My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

Your ultimate packing list, with expert-tested picks from our editors.

My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

Last updated:
October 2, 2025
|  5 min read
A person sitting on a rock by a lake.

My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

YouTube video highlight

Your ultimate packing list, with expert-tested picks from our editors.

Watch video

My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

No items found.

14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

Wondering what to pack for your upcoming trip to Rocky Mountain National Park? You’ve come to the right place. I was born and raised in Colorado and I know first-hand how tricky planning for a trip to the mountains can be. It’s not uncommon to experience below-freezing temperatures, hot and sunny afternoons, torrential rain and hail all in the same day. After many, many adventures, I’ve dialed in my gear list to 13 items I’ll never go on an overnight to the park without.

As part of the Outside family, we’re lucky to have a rockstar inhouse gear team that spends their time testing thousands of products each year so readers (and myself!) don’t have to. They are my trusted resource for all my own gear purchases, so I’ve included their best picks in each category (and links to their in-depth guides) to help you find your new favorite adventure items. This is what you should pack on your next trip to Colorado.

Continue reading to learn more about what to pack for a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, written by Mikaela Ruland.

My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

Wondering what to pack for your upcoming trip to Rocky Mountain National Park? You’ve come to the right place. I was born and raised in Colorado and I know first-hand how tricky planning for a trip to the mountains can be. It’s not uncommon to experience below-freezing temperatures, hot and sunny afternoons, torrential rain and hail all in the same day. After many, many adventures, I’ve dialed in my gear list to 13 items I’ll never go on an overnight to the park without.

As part of the Outside family, we’re lucky to have a rockstar inhouse gear team that spends their time testing thousands of products each year so readers (and myself!) don’t have to. They are my trusted resource for all my own gear purchases, so I’ve included their best picks in each category (and links to their in-depth guides) to help you find your new favorite adventure items. This is what you should pack on your next trip to Colorado.

Continue reading to learn more about what to pack for a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, written by Mikaela Ruland.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Editor in Chief
Mikaela Ruland
Mikaela is the editor in chief of National Park Trips.
Media Mentions

My Colorado Parks: 14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

14 Things to Pack for Rocky Mountain National Park

Wondering what to pack for your upcoming trip to Rocky Mountain National Park? You’ve come to the right place. I was born and raised in Colorado and I know first-hand how tricky planning for a trip to the mountains can be. It’s not uncommon to experience below-freezing temperatures, hot and sunny afternoons, torrential rain and hail all in the same day. After many, many adventures, I’ve dialed in my gear list to 13 items I’ll never go on an overnight to the park without.

As part of the Outside family, we’re lucky to have a rockstar inhouse gear team that spends their time testing thousands of products each year so readers (and myself!) don’t have to. They are my trusted resource for all my own gear purchases, so I’ve included their best picks in each category (and links to their in-depth guides) to help you find your new favorite adventure items. This is what you should pack on your next trip to Colorado.

Continue reading to learn more about what to pack for a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, written by Mikaela Ruland.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Editor in Chief
Mikaela Ruland
Mikaela is the editor in chief of National Park Trips.
Media Mentions
browse all articles
Here at Sawyer
September 27, 2021
6 Min
Down East: Ultra-Athlete Katie Spotz Bikes 360 Miles Across Maine
Read More

Media Mentions

We’ve used this filter for over 800 miles in the backcountry and it’s still the best option for clean drinking water.

Brett Kretzer
Brett Kretzer
Adventurer. Writer. Creator.

Media Mentions

Squeeze Water Filtration System by Sawyer

Garage Grown Gear
Media Mentions from Garage Grown Gear

Media Mentions

This popular repellent from Sawyer has 20% Picaridin, which protects against a wide range of insects, including mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, gnats, chiggers and sand flies.

Amylia Ryan
Associate Editor
<<  Previous Post
No previous post!
Check out our Directory
Next Post  >>
No next post!
Check out our Directory