Service for the 2023 Summer Season will begin on May 26 and continue 7-days a week through October 22.
Schedule
The first shuttle of the day departs Park & Ride at 6:30 a.m.
The last shuttle of the day departs from Bear Lake and returns to Park & Ride at 7:30 p.m.
The Bear Lake Shuttle runs every 10 - 15 minutes.
Fee
Free
Route
Makes stops at
Park & Ride
Bierstadt Lake Trailhead
Glacier Gorge Trailhead
Bear Lake
Moraine Park Shuttle Route
Dates
Service for the 2023 Summer Season will begin on May 26 and continue 7-days a week through October 22.
Schedule
The first Moraine Park Shuttle will depart from Park & Ride at 7 a.m.
The last Moraine Park Shuttle of the day will depart from the Fern Lake Bus Stop and return to Park & Ride at 7:30 p.m.; if returning to Glacier Gorge or Bear Lake Parking Area, the last shuttle will depart from Fern Lake Trailhead at 6:30 p.m.
The Moraine Park Shuttle runs every hour
Fee
Free
Route
Makes stops at
Park & Ride
Sprague Lake/Glacier Creek Stables
Hollowell Park
Tuxedo Park
Moraine Park Campground (C Loop)
Cub Lake Trailhead
Fern Lake Bus Stop
How Can Riding RMNP's In-Park Shuttle Improve My Visit?
There are many advantages to riding the Moraine Park or Bear Lake Shuttle when exploring the Bear Lake Road Corridor, such as:
Riding the shuttle is free, it allows visitors to park your vehicle once then and enjoy easy access to all destinations and hiking trails located along the Bear Lake Road Corridor.
Riding the shuttle helps to reduce vehicle emissions in the park.
As a passenger on the shuttle, riders can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Bear Lake Road without the distraction and stress of navigating traffic congestion searching for limited parking.
Hiker Shuttle
What is the Hiker Shuttle and When Does it Operate?
7-Day Service for the 2023 Summer Season is available May 26 through September 4
Saturday & Sunday Only Service begins September 9 through October 22
The Hiker Shuttle provides summer seasonal service to passengers departing from the Estes Park Visitor Center, located in the Town of Estes Park, to Rocky Mountain National Park's Park & Ride Transit Hub, located on Bear Lake Road, and back.
To ride the Hiker Shuttle, all passengers must reserve Hiker Shuttle Tickets in advance. Reservations can be made online on a first-come, first-served basis through www.recreation.gov.
All riders in a party are required to have a Hiker Shuttle Ticket. There is a $2 processing fee for each Hiker Shuttle reservation. One reservation will cover from 1 to 4 Hiker Shuttle Tickets, which is good for up to 4 people in a party - regardless of age.
When making a Hiker Shuttle Reservation, remember to change the number of tickets in your check-out box to match the number of people in your group. If there are 4 passengers in your party, make sure to change the number of tickets reserved from "1" to "4."
All passengers, including infants and small children, must have their own Hiker Shuttle Ticket.
Please only reserve the number of seats needed.
Passengers with Hiker Shuttle Ticket Reservations will board the Hiker Shuttle outside of the Estes Park Visitor Center.
The Hiker Shuttle does not pick up or drop-off passengers at any other locations in Estes Park or in Rocky Mountain National Park.
After boarding the Hiker Shuttle, the bus will drive passengers to the Park & Ride Transit Hub inside Rocky Mountain National Park. Once at Park & Ride, passengers may transfer to the park's free Bear Lake or Moraine Park Shuttles to reach destinations located along the Bear Lake Road Corridor.
Hiker Shuttle Schedule
For buses departing from the Estes Park Visitor Center and going to Park & Ride
If your group has more than 4 people, then a second person with a separate Recreation.gov account will need to book the additional Hiker Shuttle reservation needed for your party.
One person may make only ONE Hiker Shuttle reservation per day.
In addition to a valid Hiker Shuttle Ticket, all passengers must also have a valid park entrance pass for RMNP
The 1-Day Individual Pass (no vehicle) for $15 is best for Hiker Shuttle riders. If there are 2 or more people in your group, choose the 1-Day Vehicle Pass for $30. Park entrance passes can be purchased online in advance at Recreation.gov.
Are you, or someone in your party an annual or lifetime park pass holder? If so, one annual or lifetime park pass will cover the entrance fee for the passholder and up to 3 additional people.
When Can I Reserve My Hiker Shuttle Tickets?
Hiker Shuttle Tickets will be released first-come, first-served on Recreation.gov based on the following schedule:
Release Date
Reservation Dates
May 1 at 8 a.m. MDT
May 26 - June 30
June 1 at 8 a.m. MDT
July 1 - July 31
July 1 at 8 a.m. MDT
August 1 - August 31
August 1 at 8 a.m. MDT
September 1 - September 30
September 1 at 8 a.m. MDT
October 1 - October 22
Additional Hiker Shuttle Tickets will be released first-come, first-served on Recreation.gov at 5 p.m. the night before a desired arrival date, beginning on May 25.
How Do I Make a Reservation for Hiker Shuttle Tickets?
All Hiker Shuttle Tickets are available online through Recreation.gov (take time to set up your Recreation.gov account first) or by:
Additional Information & Frequently Asked Questions
Be advised, shuttle bus service is not available outside of the Bear Lake Road Corridor. There is no shuttle bus service on the west side of the park or across Trail Ridge Road.
There are no bike racks on the park's shuttle buses.
Most shuttle buses are accessible and can accommodate wheelchairs. Contact shuttle staff if accommodation is needed.
Pets are not allowed on shuttle buses except service animals that have been individually trained to perform specific tasks for the benefit of persons with disabilities. (Emotional support and service-animals-in-training are not service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.)
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hiker Shuttle
Seating capacity on the Hiker Shuttle bus is limited and rider demand is high. In 2019, visitors interested in riding on the Hiker Shuttle experienced wait times from one to two hours to board a bus. The park is piloting park wide timed entry reservations and the Hiker Shuttle is included in that system.
Reservations improve the visitor experience by guaranteeing that everyone in your party will be able to board a specific bus at a specific time. They also help minimize congestion, crowding, and wait times.
Hiker Shuttle reservations are available first-come, first-served online at https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10088647. You can also use the Recreation.gov mobile app or call 877-444-6777.
Reservations for Hiker Shuttle Tickets will be released on www.recreation.gov beginning at 8 a.m. MDT on May 1, 2023. During this first release window, reservations will be available for the dates of May 27 through June 30.
The next release will begin on June 1, at 8 a.m. MDT, for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June.
On July 1, reservations will be available for the month of August and any remaining days that have not been booked for July.
On August 1, reservations will be available for the month of September and any remaining days in August that have not been booked.
On September 1, reservations will be available for October and any remaining days in September that have not been booked.
Additional reservations for the Hiker Shuttle will be released via Recreation.gov the night before a desired arrival date. For instance, if a visitor is planning a trip on June 3, additional reservations will be released via Recreation.gov beginning at 5 p.m. MDT on the night of June 2.
The Hiker Shuttle provides service from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Park & Ride Transit Hub, which is located inside Rocky Mountain National Park on Bear Lake Road. The Hiker Shuttle does not provide service to any other destinations inside Rocky Mountain National Park.
It will take approximately 45 minutes to 1-hour to ride the Hiker Shuttle one-way. Timing will vary, depending upon traffic.
No. A Hiker Shuttle reservation is only valid for people who are riding the Hiker Shuttle Bus.
If planning to drive a vehicle into Rocky Mountain National Park, you will need a Timed Entry Vehicle Reservation during the hours of the day when they are in effect. To learn more about Timed Entry Permits, visit the park's Timed Entry webpage at go.nps.gov/romo/timedentry.
Yes. A reservation for Hiker Shuttle Tickets is required for all passengers who ride the Hiker Shuttle, regardless of age. One reservation is good for up to 4 Hiker Shuttle Tickets in one party. One person may make only one Hiker Shuttle reservation per day.
If there are five or more people in a party, a different person using a different Recreation.gov account will need to book a second reservation.
Yes. All park shuttle buses are accessible and can accommodate wheelchairs and most can accommodate scooters.
Of the stops available, Bear Lake and Sprague Lake offer the most accessible options. Please note that these facilities do not meet accessibility standards for outdoor recreation sites. At Sprague Lake the drop off location does not connect to an accessible path, however riders can request to be dropped off at the trailhead. The driver will coordinate pick up directly with the rider.
Yes. To ride the Hiker Shuttle, all visitors will need two things: a reservation for Hiker Shuttle Tickets and a park entrance pass.
If you, or someone in your group, already has a America The Beautiful Interagency Annual, Senior, Access, Military, or 4th Grader Pass, this will cover your park entrance fee. A pass covers the individual park entrance fee for the passholder and up to 4 others.
A Hiker Shuttle reservation is also required. Reservations are only available at Recreation.gov. There is a $2 per processing fee, and this covers up to 4 Hiker Shuttle Tickets per reservation.
No. The number of Hiker Shuttle Tickets available is based on the number of seats located on the bus and reservations are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
Rider demand for the Hiker Shuttle is high. To ensure that all riders have a seat on the bus, they must board the bus that is specified on their reservation. For example, if you made a reservation for the 9 a.m. bus, but do not arrive until 11 a.m., you have missed your bus.
The last Hiker Shuttle bus of the day departs from RMNP's Park & Ride Transit Hub at 6 p.m. Shuttle riders are strongly advised to watch the time when exploring the park. Make sure that all members of your party return to the Park & Ride Transit Hub well before 6 p.m. The bus will not wait for you!
If someone misses the last bus of the day, there are no other buses or public transit available that provide service to Estes Park.
Yes. When departing from Park & Ride and returning to Estes Park, passengers may board any return shuttle throughout the day.
Hiker Shuttle buses leave from the Park & Ride Transit Hub and return to the Estes Park Visitor Center at the following times: 10 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:45 p.m.,
4:30 p.m., 5:15 p.m., and 6 p.m.
The 6 p.m. bus is the last bus of the day! Expect this bus to be crowded.
No. Bicycles are not permitted on the Hiker Shuttle or on any of Rocky Mountain National Park's in-park shuttle buses.
No. Pets are not permitted on the Hiker Shuttle or on any of Rocky Mountain National Park's shuttle buses. Pets are also prohibited on all hiking trails in RMNP.
No. Hiker Shuttle reservations are non-transferrable and non-refundable.
No. Hiker Shuttle reservations are non-transferable. The person whose name is on the reservation must be present. They cannot be gifted or transferred to another person, including parents, children or siblings.
Bustang to Estes
The Bustang is back and Rocky Mountain National Park is pleased to partner with CDOT again this summer. CDOT's Bustang to Estes Route will be providing summer seasonal transportation service to Rocky Mountain National Park's Park & Ride Transit Hub on Saturdays and Sundays beginning May 27 through October 1, 2023. At Park & Ride, Bustang riders can transfer to the park's Bear Lake or Moraine Park Shuttles to reach destinations along the Bear Lake Road Corridor.
There will also be service available on the following holiday Mondays: May 29, June 19, July 3, and September 4.
Riders can board the Bustang in Denver at Union Station and at stops along U.S. Hwy 36 in Westminster, Broomfield, Boulder, and Lyons. For route schedules and to make a reservation, visit https://ridebustang.com/estes-park/schedules/.
All Bustang Riders coming to Rocky Mountain National Park are required to have a Bustang ticket and a park entrance pass. Park entrance passes can be purchased online at https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74291.
One Bustang rider should select the 1-Day Individual Pass for $15. If there are 2 or more Bustang riders in a group, choose the 1-Day Vehicle Pass for $30. This will cover all members of your party. Be prepared to show your park pass to a park ranger upon arrival.
Passengers who already have an annual or lifetime park entrance pass should bring their annual or lifetime (Senior/Access/Military) park entrance pass and their photo ID with them.
All Bustang riders coming to Rocky Mountain National Park should be prepared to spend their day outside. There are no stores or food services available within the park. Bustang riders are advised to bring full water bottles, food for the day, footwear and comfortable clothing for hiking (including a jacket and rain gear) sun protection/sunscreen, and a hat.
We look forward to seeing you in Rocky Mountain National Park!
Last updated: May 31, 2023
Park footer
Contact Info
Mailing Address:
1000 US Hwy 36
Estes Park,
CO
80517
Phone:
970 586-1206
The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter.
Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222.
