Trail Ridge Road Scenic Drive Colorado

Trail Ridge Road Scenic Drive in Rocky Mountain

Trail Ridge Road, the highest through highway in the United States, travels 45 miles over Trail Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park. The road runs above 12,000 feet for four miles and over 11,000 feet for 11 miles.

It climbs almost 5,000 vertical feet from Estes Park to its high point, traveling through three life zones, which is like traveling from Colorado to the Arctic Circle. The high grassy ridge has a severe climate with a short summer and over 40 inches of annual precipitation.

After checking out Rainbow Curve, continue up Trail Ridge Road for more overlooks. Forest Canyon Overlook views deep Forest Canyon and the Continental Divide. Rock Cut Overlook, two miles north of Forest Canyon Overlook, has views of the Continental Divide and Longs Peak. Gore Range Overlook has views of the distant Gore Range and the Never Summer Range. Milner Pass lies below Fall River Pass and Farview Curve Overlook gazes down the Kawuneeche Valley on the park’s west side.

Many visitors come to Rocky Mountain National Park specifically to drive over the famous Trail Ridge Road. Topping out at 12,183 feet (3713 meters), the road is the highest continuous paved highway in the United States.

If you are planning to make the drive, make sure to bring warm clothing no matter what the temperature is at lower elevations. It has snowed on Trail Ridge Road during every month of the year. The road closes at the higher elevations from mid October until Memorial weekend. Check the weather Forecasts and road condition while planning your trip

Trail Ridge Road is also known as U.S. Hwy 34 and offers visitors spectacular mountain views, alpine forests, alpine tundra, and plenty of opportunities to see wildlife. Plan on spending about half a day driving Trail Ridge Road.

Trail Ridge Road Fun Facts

·        Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuously paved road in the United States!

·        Construction on Trail Ridge Road began in September, 1929 and was completed to Fall River Pass July, 1932.

·        The maximum grade on Trail Ridge does not exceed 7%.

·        Eight miles of the road are above 11,000 feet in elevation.

·        The Scenic Trail Ridge Road is called as scenic wonder road of the world.

·        It is the highest continuous paved highway in the nation - it is so high that drivers will climb 4,000 feet in a matter of minutes! Covering 48 miles between Estes Park on the park's east side and Grand Lake on the west.

·        It is open to vehicle traffic from around Memorial Day weekend until the Park Service closes it in the fall.

 

Altitude Warning: Altitude sickness affects many visitors every year. Symptoms include headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, vomiting, and even unconsciousness. Altitude can also aggravate pre-existing conditions like heart and lung disease. Take your time, drink water, eat, and rest. The only cure for altitude sickness is to go down to a lower altitude.

Rainbow Curve Overlook Colorado

Rainbow Curve Overlook in Trail Ridge Road

Rainbow Curve is 12.8 miles from the Beaver Meadows park entrance, lies on the outside edge of a wide switchback on Trail Ridge Road as it swings around a blunt ridge between Hidden Valley and Hanging Valley. This major viewpoint at 10,829 feet is just below timberline, the transition zone between a subalpine fir and spruce forest and the alpine tundra of grass and delicate wildflowers. The vista looks down on Horseshoe Park, an open grassy valley floored by twisting Fall River. 

At 10,829 feet elevation, Rainbow Curve Overlook in Rocky Mountain National Park provides fantastic views of Hidden Valley, Horseshoe Park, Alluvial Fan, Fall River and the Beaver Ponds, and several prominent mountain peaks. It is one of the most popular overlooks in a park that's normally jam-packed with daytime visitors. 

The Rainbow Curve Overlook offers beautiful views of snowy peaks and green forested valleys below. It is about two miles above sea level at over 10,000 feet in elevation. Visitors can see parts of Trail Ridge Road down below. It is a very cool sight.

In summer, Road is open, we can continue up Trail Ridge Road for more overlooks. Forest Canyon Overlook views deep Forest Canyon and the Continental Divide. Rock Cut Overlook, two miles north of Forest Canyon Overlook, has views of the Continental Divide and Longs Peak. Gore Range Overlook has views of the distant Gore Range and the Never Summer Range. Milner Pass lies below Fall River Pass and Farview Curve Overlook gazes down the Kawuneeche Valley on the park’s west side.

Driving on the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is incredible. It is one of the most beautiful and amazing drives in the United States, but it is not for the faint of heart. It clings to the side of sheer cliffs as it runs 48 miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake, Colorado.

The Trail Ridge Road and Rainbow Curve Overlook is usually open from May through October, depending on weather.

Many Parks Curve Overlook Colorado

Many Parks Curve Overlook in Trail Ridge Road

Many Parks Curve Overlook, is sitting on the edge of a hairpin turn at 9,691 feet elevation, Many Parks Curve on Trail Ridge Road offers stunning panoramic view and an amazing views of Horseshoe Park, Moraine Park, and Estes Park below Mummy Range, the Fall River Pass, Bighorn Mountain, Deer Mountain, and Longs Peak, the highest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Unique features of Trail Ridge Road Colorado:

·        Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved road in the US.

·        Trail Ridge Road is a stretch of US Highway 34 that passes through Rocky Mountain National Park, connecting the town of Grand Lake in Grand County and the town of Estes Park in Larimer County, Colorado.

·        Also known as the Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway, Trail Ridge Road runs from Deer Ridge Junction (US HWY 36 and US HWY 34) on the east side of the park to the Colorado River Trailhead on the western side of the park and snow forces its closure from mid-October to June

·        The two-lane, 48 mile, paved road crosses the Continental Divide at Milner Pass and reaches a maximum elevation of 12,183 feet near Fall River Pass.

·        Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous road in the United States, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

·        Main attraction to stop by on Trail Ridge Road includes, the Holzwarth Historic Site, Farview Curve Overlook, Milner Pass and Lake Poudre, Medicine Bow Curve Overlook, the Alpine Visitor Center, Gore Range Overlook, Lava Cliffs Overlook, Rock Cut Overlook, Forest Canyon Overlook, Rainbow Curve Overlook, and the Hidden Valley Beaver Ponds Boardwalk.

 

Many Parks Curve Overlook, is just above Deer Ridge Junction, is the first scenic viewpoint on Trail Ridge Road when traveling from Estes Park and the eastern Beaver Meadows Entrance Station and the last when traveling from Grand Lake. The parking area is small at the bottom of Many Parks Curve for those traveling downhill and a larger parking area across the street from the top of the vista point for those traveling uphill.

Many Parks Curve is also the end of the line when Trail Ridge Road is closed for the winter, usually sometime in October.

Pikes Peak Summit Colorado

Pikes Peak Summit - America's Mountain

Pikes Peak is one of the most famous mountains in America. It towers over Colorado Springs and has served as a waypoint and rallying cry since the gold rush days, when miners crossed the country with “Pikes Peak or bust” painted on their wagons. 

Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in North America. The ultra-prominent 14,115-foot fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, 12 miles (19 km) west of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. The mountain is named in honor of American explorer Zebulon Pike (though he was unable to reach the summit). The summit is higher than any point in the United States east of its longitude.  It ranks 32nd in elevation (14,115 feet [4,302 metres] ) among Colorado peaks.

Pikes Peak is one of Colorado's 58 fourteeners, mountains more than 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) above sea level. The massif rises 8,000 ft (2,400 m) above downtown Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak is a designated National Historic Landmark. It is composed of a characteristic pink granite called Pikes Peak granite. The color is due to a large amount of potassium feldspar.

At the top of Pikes Peak, we can see an incredible view out over the Colorado mountains. On a clear day, we can actually see 5 states from the summit, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Kansas! 

There are 4 different ways that you can get to the top of Pikes Peak:

·         Drive to the top of Pikes Peak – Scenic Highway Drive

·         Hike to the summit of Pikes Peak

·         Take the Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak

·         Take a guided tour to the top of Pikes Peak

The peak is the centerpiece of this National Forest. There are different ways to reach the top: taking the Pikes Peak Cog Railway; driving or biking up the Pikes Peak Highway; or hiking. Hikers can take Barr Trail, the 12.6-mile hike that begins in Manitou Springs and passes through every ecological zone Colorado has to offer. A shorter hike, though still a long day, can be done on the peak’s west side from The Crags. The National Forest offers many other trails within a close drive of the city, which might explain why so many people in Colorado Springs hike and bike.

The Pikes Peak Highway is a paved road that runs to the summit, where there’s a gift shop and restaurant. The highway is open year-round but often closed halfway up for long periods in winter due to snow.

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain

Address: 5069 Pikes Peak Hwy, Cascade, CO (near Colorado Springs)

Phone: 719-684-9138

Pikes Peak Scenic Fourteener Drive

Pikes Peak Scenic Highway Drive Colorado

Pikes Peak Scenic Highway is built in 1915, high-alpine scenic toll road located just west of Colorado Springs. This winding road is the perfect scenic drive, offering views of lakes, mountains, wildlife and the surrounding area, The Drive the 19-mile paved toll road to the summit of Pikes Peak - America's Mountain.

The drive to the Pikes Peak Summit is 19 miles long, which has 156 turns, and climbs 6,715 ft from the entrance of the highway. The road is paved the entire way till summit and there are lots of pull-offs where we can pull over, take a break, check out the scenery, and adjust to the altitude. The Pike's Peak Highway is a long, steady climb with a maximum grade of 10.5%.

Quick Facts 

·         Season: Year Round, weather permitting

·         Pikes Peak Summit : 14,115 feet

·         Length: 19 miles (one-way)

·         Drive Time : 1.5 – 2 hours (Without traffic and stops)

·         Roads: 2WD, Toll Road

·         Drive slow and have Half tank of gas.

The road is difficult and it’s a nightmare in the wet, snow and dark. The road to reach the summit has a length of 19.99 km (12.42 miles) over 156 turns, climbing 1,439 meters (4,721 ft) from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway at 2,862 meters (9,390 ft) on grades averaging 7% over paved sections. 

Directions to Pikes Peak : The Pikes Peak Scenic Highway Gateway is located in Cascade, Colorado, just west of Colorado Springs. To get there from Colorado Springs, go west on Highway US-24 and turn left onto Fountain Ave. we can see the signs for the Pikes Peak Highway.

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain is open year round - weather permitting. Conditions change frequently, so better it is recommended to call and plan the drive.

Pikes Peak - America's Mountain

Phone: (719) 385-7325

Address: 5089 Pikes Peak Highway, Cascade, CO 80809

Pike National Forest Colorado

The Pike National Forest is located in the Front Range of Colorado, United States, west of Colorado Springs including Pikes Peak. The forest encompasses 1,106,604 acres (4,478 km2) within Clear Creek, Teller, Park, Jefferson, Douglas and El Paso counties. The major rivers draining the forest are the South Platte and Fountain Creek. Rampart Reservoir is a large artificial body of water located within the forest. The forest is named after American explorer Zebulon Pike. 

Pike National Forest Wilderness areas:  There are three officially designated wilderness areas lying within Pike National Forest that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Two of them extend into neighboring National Forests. 

·         Buffalo Peaks Wilderness, 67.83 square miles (partly in San Isabel NF)

·         Lost Creek Wilderness, 187 square miles

·         Mount Evans Wilderness, 116.3 square miles (mostly in Arapaho NF)

The Pike National Forest, San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron, Comanche National Grasslands offer a variety of campgrounds in which few of the most popular camping sites. 

·         Campground Camping Areas

·         Cimarron National Grassland

·         Cimarron Recreation Area

·         Cimarron Campground

·         Leadville Ranger District

·         Halfmoon Recreation Area

·         Elbert Creek Campground

·         Halfmoon East Campground

·         Halfmoon West Campground

·         Twin Eagle Campground is seasonally available

Pike National Forest is managed for multiple resources use including range, minerals, wildlife, water, fire, developed and dispersed recreation. The Pike National Forest offers sightseeing, hiking, lake fishing, boating, picnicking and cross-country skiing at the 500-acre Rampart Reservoir.

The north end of Pike National Forest is marked by Mount Evans (14,264 feet elevation) and is surrounded by the 73,000 acre Mount Evans Wilderness. Mount Bierstadt, another of Colorado's "fourteeners" at 14,060 ft. elevation is also located in the Mount Evans Wilderness. The Pike National Forest also contains the Lost Creek Wilderness.

The city of Colorado Springs is located at the base of Pikes Peak. It is the second largest city in Colorado and the 41st largest city in the United States. Colorado Springs is a full-service city and one of the fastest growing cities in Colorado. Colorado Springs is located about 70 miles south of Denver.

 

Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park, Near Denver Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is an one of the scenic American national park located approximately 76 mi (122 km) northwest of Denver International Airport in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west. 

The eastern and western slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in the park's northwestern region. The main features of the park include mountains, alpine lakes and a wide variety of wildlife within various climates and environments, from wooded forests to mountain tundra. 

Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Enjoy Trail Ridge Road scenic drive – which crests at over 12,000 feet including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds – along with over 300 miles of hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife, starry nights, and fun times.

Rocky Mountain National Park Lodging: Rocky Mountain National Park doesn't have any lodges inside the park. However, there is a cabin resort just outside the park's West Entrance.

Two gateway towns are — Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west. Both offers plenty of options, the Restaurants, accommodations and grocery stores can be found in the local communities.

Best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park : November through April is the best time to avoid crowds in Rocky Mountain National Park. Summer and fall weekends are the busiest season in this park.

Directions to Rocky Mountain: Rocky Mountain National Park is located about an hour and a half northwest of Denver and an hour from Boulder. There are two visitor centers at two separate entrances. Beaver Meadows, and Fall River Visitor Center.