The High Road: Shown are several vehicles as they traverse their way through Rocky Mountain National Park on Trail Ridge Road. The road is the highest elevation continuous paved road in the U.S. The highway runs east and west for 48 miles through the park. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Longs Peak: Longs Peak is the flat top peak on the left seen at a distance in this view. The peak is the highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park at 14,259 feet in elevation. Views such as this can be seen from numerous viewpoints along Trail Ridge Road. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
We always enjoy a day out for sightseeing and just enjoying the outdoors. A favorite local trip from the Denver area is Rocky Mountain National Park. We thoroughly enjoy traveling across the park on U.S. Highway 34 better known as Trail Ridge Road.
Trail Ridge Road leads travelers for 48 miles across the park through some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery in the country. The road can be accessed at Estes Park, Colo. on the east entrance and from Grand Lake, Colo. on the west entrance of the park.
Trail Ridge Road travels high elevations as it crosses the mountains and 11 of the 48 miles of highway within the park are above tree line which is about 11,500 feet in elevation. The peak elevation of the highway is 12,183 feet and is the highest elevation continuous through paved highway in the country.
Needless to say Trail Ridge Road is a seasonal road due to heavy snow and cold temperatures at the higher elevations. The road is usually open from Memorial Day through mid-October. There have already been at least one temporary closure this month because of snow but the road will hopefully be open for a few more weeks before the seasonal closure.
Travelers should take the opportunity to visit Rocky Mountain National Park if given the opportunity. This park is the crown jewel of the Rocky Mountains and it will not disappoint. Due to the high number of visitors, a timed entry system is required during the peak hours of day during the summer months.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Alpine Visitor Center: There are five visitor centers within Rocky Mountain National Park but the Alpine Visitor Center is most unique. It is the highest elevation visitor center in the entire National Park System at 11,796 feet. The center offers visitors a nice place to stretch their legs and enjoy the panoramic views while traveling Trail Ridge Road. The center has a nice gift shop as well as a restaurant to serve visitors. The center has a short season as the highway and center are usually only open from Memorial Day through mid-October. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Hikers: A pair of hikers are seen as they navigate around a snow field from the 2022 winter snow pack. There are several areas within the park that retain some of the snow pack the entire year. This photo was taken in mid-August. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Top of the Rockies: Many trails and viewpoints along Trail Ridge Road give visitors the opportunity to stop and admire the magnificent views that are seen all through the park. Trail Ridge Road has been rated often in the most beautiful drives in the country by various groups and publications. Once you travel the highway you fully understand why it is so highly rated. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Local Residents: As we came down in elevation on the drive we stopped to view a couple of the local residents within Rocky Mountain National Park. Wildlife sightings are common when traveling Trail Ridge Road. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
