To head back, turn around and drive out the way you came. Trail Ridge Road starts its descent down towards Grand Lake. From the top of the Alpine Ridge Trail, you will be able to see well beyond the Continental Divide to the Never Summer Range in western Colorado. Stopping at the Alpine Visitor Center is worth it because it is also the trailhead parking for another short but impressive out and back Alpine Ridge Trail. This often-crowded parking lot is where a lot of visitors from Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road converge into a single Visitor Center and Gift Shop. Hop back in the car and continue over Iceberg Pass and onto Lava Cliffs Overlook and the Trail Ridge Road Summit ( 3,713 m).Ĭontinue past one more overlook of the Gore Range and arrive at the Alpine Visitor Center. This short out and back trail offers amazing views of the entire park! The route map listed on this hike is for this short but impressive hike to the Mushroom Rocks formations scattered across the alpine tundra. Farther along you’ll come to the Tundra Communities Trailhead, where you should park. This is a stunning part of the drive on Trail Ridge Road. There is a short walk to the viewpoint.įurther along Trail Ridge Road you drive through Rock Cut, an obvious cut through a rocky outcropping to allow passage for the road. The road quickly climbs above tree line and intersects Ute Trail which traverses Tombstone Ridge via Timberline Pass and provides access to backcountry camping at Ute Meadow.Ĭontinue along Trail Ridge Road, keeping an eye open for Forest Canyon Overlook, a stunning viewpoint on your left. The road circles back over Hidden Valley and passes Rainbow Curve Overlook, with pretty views here. There is good parking here and it’s a nice place to stop for a break. Hidden Valleyīeyond Beaver Ponds is the parking area for Hidden Valley, which is a retired ski resort within the national park and now serves as a great day use area. One of the first points of interest along Trail Ridge Road is Beaver Ponds, this is a very short and wheelchair accessible trail to Hidden Valley Creek and a great location for wildlife viewing. We like making the following stops at Beaver Ponds, Hidden Valley, Forest Canyon Overlook, Mushroom Rocks, Lava Cliffs Overlook and Alpine Ridge Trail. While many people just drive the road, we think it’s best experienced by stopping at the numerous stops along Trail Ridge Road and enjoying the short hikes available. Secretary of Transportation as an All-American Road, the highest level of designation, in 1996. It is one of 13 America's Byways® designated areas in Colorado.Trail Ridge Road is a must do when visiting RMNP. Trail Ridge Road was designated by the U.S. You can't find a road like this one anywhere outside of Colorado. Higher than any paved through-road in the country, this cliff-hugging highway is as impressive for its engineering as for its stunning vistas. Sharp-eyed observers can usually spy elk, bighorn sheep, and other wildlife traversing the meadows and crags. Distant peaks loom in all directions, while fragrant wildflowers blanket the tundra in mid-summer. It slices through the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park, entering a world of rare alpine beauty. Soaring to an elevation of 12,183 feet, Trail Ridge Road seems to leave the earth behind. For more information visit nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/ timed-entry-permit-system.htm.įor the most up-to-date information on the status of Trail Ridge Road, call 97. Timed entry permit reservations are required to enter the Rocky Mountain National Park between May 26 through October 22, 2023.
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