Enjoy sweeping views of the lush Colorado wilderness from the comfort of your own car along Trail Ridge Road. The road stretches 77 km (48 mi) east to west through the scenic Rocky Mountain National Forest, with 17.7 km (11 mi) of the road's length traveling above the tree line. Take advantage of the area’s many walking trails and viewpoints before winding your way up the paved road to an elevation of almost 3,505 m (11,500 ft), where the evergreen tree line ends and you can enjoy panoramic views of snowcapped mountains and rugged peaks. Remember to drive cautiously on the roadway, as there are many steep drops and intense wind conditions. Plan your visit to Trail Ridge Road and a wealth of other attractions, well-known and undiscovered, using our Rocky Mountain National Park trip planning app.
Trail Ridge Road reviews
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This is a amazing road that is also very scary. No guardrails at all with 100s or 1000s of feet drops in some places. What this means are the views are wide open and spectacular. I am a very...
This is a amazing road that is also very scary. No guardrails at all with 100s or 1000s of feet drops in some places. What this means are the views are wide open and spectacular. I am a very... more »
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The road was definitely one of the best ways to see the park. We started early from the back and made our way towards the hiking trails, taking in all the different biomes and views the park has to...
The road was definitely one of the best ways to see the park. We started early from the back and made our way towards the hiking trails, taking in all the different biomes and views the park has to... more »
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As beautiful as always. My first time here was in late June of 2019 and there was still snow at the top. This time, late July of 2022, there was no snow on the roadway itself. Beautifully maintained and accessible. I appreciate the reservation system which results in a less-trafficked drive through the park. Highly recommend making the drive early on in your visit. The road/drive provides an incredible and unique look at most of the park. There's no other way to get those views without flying above it. The stop right before the summit is absolutely worth stopping and walking at. There's a paved trail with several placards lining the walkway, highlighting details about the surroundings. The trail ends with ancient sea rock. While here, a herd of 18-19 elk crossed the path. I spotted a marmot splayed on one of the sea rocks. There's also a neat marker pointing to the various surrounding national parks with their distance labeled beside it.
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Estes Park and Trail Ridge Road are gorgeous. Make sure you buy a pass and reserve a time. If your looking for wildlife they are deeper into the mountain and earlier the better. Most of the wildlife stay away due to the high increase of visitors in the afternoon. There are area with sudden rain or winds so bring weather cloths.
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