Roosevelt National Forest 4x4 tour: Sunset, fire & thrills

Drive steep terrain to a private tower, then roast dinner over fire with views of Long's Peak and Denver

This 4-hour evening 4x4 photo adventure in Roosevelt National Forest takes you off-road in an open-top custom vehicle to a private 360-degree viewing tower for sunset, then down to a pavilion where you roast hot dogs and marshmallows over a fire while watching the light fade over Long's Peak and Denver. The guide drives you up a steep, boulder-strewn natural recliner, educates you on the aspen groves and peaks along the way, and brings you back down through the most thrilling section of the route after dark. Children from age 4 are welcome. Wet-weather gear and blankets are provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening 4x4 adventure and campfire

• Leave store and drive highway
• Rock crawl over boulders
• Ride through Aspen grove
• Stop for guide's vegetation talk
• View Indian Peaks Wilderness
• Drive steep recliner to tower
• Visit private viewing tower
• Relax and eat by fire
• Descend recliner back down
• Ride through thrilling water bars
• Return through Rock Garden boulder field
• Drive back with views of Lake Estes
• Finish experience at storefront

The experience

Roosevelt National Forest sits less than 10 minutes from the Estes Park store, but once you leave the highway, you're in over three hours of backcountry terrain. The open-top vehicle climbs through a rock crawl, passes through one of the largest living aspen groves in the world, and stops for 15–20 minutes while your guide explains the vegetation and the Indian Peaks Wilderness views. Then comes the signature moment: a steep, hands-behind-your-head descent into a natural recliner that only a 4x4 can handle, ending at a private viewing tower with 360-degree sight lines to Long's Peak, the Stanley Hotel, the Mommy Range, and on clear nights, Denver and Pikes Peak.

At the pavilion, you spend over an hour roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire while the light drains from the peaks. Water, chips and snacks are provided. You're welcome to bring your own drinks. The restroom is here too. Once the fire dies down, the ride back is the tour's most thrilling stretch: your guide navigates natural water bars and boulder fields through the aspen grove in the dark, with the vehicle rocking and rolling as you climb out of the forest. The final 10 minutes bring you back toward Estes Park with views of Lake Estes and Lumpy Ridge before you return to the store.

The vehicle is open-air with a bikini top if rain comes. Frog Toggs full-body rain gear is provided, and you'll want to bring layers since you're exposed to the evening chill. The whole experience is built around the fire and the views, not a rushed loop of stops. The pace gives you time to settle into the landscape and the company.

What’s included

• All off-road driving in a custom open-top 4x4 vehicle with an experienced guide.
• wet-weather gear and blankets.
• hot dogs, marshmallows, chips, snacks and bottled water.
• access to the private 360-degree viewing tower.
• fire pavilion with views of Long's Peak and Denver.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday, Friday and SundayDeparts at 16:30Last departure this season: 1 Nov

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 60

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by WildSide 4x4 Tours

Is this one for you?Bring the family if you want the off-road thrills and the fire-roasting time bundled together. The 4-hour loop holds both without rushing either one, and kids from age 4 get the full experience of steep terrain and open-air views without a separate kids' version.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the private viewing tower like, and what can I actually see from it?

The private 360-degree tower sits at the top of a steep natural recliner in Roosevelt National Forest and shows Long's Peak, the Stanley Hotel, Old Man Mountain, the Mommy Range, many 12,000-foot peaks, Denver, and Pikes Peak on clear nights. You spend up to 30 minutes there before heading down to the fire pavilion.

How much of this tour is actually off-road driving versus sitting at the fire?

You spend over three hours total in Roosevelt National Forest, with roughly 90 minutes of driving through rock crawls, aspen groves, and the steep recliner terrain, and over an hour at the pavilion roasting food and watching the views. The return ride in the dark is the most thrilling driving section.

What happens if the weather turns bad during the evening?

The vehicle has a bikini top that can go up if it rains, and the tour provides full-body Frog Toggs rain gear. The fire pavilion offers some shelter, and the tour runs rain or shine.

What food and drinks are included, and can I bring my own beverages?

The tour includes hot dogs, marshmallows, chips, snacks, and bottled water. You're welcome to bring your own adult beverages to enjoy by the fire.

Is this tour safe for people with back or spine issues?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries because of the rough terrain, steep climbs, and the natural water bars that cause the vehicle to rock and roll on the return drive.