Trail Ridge Road— June 2023
Rocky Mountain National Park
Trail Ridge Rd
The reason my husband, Chuck, and I moved from Florida to Colorado was the mountains. We love the Rocky Mountains. It’s only an hour drive from our home to Rocky Mountain National Park and yet we’d never driven Trail Ridge Road from the Fall River entrance all the way to Grand Lake. Today would be different. We were up for a new adventure.
Fun Fact: Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the U.S.
Tips:
- You will need a timed entry permit this time of year for RMNP (May 26-October 22) unless you enter before 9 am or after 2 pm. If you enter without a timed entry permit, you cannot leave and reenter until after 2 pm.
- The cost to enter is $30 per vehicle for a 1-day pass unless you have a senior lifetime pass like we do. At any rate it’s worth every penny to experience this national park.
- Go early in the morning. The earlier you go, the better chance of seeing wildlife and avoiding crowds.
- Plan on spending about 3-4 hours beginning from either the east (Estes Park) or west (Grand Lake). This will depend on how many times you stop and believe me; you’ll be stopping to admire the views and watch wildlife.
- Even during the summer months, take a light jacket. You’ll be climbing 4,000 feet and above the tree line it’s chilly (20-30 degrees colder than in Estes Park). Also bring water to stay hydrated, and sun protection. You’re a whole lot closer to the sun.
- You cannot take your pets off the pavement or on any hiking trails.
- Trail Ridge Road closes mid-October to Memorial Day or extreme weather can change the status. Check before you go.
Enough with all the tips. Let’s get going.
We arrived at the Fall River Entrance around 8 am. I’m glad we did because there were other cars already waiting to enter the park. It was a short line so getting there early paid off.
Trail Ridge Road follows Trail Ridge between Fall River in the North and Big Thompson River in the South. Along this road you will climb with a few steep grades (7%) and there’ll be plenty of pullouts to take in the scenic overlooks with panoramic views. Keep an eye out for wildlife.
Be sure and stop at Many Parks Curve Overlook. We didn’t stop because we’d done it many times before. The views are spectacular along this rocked wall.
1st Stop: Endovalley Picnic Ground
We took the turn-off on Fall River Rd (Hwy 34 west) for Old Fall River Road at Horseshoe Park. We were on the hunt for moose. We took the loop through the picnic area. There is a river that flows through this area (good moose habitat). If you want to stop, relax, and eat here there are picnic tables along the water. We didn’t spot any moose, so we kept on moving.
The temperature was dropping as our car climbed so we pulled in to Hidden Valley and changed out of shorts into the pants we had brought with us. I’m glad we did.
2nd Stop: Forest Canyon Overlook
This is a short .3-mile out-and-back trail and no matter what time of year I’ve been, it’s windy and very chilly. But it’s always worth having a panoramic view at 11,716 feet of Forest Canyon and the mountains. You’ll see plenty of yellow-bellied Marmots around the rocks and perhaps even some elk in the tundra. At this point, you are above the tree line, so the views are spectacular and uninterrupted.
Tips:
- Be aware of altitude sickness and know the symptoms which are headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and vomiting. If this happens go back down to lower elevation.
You’ll soon come to the Alpine Visitor Center located 11,796 feet above sea level making it the highest elevation visitor center in the entire National Park System. It sits at the top of the junction of Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road. The views again are spectacular here but so are the crowds. We never stop at the visitor center in the summer months for this reason.
3rd Stop: Milner Pass and The Continental Divide
At 10,758 feet above sea level, it’s chilly even in summer. There is a sign marking the Continental Divide. All the water on the east side of the Continental Divide flows to the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and onward to the Atlantic Ocean. All the water on the west side of the Divide flows to the Colorado River and eventually the Pacific Ocean.
You gotta have your picture taken here.
Tips:
- Parking lot isn’t large so get here early.
Keep your eyes searching for wildlife while driving along Trail Ridge Road. We saw several big male elk (bulls) along the road.
4th Stop: Holzwarth Historic Site
From the parking lot this 1.2 mile out-and-back trail is an easy walk. Holzwarth Site was a 1920’s dude ranch within the Kawuneeche Valley that has original cabins and groups of buildings that you can go inside. There are several rangers who are very informative about the family that homesteaded this area before it was added to the national park.
Walking the trail, we saw a herd of female elk feeding in the meadow. We had to stop when the herd decided to cross right in front of us. That was so cool. We kept our distance.
Moose also hang out in this area and the ranger at the historic site showed us where to look for them. Bingo! We saw a mamma moose and her baby.
We took our time exploring the buildings and area because it was interesting and because we planned on having a late lunch in Grand Lakes. Remember once you leave the park without a reservation, you can’t re-enter till 2 pm.
Fun Fact: John and Sophia in 1917 used the Homestead Act of 1862 (Civil War era) to build a home on 160 acres here. Their property was still outside the park at this time.
This couple had immigrated from Germany. Their life story is fascinating. To learn more:
https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/holzwarth-historic-site.htm
Tips:
- Memorial Day through Labor Day, the buildings are staffed every day from 9:30 am-2:30 pm.
- You can volunteer at the Holzwarth Historic Site. You’d learn a lot about living during this era and guaranteed to see plenty of wildlife.
5th Stop: Historic Rapids Lodge
We drove out of Rocky Mountain National Park and into the quaint village of Grand Lake. Grand Lake is located on the largest natural lake in Colorado.
A friend had recommended having lunch at the Historic Rapids Lodge in Grand Lake. The lodge established in 1915 is located on the Tonahutu River. We were seated outside by the rushing river. (Rapids!) We ordered the most delicious drinks. I had a Mango Mojito and Chuck had a Jalapeno Mango Margarita. I was shocked when the drinks arrived. They were huge (and expensive) but worth it. We both had the Boursin Burger. Yummy. Be cautious after drinking that oversized drink. I stood up and felt it. Whoa!!
After our lunch, we still had time to kill before we could head back into the Rocky Mountain National Park without an entry reservation. We strolled over to main street and got ice cream. Then we checked out the shops where we found the cutest onesie for our first grandchild due in December. Then we walked down to Grand Lake and spent some time. A beautiful lake.
By the time we headed back into the park it was almost 3:30 pm.
We spotted a gray fox on the side of Trail Ridge Road near the top of the peak above the tree line. We’d never seen one in the park before. In addition to the fox, we saw herds of elk, both bulls and cows. More than we usually see. This was a wildlife adventure!
When we got home, Chuck and I felt this venture was right on up there as one of our favorites. The beautiful scenery, wildlife and a great lunch in Grand Lake made great memories. We’ll do it again. Hopefully before Trail Ridge Road closes for the winter.
