Let's start out by addressing how fantastic it even is that there's a visitor center at this portion of Rocky Mountain National Park. Located at 11,796 feet, they have managed to create a wonderful visitor center that has plenty of exhibits, a small bookstore, a water bottle refill station, free Wi-Fi, and large, spacious bathrooms with running water - no pit toilets to be found here! Now take a moment to think about that - this visitor center is located at the highest elevation of all the national park visitor centers, and it's still more functional than a lot of other visitor centers I have visited. Paved roads leading up here with a large parking lot. Step outside of the center, and you will get the most breathing-taking view of the park. We came in June, and there was still snow all over the mountains. Right across the pavilion from the Visitor Center, you'll also find a huge gift shop with a small cafe inside if you want a wider variety of souvenirs or some snacks. But besides the beautiful lookout, make sure to walk over to the Alpine Ridge Trail. It's 0.6 miles round trip - one straight shot up the mountain to reach the summit at an elevation of 12,005. Gorgeous views. Definitely a more moderate hike - about 225 steps to climb, plus you're at a much higher elevation so make sure to pace your breathing. Overall, a great visitors center to visit on your Rocky Mountain National Park journey. A good amount to do up here, and it's worth the visit. read more

Alpine Visitors Center - Gift Shops Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

Being the national park junkie that I am, I have visited many visitor centers over the years. This one has to be one of my all-time favorites. It is the National Park system's highest visitor center at 11,796 feet above sea level. It is located at Fall River Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park. After an adventurous day of driving on Old Fall River Road, I finally made my way to this visitor center to rest and enjoy the views. There are several places both indoor and outdoor that offer sweeping views of the valleys below. Views from the Alpine Visitor Center include the Mummy Range, the Fall River Valley and Trail Ridge to the east and the Never Summer and Medicine Bow ranges to the west. I enjoyed being up close to the Glacial Cirque that is right outside of the visitor center. Inside the visitor center are exhibits on the alpine tundra, a gift shop, bookstore, restrooms and park rangers on hand to answer questions. Trail Ridge Store and Cafe is next door and has more gifts and food options. They also have a dining room if you want to sit down and eat. The Alpine Visitor Center is only accessible during the summer months. I highly recommend doing the short Alpine Ridge Trail just outside of the visitor center. It is a climb, but it will take you to a higher elevation. At 12,005 feet, you get amazing panoramic views of the whole area. read more

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This rest stop/visitors center was our last stop before turning around and heading back down the RMs. I don't know if there's anymore visitors centers after this point. I know this is the highest point (11,976 ft elevation, baby!) of the paved-road trail, so I'm assuming there's nothing but maybe outhouses past here, but don't hold me to it. Separate from the visitors center/info counter with rangers ready to answer any and all questions, there's a restaurant and souvenir shop in the building right next door. This is definitely the best shop, full of lots of shirts, keychains, postcards and magnets, you name it. I got two cool shirts and trail mix to share till we got back to Estes to meander around. read more

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Come stop by the highest Visitor Center in the United States! The Alpine Visitor Center makes a great stopping point and a great spot to stretch your legs. Traffic was very slowly turning into the parking lot, but once inside there was plenty of parking. You'll find restrooms, a large gift shop, and a cafe. We sipped our coffee, overlooking a gorgeous view of RMNP The panoramic views you'll enjoy at the Alpine Visitor Center are sure to take your breath away. Even if a visitor center doesn't usually make your list of stops, the convenient location of the Alpine Visitor Center near the heart of Rocky Mountain makes it the perfect detour for any guest itinerary. If you're feeling energetic you can take a long walk uphill to the Alpine Ridge Trail (We did not go). Because of its location, the Alpine Visitor Center is not open year-round and has limited hours during the shoulder season read more

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Located on the top of the mountain, super scary road driving up to there. Probably the highest elevation visitor center in any NP and it's got a large gift shop, cafe, and a great view of the Rockies. Lots of wildlife on the alpine tundra as well on trail ridge road. read more

Alpine Visitors Center - Gift Shops Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

After a beautiful day of hiking, my family and I drove up Trail Ridge Road to Alpine Visitors Center. It was a breathtaking ride, and though nerve wracking for me in a couple spots it wasn't as bad as expected. What was a sunny day turned into hail and wind up top--brrr! My son got very sick on the drive up to the center. When he fell asleep and started to have purple fingernails, we got very worried. Ranger Doug came by and checked him out along with Ranger Kat and took him back for altitude sickness treatment. They were BEYOND amazing with all of us and made sure we were 100% before giving us alternate directions back down to get my kiddo to lower elevation more quickly. My daughter was crying and so scared for her brother and Kat was incredible. She helped us feel at more ease and comforted my daughter. I can't say enough good things about the people at the Alpine Visitor Center. Huge huge thank you to them for being so fantastic. The staff at the shop/cafe were kind and prompt too. I didn't get to check much out due to our circumstances, but the menu had some vegan and vegetarian options, including pierogi. Polish food at high altitude, how cool. Next time! read more

I had heard about the drive up in the weeks leading up to our trip, so I was pretty nervous as we started the sharp turns leading to the top. It's really not terrible as long as you keep your wits about you. Once we reached the Visitors Center, there was a ton of information inside, and the rangers were very helpful and informative about the many trails and features around the park. read more

The drive up / back to this place from Estes Park will take you about an hour each way (on Hwy 36). There are a number of segments where you are driving with no guard rail along a fairly steep slope, so if you have an issue with heights this drive may not be for you. We visited around 1:30 p.m. on a Wednesday in August. When we arrived, the parking lot was at capacity. We joined a line of cars that were entering in search of spaces as they became available. I initially feared that we would not be able to find a space, but luckily two opened up and we were able to get one. I don't know how early / late you need to arrive such that parking is not an issue. And for all I know, we arrived during a lull; it could be worse at other times... We skipped the center itself and opted to hike up the 200 feet to the summit of the mountain. There are stairs for much of this. The main challenge is the thin atmosphere at this height (12,005 feet at the top). It was fairly crowded also. There are good views from most areas of this site. I do not think there is any food-vending at this site. We noted people eating but they had all brought food with them. This is a part of RMNP that is definitely worth a stop. read more

Good selection of gifts and souvenirs although overpriced. Food was also overpriced and a bit lacking in variety. However, the views are excellent even though I came in September after most of the snow has melted away and the first snow of winter has yet to come. Definitely take it easy here if you're feeling the effects of the altitude and maybe get one of those cans of oxygen if you're really hurting. read more

Alpine Visitors Center - Alpine visitor center viewed from the Alpine Ridge Trail in early September. - Gift Shops Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

I love this place for so many reasons... #1 - Shopping in the middle of nowhere! Now I realize that I'm supposed to be enjoying the park (which I was), but this place has some amazing finds. Great crafts... beautiful pottery... one of a kind jewelry... and it all appears to be made in the great state of Colorado! I bought a really pretty green and blue pot for only $30. Plus, they wrapped it up safely for my airplane for free! #2 - It's COLD out there. Don't think for a sec that just because it's July you can't technically get into a snowball fight up there! It's high up, cold and windy. The air feels a little thin. With that being said, the buildings give you a bit of a respite from the teeth chattering cold wind. #3 - Great views. Yes, this is why I came to Rocky Mountain National Park! An amazing stop with plenty of parking, 360 degree landscapes and plenty of animals roaming the tundra. Do stop here on your way through the park. Chances are you'll be needing a restroom by the time you hit it so you may as well get some shopping done while you're there. PS - This place must rake it in from people like myself who think just because it's summer down in Estes it must be summer at 12,000 feet (duh). Sick of freezing for the past two hours in an outfit meant for 90 degree weather, I most definitely bought myself a fleece sweatshirt and very, very thankful that I did! read more

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They have everything you need up here to warm up on a cold day. Best to arrive early, as this place fills up fast! Short stair climb bearby provides beautiful mountain too views and a clear view if the glacier carved out region below the visitor center. No need to rush up the 187 ft stair climb as oxygen levels are only at 65% at this elevation. The entire little hike here is only 3/4 of a mile round-trip Another great trail across the street goes down through Milner Pass to Poudre Lake. The return climb is all uphill but includes breathtaking mountain and small lake views, outbound. Alternatively, most people park down by Poudre Lake and hike up to the Alpine Visitor's Center instead of this route. Note: no cell service read more

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Last Sunday / Monday / Tuesday I found a parking space @ the Alpine Visitors Center 3x upon entering the lot. Inside the Center, I enjoyed the interesting exhibits depicting animal life seen in the Alpine area. The AVC, Trail Ridge Store & Cafe', & Restrooms are located in the tundra above the treeline. Temp was an invigorating 46+-. Suggest a jacket & secure headwrap. Hiking Huffers Hill took me above 12,000', where the vista was breathtaking. I took 3 bottles of water & a bottle of oxygen. I felt like I WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!! The views through the back windows of the Store were awesome, including a small glacier. read more

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I'm pretty sure this visitor center was expanded to offer more food options, and it's a real improvement. Being able to get a pretty-darn-good BBQ Pork Sandwich is a new and welcome development. The biggest problem is parking: several times I have passed by or tried to get a spot, only to find the lot 100% full. read more

It was quite the adventure climbing up to the heights of this place - a definite white knuckle experience! I was THRILLED that their was a place to relax, do some shopping and basically, gather my barings for the ride back down. read more

Was closed when I got there....(after hours). But the view was great! Fabulous destination.

Beautiful place, not the best service.. went in there 15 minutes prior to close to grab a drink and they wouldn't allow me to buy a single can of soda or water for my kids... the lunch menu was decent earlier in the day, but the cheeseburger was the plainest nothing of a burger I've ever tasted.. my son had an elk bratwurst that was absolutely amazing though! The place is nice and decently priced for a National Park but it was very irritating to not be sold a soda because they closed up everything early.. there were still people in there shopping for clothes, souvenirs etc but the drinks were simply refused to us?? read more

The Alpine Visitors Center is a nice place to stop on Trail Ridge Road (or at the top of Old Fall River Road). In fact, it is THE place to stop on Trail Ridge Road about halfway on your drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. At 11,796 ft, the views (above treeline) are as good as those along the road and the parking lot is big. Inside the Visistors Center are clean bathrooms, maps, park rangers, a small gift shop, and a small informational display area with stuffed animals. Across the parking lot is the Trail Ridge Cafe and Store (separate Yelp listing) that has a seasonal snack bar, larger gift/gear store, and dining with a view. read more

Alpine Visitors Center - Entrance - Gift Shops Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

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I am very glad that the visitor center is up there. I had my sixteen-year-old daughter with us on our way up Fall River Road, and she had a bladder issue by the time we got to the Visitor Center. Further, she is a bit of a town mouse, and I think having that little bit of pavement up there made the experience a bit more comforting. The restrooms were clean. The view from the Alpine Visitors Center as usual was grand, looking down as it does on a bowl-shaped valley that must be a source of many of the streams and waterfalls below. There was still unmelted ice in the hillside. I walked the steps leading up the slope on the other side of the parking lot; when you get to the top, a sign announces you are at 12,005 feet. I believe this is the highest you can get in the park without packing up one of the rugged trails leading to the top of the many fourteeners (peaks at 14,000 feet or higher; I have myself been to the top of Flat Top Mountain, one of the easier fourteeners to scale). Keep walking past that 12,005 foot high signage, and you will find yourself an amazing view of the glaciated Poudre Valley. Where the glacier was can easily be seen; in that location the ground is scoured clean of trees. The gift shop as usual had nice quality merchandise, and we bought an Indian handcrafted soapstone piece for my mother-in-law back in Chicago. I was interested to learn that the visitors center gift and snack shops are now run by the Fred Harvey Trading Company, a division of Xanterra. Apparently that whole side of the Alpine Visitor Center has been privatized. Though I am thankful that they still carry quality Indian crafts, in general I find the total immersion in knick knacks and souvenirs distasteful. Due to remodeling the snack shop was a ghost of its former self. The only things available for sale were packaged goods and god-knows-how-old hot dogs. The coffee was weak and stale. There was no place for diners to sit once they had ordered food. If you wanted to buy an apple, there was no place to wash it. I bought a mottled banana of great apparent age. It was the least unappealing item up there. read more

Alpine Visitors Center - Gift Shops Near Me - Estes Park, Colorado

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Wide variety of souvenirs to choose from. Nice little cafe there too! Friendly staff, great views too!

We had great weather for our trip in September 2019 and the drive to and from the Visitor's Center was gorgeous. The center was a bit crowded even though a Ranger had told us the park didn't have many visitors this time of year, it's the off-season now. Still, it wasn't overwhelming, just noticeable. That didn't bug us, it was fine to see so many people enjoying the Visitor's Center. Their gift shop was wonderful, bathrooms were clean and well-cared for, Rangers were knowledgeable and helpful. We were able to buy something I'd never seen in any other gift shop - wooden postcards! Which are totally mailable, but not for a regular postcard rate. Because they don't bend, they are considered parcels and the cheapest parcel rate is like $3.75, as we found out at the Post Office. The only thing I'd mention in the way of a negative is that there may be no vegan items on the menu if you want to eat something at this center. They offer sweet potato fries, but they may come served with cheese or something like that, so ask before you purchase. read more

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I enjoy this visitor's center and gift shop. Yes, it's crowded, but not sure what people expect during tourist season! The center is easily accessible via car on Trail Ridge Road, so yea, it's gonna be busy. But that makes for great people watching! Although, tourists can be pretty rude at times. It honestly makes me feel proud to live here in CO and happy that I'm able to spend a lot of time in the Park. I see tourists taking pictures, enjoying family time, and loving the scenery. It takes me back to the first few trips I came on and I fell in love with the state, and the Park. I like the gift shop too. I usually pick up some things for my family in PA. The great thing about this gift shop is that you can purchase items that have RMNP on them versus Estes Park, like all the gift shops in town. The snack shop isn't special. For some reason when we were here just the other weekend I was craving fries, not good fries, you know the Sysco kind! I thought for sure they would have some but nope, just some sandwiches and chips. I settled for a coffee instead. The views are spectacular, inside and out. There are nice restrooms that are clean. This is a definite must do while in the Park, at least once. Be prepared for tourist mania and of course, for cold temperatures and big winds. It's a nice chance to get out and stretch too. read more

I will fondly remember my cup of coffee with an 11,000+ foot view and deep breaths of fresh, thin mountain air. We arrived here after seeing a herd of elk, many hardcore mountain cyclists, breathtaking scenic views (literally breathtaking; remember the air is thin), and views of clouds you just can't find at sea level. We wandered in the gift shop, but skipped the visitor center to eat sandwiches outside on the rock wall between the two buildings. (It was summertime when we visited.) Staff was friendly, bathrooms were clean. I would make this stop again. read more

A very nice place to stop while on Trail Ridge road. It is quite a climb up via car regardless if you are coming up from Estes Park or Grand Lake. Lots of good scenery to take pictures of and absorb. The visitor's center has lots of great information and history about the park and offers wonderful views to the typical car driver. A must if you are driving through the park! read more

This 5 star review goes to the whole experience of driving on Trail Ridge Road. Absolutely spectacular. One of the best experiences of my life!! read more

This is a must stop on your journey through the park. They have a huge gift shop with all the regular souvenir stuff but, also Native American art and jewelry. If you're hungry they have a snack bar with all the refreshments you would want. The views from here are spectacular. read more

Stopped on our way up Trail Ridge Road in June. The place was PACKED. They've got a visitor's center, restrooms, gift shop and snack bar with tables at which to eat. Although it was about 102 at the base of the mountains, it was about 65 up at the top. Crazy. Frankly I'd rather bring a picnic and enjoy beautiful nature rather than being in this commercial madness. To each their own though. read more

Website shows open. Calling number listed just gets you to pre-recorded message that mentions nothing of being closed. Park rangers don't mention closing. Get there...Closed. General public restroom facilities almost made me puke due to the smell. Seriously, just update your site if you are not going to be open. read more

The Visitor Center was not helpful. It seemed like the staff was ready to leave. 10 minutes before close, the restrooms were cordoned off. Staff took turns yelling aloud the number of minutes to closing; "The Visitor Center will close in 9 minutes". "The Visitor Center will close in 8 minutes". "The Visitor Center will close in 7 minutes ". Not necessary. It costs nothing to be courteous. There were 4 staffers. Two could've easily kindly informed visitors as they arrived that the center closes at 5 o'clock. read more

I am deathly afraid of heights. This can be a shocker to some because I love hiking mountains, especially peaks. I can proudly say that I am a thrill seeker and enjoy getting the living daylights scared out of me. The accomplishment at the end of an adventure is what drives me to look passed this intruding fear and jump in head first. As we drove up the windy road, I held on to my then SO leg until he told me that I was digging my nails too deep into his arm, leg, any limb I could find. Not the good digging, but the, "you're-hurting-the-hell-out-of-me. Let-go and-breathe-digging." All I kept telling myself was, "Don't look down." And of course, I did numerous times. I don't like to listen to authority, and clearly, I don't listen to myself either. On the way, we managed to hike an extremely steep mountainside. I watched every little step I made, cringed with delight, spotted several animals atop, and got a killer (thank goodness this wasn't literal) workout to boot. Yours truly made it to the top of this spectacular visitor center, drove by enormous glaciers, enjoyed a warm, delicious lunch, somehow got it down after an hour of being queasy, and took in breathtaking views from the top of the world. I'm happy to say that I made a smooth transition from the car to the cafeteria even after a couple of hours of freaking out. Though I should note, I do apologize for the transitions in this review. My paragraphs are all over the place, but this goes perfectly with the scattered brain afternoon I had here. As far as the visitor center goes, there are several eating options, including soups and sandwiches that are actually very tasty. If you feel like doing some shopping, don't fret, the AVC has the coolest, largest knick knacks to spend a pretty penny or two. Note: The road can be a little bumpy from time to time. Parking at the top can be challenging at times, too, but don't let these minor nuisances stand in your way. A drive to the Rockies wouldn't be the same without witnessing the views from the Alpine Visitors Center. An out of body experience in the making. Acrophobia folks: If you're like me, don't look down (listen to yourself), take a piece of spearmint gum in case you get nauseous, don't drive, bring happy music for the ride, and trim your nails. Your driving companion will appreciate it. read more

Favorite thing we did in Colorado was the drive up trail ridge rd definitely a must do!!!!

After driving on Trail Ridge Road for hours, and getting altitude sickness... this was the site for my sore eyes. One Bathroom break, one kitschy gift shop perusal, and one delicious pulled pork sandwich later... I still had altitude sickness. But at least I got to check in to civilization before continuing on with my epic quest of Trail Ridge Road. read more

I bought my daughter a $20 stuffed squirrel. Two days later she accidently left it at Culvers and it was taken. When we returned home I called the gift shop, talked to the manager (Daniel?) and explained the situation. I mentioned she had a toy elk in the squirrel's arms. He shipped it off the following Monday and I received it Friday, with the elk in it's arms. Didn't fool her into thinking it was the same one but it was sent including shipping for less than $40. Made me and my little girl happy! read more

This center is always packed every time we go. Don't go on a weekend it's even worse. The staff is friendly but the souvenirs are the same as what you can get down below. Dress warm. The sandwich was good but expensive. Go for the view and the experience not the food or the souvenirs. read more

$2.49 for a Snickers bar. Criminal. I'd rather starve. And I did. Love RMNP, but this place sucks.

A great comfort stop Thanks for being there. The Park itself is real draw, and I give it 6 stars.