A day in Rocky Mountain NP

About mid-August I realized I hadn't driven one of the "high" roads in RMP yet this summer.  I like to drive up the old Fall River Road, which was the first road across the top of the park.  Since it is one-way, the return trip has to be on Trail Ridge Road.  That road is usually open by Memorial Day.  This year it was quite difficult to get it done since the Colorado mountains had so much snow during the winter.  Fall River Road was not opened until July!

I drove to the park through Big Thompson Canyon west of Loveland and caught a picture of some big horn sheep.  In 1976 there was one of the so-called 100 year (500 year, whatever) floods, and someone I had met casually was swept away, as were many others.  There are vacation homes all along the highway, but surely they have been built in safer locations now.

After five miles or so on Fall River Road, a large parking area allows people to stop and hike along Chasm Falls.  After climbing a few more miles, wonderful views of the lower park are available on every turn to the west, looking back, and just along the side of the road.

At one small parking area, a slight trail can be made out.  Last year a friend and I followed it to a cabin used by researchers.  This was a good place to stop for a snack and enjoy the wild flowers.  Double click to enlarge the first picture in this group to see if the visitors center on top shows up.

A relaxing bachelor group of elk, just before the road gets to the top.


At the top I picked up Trail Ridge Road, aka US 34, and drove on west to the area near the continental divide.  It seems surprising that the highest point on the road is not the divide, which in this case is a few hundred feet lower.  I had seen a winding trail from an overlook near the top.  The trail follows the Cache le Poudre River.  (famous story about French trappers naming it from where they had hidden supplies, including powder)  This is the headwaters of the Poudre River, which since it is just a little east of the divide, eventually flows into the Mississippi.  I have enjoyed many outings in Poudre Canyon and was quite taken with the idea that this trail would possibly lead there eventually.  But a few miles were enough for me.  I didn't see other people on this trail until I was almost back to the car.  I highly recommend it for a hike skirting timber line that just rambles along the tiny river (The Poudre is mighty once in its canyon.  Sadly there were a few rafting deaths this year.) with little up and down.  It was also great to be away from the huge crowds on trails in other parts of the park.