Trail Ridge Road

Trail Ridge Road is a 77 km (48 mile) scenic road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. It crosses the park between Estes Park in the east and Grand Lake in the west, opened in 1932 and reaches its highest point at 3,713 m (12,183 ft). A large part runs above the tree line through alpine tundra, where you can watch elk and bighorn sheep; wildflowers bloom there in high summer. Since 1996 the road has held the title of "All-American Road".

Worthwhile stops are Rainbow Curve (3,301 m / 10,829 ft), Rock Cut, Forest Canyon Overlook (3,571 m / 11,716 ft), the Lava Cliffs and Milner Pass (3,279 m / 10,759 ft), where the road crosses the Continental Divide. The Alpine Visitor Center at 3,595 m (11,796 ft) is the highest-situated visitor centre of the National Park Service.

Pure driving time is about 1.5 to 2 hours each way; with stops, allow 2 to 4 hours. Start before 10 a.m.: thunderstorms often build in the afternoon, and queues form at the entrances. It is cool at the top, so pack warm clothing. Depending on snow, the road usually opens at the end of May and closes in mid-October, but it can be closed at any time. In peak season you need a timed-entry reservation through recreation.gov.