One of Colorado’s great, natural spectacles is about to commence.

The word from Rocky Mountain National Park: “The scene of tens to hundreds of elk in one location, flanked by spectacular mountain scenery and fall colors, is hard for most folks to resist.”

So goes the elk rut around Estes Park.

Love-seeking bulls are most active from mid-September through mid-October in a time that’s been described as “a wildlife soap opera.”

Around town and around meadows of the national park, antlered bulls can be found alongside several cows, doing what they must to maintain their harems. They bugle. They chase. On rare occasions they fight competitors. Other physical moments between bull and cow should be private — cover the eyes of little ones — but are often anything but.

Rocky Mountain National Park has counted more than 500,000 spectators throughout the season. Here’s what to know before you go:

• In town, elk frequent areas around Lake Estes and the two golf courses. In the national park, elk famously occupy meadows at the edge of forests, such as Moraine and Horseshoe parks. Cars are known to line roads around viewing areas.

• Rocky Mountain National Park lists other popular viewing areas: Upper Beaver Meadows, Sheep Lakes and elsewhere along Trail Ridge Road from the Estes Park side, and Harbison and Holzwarth meadows from the Grand Lake side. Those are among areas closed to foot traffic during the season; stay along designated roads.

• Bulls can charge if they feel provoked; they can be especially aggressive during the rut. Keep a distance of 75 feet, or two bus lengths.

• Turn off car engine and lights when parked. Shut car doors quietly and “keep conversations to a minimum,” the park advises.

• Elk are most active around dawn, late afternoon and dusk.

• Timed entry reservations for the national park are required through mid-October. That’s for hours between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for access to most of the park, and between 5 a.m.-6 p.m. for full access including Bear Lake Road. Elk watchers without reservations commonly enter the park before 9 a.m. and after 2 p.m. for areas not including Bear Lake Road. Reservations at recreation.gov