Ride a Bus from Denver to Estes Park

Staff
·3 min read

This article originally appeared on My Colorado Parks

If you don’t have access to a car that doesn’t mean you can’t visit Rocky Mountain National Park. The park itself has a shuttle system allowing hikers to access the Bear Lake Road corridor and Moraine Park from both the town of Estes Park and the park n’ ride located inside the park’s boundaries. From Denver, take the public Bustang bus to access the park or one of several private bus options.

Taking the bus to Rocky Mountain National Park can help lower the carbon footprint of your vacation and keep you from having to deal with the headache of finding parking spaces. You’ll only be able to explore limited areas of the parks East side and won’t be able to access Trail Ridge Road by bus, but there’s plenty of stunning scenery, hiking trails and wildlife to spot within the reach of the park’s shuttle system.

Bustang Bus

Ride the Bustang bus from Union Station in the heart of downtown Denver all the way to Rocky Mountain National park on weekends and holidays May 28 – Oct. 2, 2022. There are two departure times each morning and two return trips each afternoon. The ride takes two and a half hours. You’ll have the option of getting off in the town of Estes Park, located near the park’s east entrance, or riding the bus all the way into the park where you can transfer to the free Bear Lake and Moraine Park shuttles to explore more of the park. If you decide to get off in Estes Park you can still get into the park via the park’s Hiker Shuttle. This requires a reservation.

Taking the Bustang from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park costs $5 per person and reservations are required.

Bus riders do not need an additional Rocky Mountain National Park timed entry reservation for the 2022 season.

For more information, visit ridebustang.com/estes-park/

 

Union Station in Denver, Colo.
Union Station in Denver Shutterstock

Private Estes Park Shuttle Bus

Take the Estes Park Shuttle from the Denver’s Union Station, Denver International Airport or Denver Greyhound Bus Station to Estes Park. It’s $95 round-trip ($55 one-way). Contact (970-586-5151, estesparkshuttle.com for more information.

Charter Bus for Groups

Traveling with a group? Reserve a charter bus and professional driver with the Denver Charter Bus Company. They have vehicles as small as 18-passenger and 25-passenger minibuses and as large as 56-passenger full-size buses. Some transports offer premium amenities such as reclining seats, onboard restrooms, WiFi, power outlets, TVs and more. 212-756-1283, www.denvercharterbuscompany.com

Estes Park Transportation to Rocky Mountain National Park

For private taxi service in the Estes Park area, call Estes Park Taxi at (970) 372-9888 or Peak to Peak Taxi at (970) 586-6111.

During the summer vacation season, free park shuttles are available with pickups in Estes Park to popular eastside trailheads and Bear Lake.

Estes Park has many tour companies with outings to the park in vehicles from 4wd Jeeps to convertible buses. Find more information at www.visitestespark.com/things-to-do/tours/.

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