Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
4
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
184 reviews
Excellent
79
Very good
68
Average
30
Poor
7
Terrible
0
LSUTraveller
Watson, LA1,925 contributions
May 2023
One of the best National Park Service Visitor Centers. Excellent interpretive experience. Easy access into the park (and as of this writing, the Fall River entrance is under construction) - so check your road status ahead of time.
Written June 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabrielle W
Mobile, AL392 contributions
Jun 2021
Unfortunately the main visitor center was closed when we visited (early June). Very interesting looking building. There is a really small trailer with a few gift store items and there's a limit of like 5 people in there so you might have to wait in line. The bathroom was good there though, flush toilets instead of the outhouse style you see all throughout the park.
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Skeney57
Sydney, Australia24,500 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
Have visited previously and as always, the best spot to drop in on your visit to RMNP to get the freshest information and tips from the Rangers on what is on & doable. Nice touch since last visit is the memorial to fallen Park Rangers, very moving and a nice tribute. The VC is well designed and fits in with the environment in looks & style plus take some time to view the exhibits inside.
Written May 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul W
1 contribution
Feb 2024 • Friends
I stayed in Condo # 7 during our annual FCPHL pond hockey tournament and had a great time. The condo and facilities were great, WE ate in the restaurant and had a wonderful buffalo meatloaf dinner with great service. The condo was comfortable and clean when we arrived, the staff was amazing and helpful and during our big Saturday night dinner with over 100 folks attending. The staff was helpful on all fronts, The catered dinner was awesome, and the facility was great for a big gathering in their pavilion. Thank you for making our pond hockey weekend a success for everyone.
Regards, Paul W
Regards, Paul W
Written February 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveler
12 contributions
Jun 2023
This visitor center is outside the park entrance. It seemed small and hectic when I went and had a very small selection of souvenirs. The Moraine Discovery Center inside the park is much better if you're looking for souvenirs.
Written July 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard R
Westminster, CO891 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
Welcome to the beautiful Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center of Rocky Mountain National Park. When visiting a national park your first instinct is to go to the visitor’s center so you can see the museum, watch the park movie, visit the gift shop and get timely information from a ranger or docent. This is the same line of reasoning by most new visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park. We are naturally drawn to the main entrance. Be warned, there are some pitfalls to this this line of reasoning in regards to Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center. Beaver Meadows has its positives and its negatives. Let’s begin by looking at the positives. The Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center was designed by Taliesin Associated Architects of Frank Lloyd Wright fame. This beautiful building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001. Take time to walk around the building and don’t forget to explore the exterior mezzanine. Note the huge ponderosa pines that were left undisturbed during the construction of the visitor’s center. Notice the stone exterior and oxidized iron work. Very beautiful the way it blends together and fit the environment. Every morning you can find mule deer grazing around the rear of the building on the Longs Peak side. Later in the day they rest in the shade of the ponderosa pine trees. Elk will visit too in the spring before moving to the highlands. From the mezzanine the view of Longs Peak is breath taking. The benches on the mezzanine provide a very nice place to sit, relax and enjoy the view. While exploring the exterior you will come across the public restroom building on the north east corner. In addition to the men’s and women’s sides there are two large family restrooms. These restrooms are open 24 hours a day, year round. During the warmer months there is a water bottle filling station for your convenience. There are a few historical plaques and information displays along the walk from the restrooms to the main entrance of the visitor’s center. Upon entering the visitor’s center, if you turn immediately to your left, you can go down a set of stairs to the auditorium where the park’s movie is played every half hour. The auditorium is also used for special presentations by the parks’ interpretive staff. In the lower lobby outside the auditorium is the large three dimensional topographical map of the park. Going back upstairs you will find the Rocky Mountain Nature Conservancy store where you can buy books and gifts that are related to the park. Across from the store is a lift that provides ADA access to both floors of the building. So those are the positives. Here are some things that will detract from the Visitor’s Center experience. There is no museum. There are only a couple of paintings to look at and that is it. You will find more of a museum experience in all the other visitor’s center including Fall River, Moraine Park, Alpine and Kawuneeche. Moraine Park has the most extensive museum in the park. All the other visitor’s centers have gift shops that are as big as or larger than the one in the Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center. Alpine and Fall River are both adjacent to larger commercial gift stores. While standing in the lobby of Beaver Meadows the biggest thing you will notice are the lines of people waiting to buy things in the gift store or lines of people waiting to get information from the rangers and docents. During peak times these lines can be maddeningly long. You can avoid this stressful situation. The very same information and merchandise is available at Fall River and Moraine Park Discovery Center. My suggestion is to stop at Beaver Meadows, see the movie, visit the restrooms, fill your water bottles and the head for Moraine Park, Fall River or Alpine. If you need hiking information you can get it at all visitor’s centers, as well as the Park and Ride and at Bear Lake. If you need campground information, go to the campground since the information at the visitor’s center probably is not current. You won’t need to stand in line at Beaver Meadows. Something else to keep in mind when approaching the park from the east. Watch for signs that provide information about delays entering the park. You can use your cell phone to access entrance station webcams to see how much traffic is backed up at Beaver Meadows and Fall River. Use the Hiker’s Shuttle to get into the park as there may not be room for your car. So, while Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center is a beautiful facility, it cannot handle the masses of visitor’s coming to the park. Beaver Meadows Visitor’s Center does not have all the amenities you might expect. You can save time by going to other visitor’s centers to get more global information that is available about the park and see a few more displays and actual hands on activities. Visit Beaver Meadows for the unique architecture and complimentary surroundings. It is very beautiful and historic.
Written May 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve0315
Shakopee, MN1,275 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
We visited on July 24, 2014.
Plently of parking and restrooms. Rangers at information desk were helpful with maps and directions.
Plently of parking and restrooms. Rangers at information desk were helpful with maps and directions.
Written August 10, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suby88
Colorado Springs, CO75 contributions
Sep 2013 • Friends
I've been to many national parks, and a visitor's center is always my first stop for information. This one was disappointing. It was small and sterile, and there was barely enough space to turn around in the gift shop. Even though there were 3 rangers, they didn't get around to all their visitors; I left after a 10 minute wait, because I didn't want to spend all that time waiting for a simple answer. (I just wanted another park map.
The only highlight was the film in the auditorium; it was pretty well made.
I really don't understand how such a large building can budget its space so poorly that most of the traffic is confined to a tiny area. The visitor center at my local state park is larger.
Tip: If the Trail Ridge Road is open, skip this visitor center and visit the Alpine Visitor Center instead. That one doesn't have more information, but it does have a very nice shop and cafe next door where you can actually find some good information and merchandise about the park.
The only highlight was the film in the auditorium; it was pretty well made.
I really don't understand how such a large building can budget its space so poorly that most of the traffic is confined to a tiny area. The visitor center at my local state park is larger.
Tip: If the Trail Ridge Road is open, skip this visitor center and visit the Alpine Visitor Center instead. That one doesn't have more information, but it does have a very nice shop and cafe next door where you can actually find some good information and merchandise about the park.
Written September 8, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2draw
McKinney, TX84 contributions
The visitor center was built after the architect's death by his firm. It incorporates the stone from the area and maximizes the setting. Check out the metal work on the exterior. It was made to complement the landscape. The building is flanked by tall pine. New restrooms have been built near the original structure to serve the large numbers of visitors. A hiker shuttle stop is also present.
The inside of the building has a small auditorium, book shop,restrooms an information desk and a model of the park.
The inside of the building has a small auditorium, book shop,restrooms an information desk and a model of the park.
Written March 31, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shane Liebler
Syracuse, NY42 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
We walked in, told them we were looking for a quick hike and they gladly helped us with suggestions that ended up being perfect.
Written September 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We’re doing a 35 mile backpack starting at bear lake trail head so all of our (heavy) gear will be with us at all times. Is there way to pick up a shuttle between beaver meadows visitor center and The bear lake trail head that doesn’t involve a 3 mile walk on the road? We can certainly walk that distance with our packs but would prefer not to end it looks like it’s all road walking. ROMO’s Website says shuttle stop at beaver meadows visitor center but apparently that information is several years old and is no longer true.
Written July 20, 2019
Annie......The shuttles are presently CHAOTIC. I KNOW you can get a ride from the VIsitor's Center in town, where the parking garage is.......AND you still may have to transfer to another shuttle......I would call Beaver Meadows Visitors center to CONFIRM whatever it is you want.
GOOD LUCK!
Written July 23, 2019
Does the Hiker Shuttle stop at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center on the return trip to Estes Park ? Or only on the way up the hill . . .
Written July 6, 2017
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