Always a lot of elk hanging out in Estes Park , right outside Rocky. I imagine a lot are hanging out in the timber to get out of the heat. If you are not out and about right at day break you won't see many. Some will be hanging out in what snow fields are left, up high to get away form the bugs.

Too many people hiking around Pike NF and they push the elk out. Some of that herd is up on the COS water shed property that you can't access.

All across Colorado though there are a lot more people recreating in the NF that push elk further back in.Trips into wilderness areas, you will meet hikers, backpackers and trail riders all the time. Can't get away from them. If not wilderness, you will be overrun with mountain bikers. Couple that with the fact that CPW way over estimates how many elk Colorado actually has and it is no wonder you didn't see elk.CPW probably has a better handle on the number of elk, but if they would put that number out,their license sales would go down and they are not about to let that happen. I think they are still publishing that 280,000 ,but I doubt if the actual numbers top 200,000 or even come close to it

If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles