Erp1938 wrote:
Going to Estes Park Co...
I don't have any camera advice that relates to you as I use a bridge camera.
However, I've been spending my summers near Estes Park since the 1960's and may have some useful information.
Someone else has already pointed out that you need a timed entry permit for your car. This is different that an entrance ticked, which you will also need to purchase either online or when you enter the park for the first time. The timed entry permits are of two varieties: all areas including Bear Lake, and all areas but excluding Bear Lake. Bear Lake is one of the most scenic parts of the park with lots of hiking options and is therefore in high demand. Each entry permit will cost you $2. The entry is timed, but once you are in the park you can stay all day. Approximately 1/2 of the entry permits go on sale on the first of the month, preceding the month for which they are to be used. In other words, on July 1 you can purchase entry permits for the entire month of August. If you are going to be there in August, I strongly urge you to get the permits on July 1. (Maybe I shouldn't be telling you this, because you and I will be competing for the August permits!) The other approximate 1/2 of entry permits go on sale the day before. In other words, permits for July 10 will go on sale on July 9. They will be gone in minutes.
Here is a link to the timed entry website:
https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086910Even though entry permits are timed, expect long lines to get into the park, unless you are really early in the AM.
Let me second the recommendation that someone else made to drive the loop that takes you up to Trail Ridge via Old Fall River Road. It is one lane, one way, gravel with a 15 MPH speed limit. You'll probably go slower than that. It meets Trail Ridge at the Alpine Visitors center. Once there you can continue west on Trail Ridge to the Continental Divide or beyond, or you can go east on Trail Ridge back to Estes.
Before you get onto Old Fall River Road I recommend a stop at the Alluvial Fan. Once on Old Fall River Road there are some interesting falls and trail heads.
Fall River Road is the only place in the park where I have seen big horn sheep up close. They were only a few feet away from the car on the mountain side. Don't count on it though as that was my once in a lifetime viewing. You will probably see marmots. Elk sightings are also common. Sometimes you may find yourself waiting while a large herd ambles across Trail Ridge. From my experience, bear sightings are more common than big horn sheep, but also rare.
If you are in shape for it, you should hike up the tundra trail from the Alpine Visitor center, or a very similar trail from the Rock Cut pullout. The latter will be on your left on the way back to Estes from the Alpine Visitor center. Both trails are paved but steep with lots of stair steps and go through the tundra for about a mile, with fabulous views in all directions. You'll be hiking at about 11,000 feet, so plan to pace yourself.
If you are in shape for hikes that are longer than a mile or so, here are some other recommendations: Longs Peak (extremely strenuous, and you need to start your hike at around 4-5 AM with a headlamp, and don't attempt if you have a fear of heights), Chasm Lake (also from the Longs Peak trailhead along highway 7 that runs south from Estes), Twin Sisters (again along highway 7), Lily Lake (across the road from Twin Sisters trail head along highway 7, level, wheel chair accessible, about a mile around the lake) any of the hikes from Bear Lake, but especially Flattop Mountain, the Ute Trail from Trail Ridge road (you can hike this one-way down if you can arrange for pickup when you get down). I'll add the standard warning here. Thunderstorms are very common and can materialize in a manner of minutes in the afternoon due to the way that the jet stream and prevailing winds carry humid air across the mountain peaks. It seems to me that almost every summer a few people get hit by lightning and deaths are not uncommon.
One final comment. Another fabulous high altitude drive, somewhat similar to Trail Ridge, is the road up Mount Evans. Somewhat south of I70, It is probably closer to Denver than to Estes, but you can get to the entry in about 90 minutes from Estes. It is the highest paved road in the US. I've seen mountain goats up there. The views, again, are fantastic. It may also have entry restrictions, so check in advance.