Rocky Mountain National Park vs. Great Smoky Mountains NP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RMNP by a landslide


Base yourself in Breckinridge. Only 2 hours from Denver. Easy access. Gorgeous hiking. Cute town with shops and good restaurants.

While I found Acadia nice, IMO it doesn’t measure up at all to the Rockies.

?? Breckenridge is the opposite direction of RMNP from Denver. It's 2 hours away from park entrance.

[Anonymous]

We’ve done both. The Rockies are incredible. But we did have altitude sickness and it was actually cool in August- maybe too cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RMNP by a landslide


Base yourself in Breckinridge. Only 2 hours from Denver. Easy access. Gorgeous hiking. Cute town with shops and good restaurants.

While I found Acadia nice, IMO it doesn’t measure up at all to the Rockies.

I'm not questioning the cuteness of Breckenridge, but it's two hours from RMNP. If the actual park is one's goal, Estes Park would be the logical choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’ve done both. The Rockies are incredible. But we did have altitude sickness and it was actually cool in August- maybe too cool.

Wear a fleece. You'll be fine. If you're actually breathing and moving, you'll take it off. The average temps for August for Estes Park are 76/48.

[Anonymous]

we spent 2 nights in Denver to adjust to the altitude--I didn't know at the time that not being able to get to sleep was a symptom, and here was my DD at 10:30 pm telling me she can't sleep (12:30 am our east coast time). It was worth the 2 nights there before we moved up to Estes Park for a few nights.

[Anonymous]

We were ok as far as altitude sickness in the Rocky Mountains Park, but be prepared for your day to go a little slower. A hike that would have been nothing in the Smokies was exhausting up at 12000+ feet. The Old Fall River Road is amazing but take that drive slowly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RMNP by a landslide


Base yourself in Breckinridge. Only 2 hours from Denver. Easy access. Gorgeous hiking. Cute town with shops and good restaurants.

While I found Acadia nice, IMO it doesn’t measure up at all to the Rockies.

I'm not questioning the cuteness of Breckenridge, but it's two hours from RMNP. If the actual park is one's goal, Estes Park would be the logical choice.

Oh - good point. I wasn’t thinking OP was bound by the actual park - Breckinridge and a number of other cute towns in CO have access to maxing hiking and nature in the Rockies as well. But if RMNP is the definite goal, then yes, not Breckenridge

[Anonymous]

Just returned from the Smokys and loved it! Rented a cabin outside of Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg. It was way up on the side of a mountain ....awesome views for miles of the lush green Smokys. So much to do outside and inside. No altitude issues. We were in Breckenridge this winter skiiing ..I dunno how people on vaca could do a lot of outdoorsy activities before adjusting to the altitude. I was breathless walking to the ski lift. Temps in the Smokys (not the foresty areas) are similar to here but a little less humidity. Hiking in the Park is very shaded and feels much cooler plus there is always a watering hole to play in. While the Smoky may bet as dramtic and jagged as the Rockies ...they are IMO way more lush, green, scenic, babbling streams, waterfalls, tons of hiking, blacks bears, wild turkey, elk. The road to our cabin was more thrilling than anything I had to drive in CO too. I gotta say I was impressed with the Smokys..more so then I was with the Rockies ...albeit I did not visit a Nat'l park in the Rockies. The Smoky National Park is the idyllic national park. And then you have downtown Pigeon Forge, Gatlingburg and Dollywood ...its like Disney but in the Mtns with the greatest kids adventures - mtn coasters, go karts, water park, rides galore.

[Anonymous]

What about Glaciar NP and Yellowstone?

[Anonymous]

The Rocky Mtn trip needs to be planned out and stay at a lower elevation for about 2 days if you have not been to high elevation before.

I can not see myself driving up to 12k feet because there is a high chance I will get high altitude sickness. I feel it at 7k feet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from the Smokys and loved it! Rented a cabin outside of Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg. It was way up on the side of a mountain ....awesome views for miles of the lush green Smokys. So much to do outside and inside. No altitude issues. We were in Breckenridge this winter skiiing ..I dunno how people on vaca could do a lot of outdoorsy activities before adjusting to the altitude. I was breathless walking to the ski lift. Temps in the Smokys (not the foresty areas) are similar to here but a little less humidity. Hiking in the Park is very shaded and feels much cooler plus there is always a watering hole to play in. While the Smoky may bet as dramtic and jagged as the Rockies ...they are IMO way more lush, green, scenic, babbling streams, waterfalls, tons of hiking, blacks bears, wild turkey, elk. The road to our cabin was more thrilling than anything I had to drive in CO too. I gotta say I was impressed with the Smokys..more so then I was with the Rockies ...albeit I did not visit a Nat'l park in the Rockies. The Smoky National Park is the idyllic national park. And then you have downtown Pigeon Forge, Gatlingburg and Dollywood ...its like Disney but in the Mtns with the greatest kids adventures - mtn coasters, go karts, water park, rides galore.

I’m glad you had a great vacation, but I was underwhelmed by the Smokies and the surrounding area. I thought it was a nice low key trip, but not one that is as dramatic and different as the Rockies. They’re just not the same trip.