Old Fall River Road has also closed for the season. See the Grand Canyon and Great Sand Dunes in one unforgettable trip and end in Estes Park outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. These three roads pass by the most scenic park views that can be seen from a car: Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake Road and Old Fall River Road. To access Trail Ridge Road, start from either Estes Park on the eastern side of the Park, or Grand Lake to the west. The road opened on June 5 in 2019 due to a late-May snowstorm. The road follows Trail Ridge from the Fall River Pass near Alpine Visitor Center to the Deer Ridge Junction. Trail Ridge Road, which is also U.S. Highway 34, connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. It's the highest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet. Take it from us and start early: We usually hit the road around 8 a.m. Our route typically is an out-and-back with a stop at Alpine Visitor Center. Due to melting snow on the road and the potential for freezing temperatures visitors should be prepared for icy conditions. Upon reaching Alpine Visitor Center grab a much deserved snickers bar and soak in the views. The Alpine Visitor Center sits close to the halfway mark, and is a perfect place to grab a cup of hot chocolate and soak in the views. This year, that’s May 22. Climb the short Alpine Ridge Trail near the Alpine Visitors Center to see an amazing sunset. The road was designed to intrude as little as possible into the landscape, in accordance with Park Service design principles. Near the highest point on the road is another pass, Iceberg Pass (elev. Hot springs, bison and bears await on this 1,763-mile adventure through cowboy towns and three national parks. National park enthusiast, Gloria Wadzinski writes, photographs and shoots video to encourage travelers to try something new. Known appropriately as the "Highway to the Sky," it crosses the Continental Divide at a whopping 12,183 feet. If you thought the journey to Rocky Mountain National Park was beautiful, just wait until you experience Trail Ridge Road. Trail Ridge Road spans the Park and connects Estes Park on the east side to the town of Grand Lake on the western slope. Since the ride crests at 12,000-feet, make sure you've got an extra jacket or arm and leg warmers due to the fact the temperature is usually quite a bit cooler up high. It opened in 1921 and quickly proved inadequate for motor travel as a single-track road with steep grades (up to 16%), tight curves and a short annual season due to snowpack. Some early June nights can have temperatures below freezing, so be prepared for night road closings. [6], Hidden Valley (or Ski Estes Park) was a local ski area attraction from 1955 - 1991, off of Trail Ridge Road, now defunct. The road is also known as Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway.. Much Of Northern Colorado Woke Up Sunday To Ash, Debris From Cameron Peak Fire, Distinct 'Meow Wolf' Building Squeezed Into Triangular Footprint Between I-25 Overpasses In Denver, Denver Police Officer Matthew Graves Suspended For Derogatory Comments Toward Hispanics: ‘This Is America, We Speak English’, Denver Gas Station Employee Stabbed By Man Who Refused To Leave Property, Denver Weather: It Finally Snows! The drive is fairly relaxing since the two-lane highway never reaches grades above 7 percent and has only a few hairpin turns. Spring Opening of Trail Ridge Road The opening and closing of the road depends on the weather. A moderate hike along Rocky Mountain National Park's Lumpy Ridge. [3], Fall River Road was the first road into the park's high country. On Thursday, the road … This high alpine road is only open from Memorial Day through mid-October when roads are clear of ice and snow, so even though the video was taken on June 1, 2014, you can still see a lot of snow. © 2020 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Restaurants, Dining, Breweries, & Distilleries. Open to pedestrians (including those with leashed pets) and bicyclists through Saturday, November 30. 247, National Register of Historic Places listings in Rocky Mountain National Park, History of the National Register of Historic Places, National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trail_Ridge_Road&oldid=961490189, Transportation in Larimer County, Colorado, National Register of Historic Places in Rocky Mountain National Park, Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado, National Register of Historic Places in Larimer County, Colorado, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox road temporary tracking category 1, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 8 June 2020, at 19:42.