An awesome feeling of accomplishment! The four of us had made it to the top of Flat Top Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. My husband and I both 34 years old and our two young boys, ten and six. It was a wonderful feeling to know that we had hiked to the top of this vast mountain of 12,324 feet. Getting to this point was an adventure in itself!

We knew that we wanted an adventurous vacation that the whole family could enjoy. The beauty of the mountains had always intrigued us. Not only the beauty, but what the view would hold from the mountain top. Many flips through the Rand McNally Atlas and we had a destination in mind, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Now that we had a destination in mind, we needed to assess what activities we would partake in while visiting the park. Hiking was the activity of choice, as it looked adventurous and challenging for all of us.

Camping in the mountains is a fairly short lived season, within the campgrounds. Back-country camping is allowed all year long, but that was not an option for us. We made reservations at one of the campgrounds within the park about four months in advance. Due to the short season, the sites fill up rather quickly. The beauty is astounding and addicting once you have visited!

We now had a camp site reserved and needed to shop around for hiking gear for the family. We knew that each of us would need a back pack. My husband chose a larger pack, I opted for a larger fanny pack, and we purchased one smaller pack for the boys to share. Each pack had containers for water bottles on the outside. When hiking in mountainous terrain it is extremely important to have lots and lots of drinking water. At the higher elevation, your body needs more fluids to keep working properly.

Rain gear is another necessity when planning a hiking vacation. Inevitably, in Rocky Mountain National Park you will hike through a rain storm in the afternoon. You may hike through rain, sleet, snow, and hail. During these thunderstorms the temperatures quite often drop several degrees rather rapidly. If you are able to whip out a rain coat, pants, hat and gloves the remainder of your hike will be much more enjoyable. It is important to start your hike early in the day, preferably at or before the crack of dawn. This will reassure you that you will be off of the top of the mountain by the time the afternoon thunderstorms set in. Lightning strikes frequently and viciously.

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