Rocky Mountain National Park

This was our first time to Rocky Mountain National Park and we LOVED IT!  It was a beautiful snowy winter wonderland.  Everywhere we went was just gorgeous.

We went to the park 2 days and hiked as much as we could in our tennis shoes on the snowy trails.  Some of the trails I had planned for us to hike were closed because the snowfall was too deep.  Others trails, we were able to partially hike, but we couldn't make it up and down the slippery snowy trails without proper winter shoe gear.  The other, smarter, more prepared hikers had crampons, snowshoes, or cross-country skis.  Who knew it would be so incredibly snowy in May?!  But we loved our snowy hikes, and definitely want to go back (with the proper gear next time).

First Day at Rocky Mountain NP:

Starting our first snow-packed hike.

At a frozen lake, covered with snow. So pretty!

Slip sliding.

And falling.  Hehe!

The top of a trail sign buried in the deep snow.

Driving up the mountain - look at the wall of snow created by the snowplow.

 

This was as far as we could go on the road - the rest was closed because of snow and ice.

Second Day at Rocky Mountain NP 

(which happened to be Mother's Day!):

Waterfall at the top of the picture - falling into a hole of melted snow.

When the downhill is treacherously slippery, slide down on your shoes.

Brady following Dawson's example and sliding down the hill.

Hiking some switchbacks up a mountain. 

It was super snowy once we got to the top of the mountain.

Brady's snow angel.

We hiked to this mountaintop lake - so beautiful with the snow-capped mountains in the background.

This little squirrel was eager to snag some of the tasty snacks the boys were eating.