interpreter of nature adding color to the already stunning beauty you'll see. We'll concentrate on the myriad wildlife, the diverse biology, and incredible geology of the Rockies. We'll also get insight into what it might have been like for early pioneers and lodge keepers as well as indigenous people like the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute. My tours are completely flexible so if you want to hike for 3 or 4 miles, great! Or if you just want sit back and relax and enjoy the view that's fine too! Either way we'll stop often to photograph and talk about the amazing sights.