We were able to drive through the park and exit near Estes Park.ĭefinitely drive 'Trail Ridge Road' during the summer before they close it down during the winter (we heard that it can be closed during the winter). We went while the weather was still very nice so I can't comment on what's it like to visit during the winter hours but there was a fire nearby that closed Trail Ridge Road but we got lucky and didn't have to turn around and go back out the west entrance. The park charges a $25 fee per day and definitely due to the virus you should book your reservation 2 hour time slot prior to arriving. Rocky Mountain National Park is beautiful and easy to navigate to see in 2-days. However, if one is more limited in time, I would recommend turning around at the Farview Curve overlook as the road soon descends to the west side’s Kawuneeche Valley which is not nearly as spectacular as the rest.

I enjoyed exploring the entire length, driving all the way to Grand Lake, just outside the west entrance, turning around and returning to Estes Park, stopping at all the overlooks, hiking a few shorter trails and viewing elk near Holzwarth Historic Site and in the valley below the Alpine Visitor Center. Having the overlooks nearly to myself, the experience was fleeting as the snow was gone in less than two hours and the crowds began to build rapidly.Įven without snow, Trail Ridge Road was still spectacular and arriving early, avoiding the crowds and with the low angle of the sun adding visual warmth, even if the morning is a bit chilly, is worth the early alarm. Finally reaching the tree line and clear skies simultaneously, I was treated to a surrealistic view or soaring mountains covered in a candy coating of snow, tundra displaying autumn colors, and the clouds passing through the tree covered valleys as the rain dissipated below. Hustling to eat my breakfast and get ready, I headed to Trail Ridge Road and carefully drove through the pea soup thick fog at the lower elevations. Logging onto NPS’s website, then navigating to the RMNP site and the webcam feed from the Alpine Visitor Center, I saw that it was above the cloud cover and light coating of snow decorated the mountain tops and tundra. The latest date Trail Ridge Road has opened was on June 26 in 1943.ĭaily conditions of Trail Ridge Road are available anytime via a recorded phone line at (970) 586-1222.Waking up in Longmont a bit before sunrise on morning in early October, I found the skies to be completely overcast with a steady drizzle and was afraid my plans for the day, beginning with a visit to Trail Ridge Road, may be a bust. The earliest date that Trail Ridge Road has opened for the summer was in 2002 when the highway became accessible to through traffic on May 7. It is not uncommon for Rocky Mountain National Park to close the highway overnight after initially opening the road as it did in 2014, though park officials have made no mention of potential overnight closures expected in 2018. The opening dates for the past four years have all been well behind the 2014 opening date of May 23. In 2015, Trail Ridge Road opened on May 29. In 2017, the road officially opened for the summer on Wednesday, May 31, which was slightly later than the 2016 opening date of May 28. Open as of Thursday, this year beat 2017’s opening date by more than a week. This year’s seasonal opening tracks closely with the park’s historic opening date for Trail Ridge Road, which is typically held over the Memorial Day weekend. The 48-mile stretch of highway through Rocky Mountain National Park, running from Grand Lake to Estes Park, has the unique distinction of being the highest continuous paved road in the United States and reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet at its highest point. And, at this time, night time closures of the road will not be implemented, according to park officials. The Alpine Visitor Center and Trail Ridge Store are anticipated to open for the season on Friday.

The ribbon cutting, with local officials invited to attend, will be held at noon at the Alpine Visitor Center near the highest point in the road. Plans to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday for the official summer opening of the road, also known as Highway 34, have not changed. Rocky Mountain National Park officials made the surprising announcement just after noon on Thursday that Trail Ridge Road had opened one day earlier than expected, thanks to the good weather and efforts of the park’s maintenance crews. Above Many Parks Curve on Trail Ridge Road May 3 after snowstorm.

Is trail ridge road open