Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are breathtakingly beautiful: mountains, river runs, lakes, plentiful wildlife and more. However, it can be pretty high in altitude. Altitude sickness can be a debilitating experience as your body tries to adjust to the altitude where you are at.
If you're planning to visit you probably are wondering can you get altitude sickness in Estes Park? Being based in Colorado we know altitude sickness well, we will answer if you can get altitude sickness in Estes Park and how to best prepare.
Estes Park is at an elevation of 7,522 feet, which is considered high altitude. It is a popular destination for tourists to enjoy the stunning scenery and mountains in Colorado.
It is at the foot of Rocky Mountain National Park, which rises to elevations between 7,860 feet to 14,259 feet above sea level. Of course you won't get to 14,000 feet heights unless you're climbing the largest mountains, but even driving to places like Forest Canyon Overlook will get you to 11,712 feet.
Altitude sickness is typically defined as being 8,000 feet or higher, but can start developing as low as 3,000 to 5,000 feet. For example, visitors coming to our city of Denver at 5,280 feet can even feel altitude sickness symptoms.
So can you get altitude sickness in Estes Park? Yes. Altitude sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), can be a problem for people visiting Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park whether on vacation or on business.
These high altitude environments present a series of challenges including cold temperatures, intense sun, and reduced oxygen. Whether you get altitude sickness in Estes Park will depend on you. Some people have no symptoms at all while others are overwhelmed by the negative effects of elevation.
The most common symptoms of altitude sickness are headache, nausea, sleeping issues, fatigue, dizziness, and loss of appetite. If you begin to feel these symptoms while visiting the park, it is important to look at the steps to help below. The best way to avoid altitude sickness while visiting the park is be preventative.
To plan your Estes Park trip accordingly if you want to know how to avoid altitude sickness, follow these three steps to prevent altitude sickness.
Our Zaca Chewables are formulated with both Glutathione and Dihydromyricetin (DHM), along with a unique blend of herbs and antioxidants to help combat the high altitude effects and physiological stress on your body. The perfect solution to help whether on vacation or hiking and climbing -- they can help aid hydration, fight free radical damage, and boost overall performance. Try our zaca chewables today and feel better during your high altitude trip!
SOURCES:
1. Effect of high altitude (7,620 m) exposure on glutathione
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11320641/
2. Dihydromyricetin Improves Physical Performance under Simulated High Altitude
https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2014/11000/Dihydromyricetin_Improves_Physical_Performance.6.aspx
3. Estes Park Elevation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estes_Park,_Colorado
