Sprague Lake is a summertime main attraction, but also a great destination in spring/Robert Burns

Editor's note: This is a special advertiser-supported article from the Essential Park Guide, Spring 2015.

Rising before the sun, I was out the cabin door not long after its rays started cascading on the Continental Divide. The early departure was necessary to catch the gentle morning light warming the landscape of Rocky Mountain National Park. I also wanted to snag a parking spot at Bear Lake and head up the trail.

My pace, and the sun climbing higher in the sky, combined to convince me to shed my outer layer before I reached Nymph Lake, which is cradled by pines barely a half-mile up from the trailhead. For those unaccustomed to the park'™s elevation, this lake, at 9,700 feet, is a good first-day destination. You get to stretch your legs, acclimate your lungs, and enjoy a beautiful setting. Log benches provide great resting spots with views of 12,713-foot Hallett Peak reflecting off the water.

Arrive early enough, and quietly enough, and you might see some of the locals '“ elk '“ come down to the water for a quick slurp.

Spring is a favored season in the national park with locals and repeat visitors. Park visitation is lower, and the mountains are coming alive with new growth, new babies, and refreshed views.

If you'™re not camping in the park, Estes Park is a smart springtime base camp. Not only are Rocky Mountain'™s Fall River and Beaver Meadows entrance stations practically in town, but roughly two-thirds of the park'™s 355 miles of trails thread through the eastern half of the park. That means plenty of options for both avoiding the snow...and seeking it out. And, there are plenty of lodging choices to consider, from log cabins along rippling creeks to high-end suites.

Winter is somewhat milder on the eastern side of the Continental Divide, which means trails in spring generally will dry out more quickly than those on the western side. But that'™s not to say you wouldn'™t want some shoe traction, or even snowshoes, in your daypack if you'™re planning to push as high as your legs will carry you.

While a snowy start to spring can make the hike to Nymph Lake more challenging, lower elevation options such as Sprague Lake, Gem Lake and Mill Creek Basin await.

Or, you could enjoy hours at Bear Lake. If the snows have melted off, stroll the wonderful nature trail that wraps the lake. It'™s just a bit over a half-mile in length, and basically level, so a great option for youngsters just getting their hiking legs under them.

Looking for wildlife? Check Horseshoe Park and Sheep Lakes not far inside the Fall River Entrance for both elk and bighorn sheep, but admire them from a distance so you don'™t stress them (and for your safety). After the winter months they need to put on, not unnecessarily burn off, calories.

Spring snowmelt fuels Alberta Falls, which you can find a short distance from Bear Lake/Kurt Repanshek 

April can be a stormy month, and if the weather becomes too challenging to be outdoors, Estes Park'™s streets abound with possibilities. You could explore Western history through the exhibits at the Estes Park Museum, tour a historic hotel, or take part in a craft beverage tasting at a local distillery, winery, or brewery.

Rocky Mountain National Park is celebrating its centennial this year, and the celebration has filled the calendar with events tied to the park'™s birthday. The Estes Park Museum, for instance, has exhibits and talks celebrating the park'™s climbing history. There are concerts, field trips, and special talks on tap in the town and in the park.

This week you could attend a program April 27 at the Estes Park Museum that looks at the pioneers of climbing in the park. The Western Heritage Art and Artisan Show and Sale will be spread over the Memorial Day weekend at the Stanley Fairgrounds Pavilion Building in Estes Park.

Whenever you visit, after your day in the park, or before if you'™re an early riser, consider a stroll along the riverwalk near Elkhorn Avenue. There you'™ll find the tumbling Fall River and inviting shops and restaurants. Ahead of your trip, explore VisitEstesPark.com/Centennial to see what other events or programs will coincide with your visit and to learn more about the first 100 years of Rocky Mountain National Park.

While you don'™t need a birthday celebration as an excuse to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, it certainly works this year.