Our Estes Park Commitment to Sustainability

At Estes Park Tour Guides, stewardship of Rocky Mountain National Park is not a marketing statement—it’s a responsibility we live by every day. As professional guides operating in one of America’s most treasured landscapes, we believe our role is not only to lead unforgettable experiences, but to protect the wilderness for future generations.

Our sustainability practices are built on three core pillars: Leave No Trace ethics, digital-first operations to reduce waste, and youth-focused environmental education.

Leave No Trace: How We Operate in the Park

Every trip we lead follows the nationally recognized Leave No Trace principles, which guide how we move through, interact with, and care for the land. These principles are not optional—they are embedded into our guide training and guest orientation on every tour.

We actively practice and teach:

• Traveling only on durable surfaces and designated trails

• Proper waste disposal, including micro-trash

• Respect for wildlife and natural habitats

• Leaving natural features exactly as we found them

• Minimizing noise and human impact in sensitive areas

Our guides don’t just enforce these standards—we explain the why behind them so guests leave with a deeper understanding of how their individual actions directly affect the ecosystem.

The Only Outfitter in Estes Park Using Digital Kiosks

We are proud to be the only outfitter in Estes Park currently operating fully digital booking kiosks in partner hotel lobbies. This initiative was born from a simple realization: traditional tourism marketing creates enormous paper waste.

Each season, tens of thousands of brochures, rack cards, and flyers end up discarded across visitor centers and hotel lobbies. By replacing printed materials with electronic kiosks, we dramatically reduce:

• Paper consumption

• Ink and chemical use

• Shipping emissions

• Seasonal marketing waste

This shift allows guests to access real-time trip availability, detailed trip descriptions, and instant booking—without a single sheet of paper being printed. Sustainability should be practical, not symbolic, and this is one of our most impactful steps toward reducing our carbon footprint as a tourism operator.

Elevating Recycling Through Youth Education

Recycling only matters when people understand its purpose. One of the most important parts of our sustainability mission is teaching young adventurers why environmental responsibility matters—not through lectures, but through hands-on experience and conversation.

During family tours and youth-focused outings, our guides intentionally:

• Explain how trail waste affects wildlife

• Show the long-term impact of plastic, food waste, and improper disposal

• Model responsible recycling and pack-it-out behavior

• Connect conservation to future access to public lands

When children understand why their actions matter in the park, they carry those habits home with them. We believe this generational education is one of the most powerful tools in long-term conservation.

Protecting What Makes Estes Park Special

Our business exists because of Rocky Mountain National Park. Every hike, stargazing tour, fishing trip, and family adventure depends on the health of this ecosystem. Sustainability is not a trend for us—it is the foundation of our future and the future of this place.

We will continue to invest in:

• Low-impact guiding practices

• Waste-reduction technology

• Youth conservation education

• Partnerships that align with environmental responsibility

Because protecting the park isn’t just good policy—it’s good business, and it’s the right thing to do.