“The most popular stops along Trail Ridge Road” is a likely result when researching your Rocky Mountain National Park adventures. Being an official All-American Road, driving along Trail Ridge Road is one of those “You haven’t been to Colorado until you’ve done THIS” types of activities.
Let’s drive 48 miles on the highest continuous paved highway in the United States!
I would suggest dedicating one full day to this drive. If you’re active like me, you’re going to want to get a photo at every scenic overlook, hike every trail, and see every sight, which makes planning your day a challenge. The reality of traveling to any National Park though, is that a lot of your time will be eaten up by:
- Sitting in traffic, especially when entering the park
- Circling parking lots, because they never quite seem to have enough spots for all of the visitors
- Sharing the scenery with other patrons, because nature is meant to be enjoyed by everyone (this also means bring masks everywhere and be ready to say “nope, too busy” because the pandemic is not over)
- Knowing you may miss out on some views because there are only so many hours in the day!
Maximizing your time along Trail Ridge Road is no joke. You have to be efficient, charting how long each hike will last while taking into account endurance levels, hunger, whether there’s a bathroom at the trailhead or if you’ll need to venture to find one. There’s so much to see, and never enough hours in the day.
With a list of the most popular stops along Trail Ridge Road, it’s hard to know where to start. The added stress of ensuring everyone is excited and engaged on your trip may have you wondering: How many of these stops are actually worth our time?
I’ve provided my ratings of the most popular stops along Trail Ridge Road to help you decide whether your travel party will make the stop or keep driving. These stops are in order for driving from the East Side (Estes Park) to the West Side (Grand Lake). Enjoy!
Looking for more adventures closer to home? Check out my At-Home Camping Trip Planning Kit or my list of the Most Scenic Hiking Spots in Minnesota.
Deer Mountain | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Located just 0.7 miles inside the park from the Beaver Meadows Entrance on the East side of Rocky Mountain National Park, you’ll find Deer Mountain. Here there are two trails: Upper Beaver Meadows and Deer Mountain. We opted not to do either of these trails. We started on Upper Beaver Meadows. However, it is only 1.1 miles round trip, and the view isn’t exactly unique. We decided that with the limited time we had, we would enjoy the view from our vehicle and opt for a hike a little farther along Trail Ridge Road.
Beaver Ponds Boardwalk | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
We ventured out the short 0.1 miles on the Beaver Ponds Boardwalk and were left feeling…underwhelmed. Another beautiful mountain view, sure! We love that journey. However, knowing there was so much more to see, we would’ve rather spent this time on a trail with more spunk.
Many Parks Overlook | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Welcome to your first hairpin curve on Trail Ridge Road! Sitting at 9,691 feet in elevation, this is a popular stop where overlooks are concerned. When traveling East to West, we found a great parking lot with plenty of open spots. Prominent with stunning panoramas of Beaver Meadows, Horseshoe Park, and Bighorn Mountain, Many Parks Curve is a stop you can’t miss!
The only down side? There were quite a few people at this stop. We didn’t walk down all the way because of a tour group. This is the new reality of travel – finding ways to see the sights while maintaining a safe distance!
Rainbow Curve Overlook | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
We found another gorgeous overlook sitting at 10,875 feet in elevation, Rainbow Curve Overlook is enclosed by a short stone wall which provides optimal views of many of the park’s beautiful mountains. It was a quick stop, but one worth making!
Forest Canyon Overlook | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
After the stunning views spotted thus far, I seriously didn’t think the views could get any better. Boy was I wrong!
We are now nearing the peak elevation of Trail Ridge Road. At 11,716 feet in elevation, we have unlocked some of the park’s most awe-inspiring views. Drivers, you’re going to want to pull over for this one! Hop out, and you’ll find a short 0.2-mile paved trail that takes you to the overlook’s best viewing spot.
Forest Canyon itself is an almost 2,000 foot deep valley that was formed by massive glaciers. Today, you’ll find Big Thompson River carving its way through the valley.
This is the point when I started to experience some altitude sickness. This happens when exposure to climates with less oxygen leads to physical illness. Mine was mild: Nausea and a light headache. To avoid altitude sickness, acclimate slowly! Sleep 1-2 nights in the mountains and do some light to moderate hikes to adjust, drink plenty of water, and try to avoid alcohol for the first day. Learn more about altitude sickness.
Tundra Communities Trail at Rock Cut | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (!!!)
WHO GAVE THE TUNDRA PERMISSION TO BE SO BREATHTAKING?!
This is by far my #1 favorite of all of the popular stops along Trail Ridge Road. Here’s the down low though: You’re now 12,110 feet above sea level, hiking to the highest point on Trail Ridge Road (Rock Cut) at 12,183 feet, with about 35% less oxygen than normal. Your breath is going to be literally taken away, as well as figuratively, as you walk to discover this trail’s beauty. And, let me tell you, 1.1 miles, with a steady incline, at twelve thousand feet is far more challenging than it would be at any other elevation.
We explored the alpine tundra with care – a lot of life relies on the preservation of this land for survival. You may encounter wildlife that has migrated to the tundra for the summer months. Finally, be careful around the three Mushroom Rocks (pictured below). Park rangers often monitor these fragile rocks, formed by fire and water, to enforce the “no climbing” rule.
A pleasant hike along this trail leads you to the best views in the park. Do not miss this stop!
Be advised: Pets are not allowed on this trail.
Lava Cliffs Overlook | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The Lava Cliffs Overlook stop features unique alpine cliffs that were formed by lava and glacial erosion. I learned this geologic activity is known as the Rocky Mountain uplift, and occurred roughly 70 million years ago. I really enjoyed this quick stop for its unique history and its speed. This is one of those “pop out, snap a pic, and keep it moving” types of stops. There are no trails, but learning about the geology of how the Rocky Mountains came to be is pretty neat!
Alpine Ridge Visitor Center/Trail | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
BRRR…it’s a cold one up here! The Alpine Visitor Center serves as a nice spot to get great views of the tundra. By now, you’ve begun your descent from the highest point along Trail Ridge Road, but it’s still quite cold with the wind chill. I believe this stop would have been better if the Visitor Center was open. Ha! But that part aside, there were some nice trails and I think this is another “you should stop if you’ve never been” type of stops, but I would have been fine driving right along.
We did get to see some elk on the mountains, and that was really cool. But, we decided to head back to the car as it was chilly, windy, and I was ready to get back down to lower elevation.
Milner Pass (Continental Divide) | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
We made this a quick stop on our way down. If we had more time to hike “The Great Divide”, we would have.
The Continental Divide is the separation point where water flows either east to the Atlantic Ocean, or west to the Pacific Ocean. We chose to hike towards the east to Lake Poudre. Fun Fact: Lake Poudre freezes completely in the winters, making it a “dead lake” because none of the fish can survive.
Lake Irene | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
This is a nice, quick loop. Its length at 0.9 miles, its ease, and the fact that it’s a loop instead of an out and back trail are all positive features for me! I would say we stopped here for no longer than 15 minutes, and that’s probably all you need. The still air was filled with bugs, which made it slightly unpleasant. Bring spray!
Fairview Curve Overlook | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Ah, the last of our stops along Trail Ridge Road. Fairview Curve Overlook offers another beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains. However, in my personal opinion, it’s a view that you can capture from your vehicle. That being said, this is an optimal location for bird watching and nature photography! If those activities interest you, definitely do stop here and take it in.
Tips for Driving Trail Ridge Road
- Enter Rocky Mountain National Park with a full tank of gas (Depending on how busy the park is, you don’t know how long you may be stuck in traffic)
- Take the switch backs slow
- Downshift while going downhill – avoid using your brakes
- Keep an eye out for wildlife in front of you, beside you, and above you
- Maintain alertness for traffic that may be stopping to observe wildlife. Oftentimes there isn’t a shoulder, so you’ll need to wait or go around them.
The sharp cliffs, switch backs, and wildlife you can encounter require you to be attentive, responsible, and alert when you are behind the wheel. Please drive responsibly by ensuring you are in a clear, healthy mindset when embarking onto Trail Ridge Road for the safety of yourself and others.
And that was our itinerary for our day on Trail Ridge Road! Keep in mind that currently, you need to reserve your entry into Rocky Mountain National Park. Follow this link to make a reservation for your trip!
Let me know what stops peak your interest in the comments below!(Shameless mountain puns? Kind of my specialty.)
