Feeding the Kids in Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado Vacations

Your Guide to Visiting Colorado with the Kids

Boys hike in Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado's Great Sand Dunes National Park lets kids enjoy a giant sandbox in a spectacular setting.

High peak near the ghost town of Sneffles, Colorado, off the Million Dollar Highway

Skiing at Monarch Mountain ski area, Colorado

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PRETTIEST PLACES
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IN COLORADO

Family Restaurants and Picnic Areas in Rocky Mountain National Park

Families looking for a place to feed the troops in Rocky Mountain National Park can find some of the prettiest picnic spots in the world.

The Trailhead Restaurant, near the Fall River Visitor Center, and the Trail Ridge Snack Bar, high on Trail Ridge Road, also provide sustenance.

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BEST FAMILY ATTRACTIONS

SKI COLORADO
WITH THE KIDS

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ABOUT US

Did You Know?

Colorado has 41 passes over 10,000 feet above sea level.

Many can be traveled by passenger car, though some can only be accessed by 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Vail Pass offers great views of the Gore Range in Colorado

Vail Pass offers great views of the Gore Range in Colorado

Families on vacation in
Colorado can travel right over
10,662-foot Vail Pass on I-70.

Restaurants

The Trailhead Restaurant, located next to the Fall River Visitor Center, offers sit down dining for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Large windows look out at the forest-covered valley of Fall River, while the décor inside features heavy log beams and snowshoe lamp sconces. Carved wooden bears, plush cuddly moose, and antler lamps from the gift shop encroach on the dining room. Outside, tables embedded with colorful tiles featuring humming birds, moose, and cabins offer fresh-air dining on

nice days. Quiet guitar and nature-sound music plays in the background. The menu offers American fare, with game meat selections including bison meatloaf and a savory elk stew served in a sourdough bread bowl. The sage chicken, however, did not come with the caramelized onions, garlic mayonnaise, or provolone cheese, as advertised, and it tasted quite ordinary.

The Trail Ridge Snack Bar, adjacent to the Alpine Visitor center on Trail Ridge Road hangs over a steep glacial cirque. Views from the giant picture windows bring the bare, jagged mountains above timberline into the building. A long line forms during lunchtime in the summer, as folks order chilidogs, nachos, vegetable beef soup, barbeque pork sandwiches, and smoothies. One young visitor pronounced his macaroni and cheese to be “great!” Plan to eat early or eat late if you want to get a table.

Picnic Areas

On the official park map, seventeen icons indicate locations of designated picnic areas within Rocky Mountain. Many, but not all have fire pits or grills and vault toilets associated with them. Additionally, picnic tables sit just off the roadways here and there throughout the park. Some of the best meals, however, are spread on the surface of a glacier-scoured boulder or downed log, while hiking to yet another heart-stopping viewpoint.

Next Page >>> Camping and Lodging in Rocky Mountain National Park

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