Trail Ridge Road is in Rocky Mountain National Park and is the highest continuously paved highway in the continental United States. How cool is that – it’s right in our backyard! Estes Park has a lot of places for memorable outdoor experiences, and Trail Ridge is one of them. You drive through several different ecosystems, and if you’re lucky you’ll see a pica or a yellow-bellied marmot on the tundra. If you listen closely, you’ll most likely hear them before you see them.
Each spring, huge snowplows start at each end of the road, one from the Estes Park side and the other from the Grand Lake side of the Continental Divide. They plow through the tall snowdrifts until they meet somewhere in the middle. Those plow drivers have their work cut out for them, as it usually takes several passes before the road is cleared.
If you’re like me, you get excited when the news breaks that Trail Ridge Road will be opening for the summer. Since Scott and I moved to Estes Park in 2008, it’s been a tradition to drive to the Alpine Visitor Center early in the morning within the first few days after the opening. When I say early, I mean leaving around 6 a.m. so we can be back home in time to go to work around 8. It’s a quick trip, but always a memorable one. We’ve seen drifts anywhere from five feet to fifteen feet deep. It reminds us of how powerful Mother Nature is with wind and snow.
If you’re in the area, I would recommend making the drive, after getting acclimated to the altitude. The high point is over 12,000 feet above sea level, so it’s something you need to consider before heading up. Additionally, if you have a serious fear of heights, you might ask someone else to drive. If I’m available, I would love to be your personal driver. I’ll drive your car so you can enjoy the views!
RMNP has so much to offer. Trail Ridge Road is just one of the magnificent roads to travel. Whether you’re going for breakfast or lunch on the “other side” or just going to the top and back down, it’s time well spent.
Karen Thompson