Our first trip west with the kids was to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado because we could get there in two days. Well, maybe just a tad more. If we left right after work on Friday we could be there Sunday evening.
Trail Ridge Road, through the center of the park, takes you to easily accessible alpine scenery and tundra wildflowers way above treeline. Which introduced us to another concept--altitude sickness. It is important to give your body time to adapt to the much thinner air at 8,000 to 12,000 feet. Trail Ridge Rd. runs for about ten miles at more than 11,000 feet, topping out at 12,183 feet. Headaches and woozieness should be expected. But who has time to let that slow them down?
RMNP is close to population centers--just 65 miles north of Denver and 90 miles south of Cheyenne--so it gets nearly as many visitors as Yellowstone even though it is only 1/8 the size. About half of those visitors come between mid-June and mid-August so the Park Service suggests coming during the off season. Two questions: When are your kids out of school?; With Trail Ridge Rd. closed by snow from mid-Oct. to late-May, just how much "off season" is there?
Besides, you really do want to take the Road when the tundra wildflowers are in bloom, the elk have moved out into the meadows, and the marmots are sunning themselves on rock outcroppings. You might even be tempted to do some fly fishing for beautiful greenback cutthroat trout in a high alpine lake or some brook trout in a winding meadow stream.
For sure, you want to take a little walk in the park. It could be something gentle like a level stroll around Bear Lake (reached by shuttle bus) or, somewhat more challenging, out to Alberta Falls. There are 355 miles of trails so you can find a nice walk appropriate to the level of your fitness and ambition.
Many visitors are quite content to stay within 100 feet of their vehicles at all times. With impressive vistas in all directions, you needn't feel deprived if time or your physical condition limit your activity level. It is even barely possible that your young passengers may glance up from their i-Device for just a second to get a glimpse of the scenery.
Clark's nutcracker
Trail Ridge Road climbs well above the treeline.
And park trails lead off into the tundra.
The unpaved Old Fall River Road was once the only route through the park. It is usually open to vehicles less than 25 feet by July 4. Usually. In 2019, there was higher than normal snowfall so the road was closed until July 13.
The road climbs to the back side of the Alpine Visitor Center where you can choose to continue east or west on Trail Ridge Road.
Those poles at the side of the road are to mark the route for the snow plows. Going just a couple feet too far left could prove fatal to plow crews because of the near vertical drop off.
Alberta Falls
Note the way Trail Ridge Road takes long switchbacks up the side of the mountain.
Shirley and I have enjoyed some degree of success fly fishing for cutthroat trout.
Marmots enjoying the sunshine.
Good places to see bighorn sheep are at Sheep Lake or in the tundra right next to Trail Ridge Road.
But the only place we have ever seen wild turkeys was at our campsite in Glacier Basin every afternoon.
This magnificent bull elk came through only once.
Snow lingers on Trail Ridge Road well into what we call summer.
A must stop on Trail Ridge Road for exhibits and souvenirs. And for rest rooms--of which there ain't any others along the route. Note the massive timbers on the roof to keep it from blowing off when fierce winter storms sweep the Rockies.
From the Alpine Visitor Center there is a steep but straight climb to 12,000 feet.
Be prepared for traffic. In recent years, there are jams caused by animal sightings and all of the pullouts can be full during the high season. (So to speak.) Try to get to Alpine Visitor Center early in the day before the rangers limit access to the parking lot. If you had counted on using the restroom, this could be particularly stressful.
There's a pretty good chance that you will see elk in the park.
The bulls are peaceful comrades much of the year. When the rut starts in early fall, the fraternal feelings quickly evaporate.
Compare the rack on this young bull with those above and below. He is at least a year away from competing successfully for a harem of cows.
Big Thompson River flowing through Moraine Park. "Park" is Colorado jargon for a mountain valley.
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