What to Wear Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park
This is part of my Girl’s Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park! Everything you need to know, from the best day hikes to the best places to eat. Check out all my posts by clicking here.
Today I’m sharing advice for what women should wear on summer day hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Hope you find it helpful for your trip!
Weather
In general, this part of Colorado is toasty and sunny during the day, with highs reaching into the 90’s, and then at night a chill sweeps in. (Which feels lovely, and is perfect for s’mores at the Stanley Hotel, in my book.)
What to Wear
Whit’s Recommendation
- Quick dry pants (I love prAna’s Halle and Brenna pants!)
- or, quick dry shorts (I love prAna’s Ashe shorts)
- Sleeveless or short sleeve top
- Lightweight half or full zip (such as the Merrell Women’s Soto Half Zip)
- Rain jacket (a MUST)
- Shoes: hiking shoes such as the Merrell Siren Sport or Salomon Ellipse GTX
- Sunscreen and a hat
- Sunglasses
- Optional: light down jacket for chillier days
Always always always take the rain jacket with you! It rains sporadically in the park. I also recommend taking the half zip in your daypack. Sometimes chilly weather can roll in, or you’ll want to picnic in the shade, and you’ll wish for it.
Liz’s Recommendation
- “Always carry a light rain coat when you go hiking in the park! The weather changes in an instant in the Rockies 😀 We got snowed on this past trip..”
Ha and Aaricka’s Recommendation
- Ha: “We didn’t do any strenuous hiking so clothes weren’t really an issue. It was hotter than I expected, I had come with fleeces and boots and jeans and it ended up being really hot. I took off my fleece and put it back on about ten times. :)”
[Whit’s note: Ha and Aaricka hiked the trails mentioned in the previous post.]
- Aaricka: “I think my fleece saved me. Anything that’s below 75 feels freezing, so that fleece I wore pretty much the entire time and it was nice. No wind could go through it. What I wanted to endorse was my Salomon Sense Pro Trail Running Shoes. I was really happy I brought these because they’re easy to pack, super flexible, have a lot of traction, and when we walked across the snow or mud it was no problem. They were perfect because we weren’t backpacking or doing anything off trail.”
[Whit’s note: Salomon brand trail running or hiking shoes are perfect for light Colorado day hikes!]
Ultimately, the main point here is layering!
Happy hiking ladies!
