Forum Discussion

Thom02099's avatar
Thom02099
Explorer II
May 26, 2017

Trail Ridge Road OPEN!

According to 9News Denver (and presumably other news outlets), Trail Ridge Road/US 34 in Rocky Mountain National Park will not be opening for Memorial Day Weekend. Reportedly, there are still 14 foot snow drifts that need to be cleared in order to get it open for the season, and that won't happen this weekend. The same news report indicated that all of the campgrounds in Rocky are open and fully functional.

ETA: Lower portions of the road are open, just not above timber line. It's closed at Rainbow Curve on the east side, and at Milner Pass on the west side. The drive up to both is still a very cool thing to do in the park.
Roads and Routes
  • 4runnerguy's avatar
    4runnerguy
    Explorer
    May 26, 2017
    Good time to bicycle up the road. It's a tough ride when there's lots of traffic. Not much in the way of shoulders. Not open now, but we ride up Fall River Road and back on Trail Ridge. Coming down, we generally go faster than the cars, so we wait until there's a big gap in front of us and take off!
  • Gjac's avatar
    Gjac
    Explorer III
    May 28, 2017
    4runnerguy wrote:
    Good time to bicycle up the road. It's a tough ride when there's lots of traffic. Not much in the way of shoulders. Not open now, but we ride up Fall River Road and back on Trail Ridge. Coming down, we generally go faster than the cars, so we wait until there's a big gap in front of us and take off!
    On our trip to Alaska in 2006 we did this only just downhill. We took the tow car up and our bikes and the road was closed to cars at the top in May but my friend and I went about another 5 miles up the road and coasted 17 miles back to the CG it was a fast ride down. We had Mtn bikes and were hitting speeds of 40 or more MPH. Our wives followed us down in the tow car. It was the longest down hill I was ever on.
  • Lauren's avatar
    Lauren
    Explorer
    May 28, 2017
    Back when I lived in Estes a friend of mine and I did both Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road (gravel) on our bikes. Looking back, we came down WAY too fast (recorded near 45 mph in spots). In some places T R falls off both sides severely and all we would have had to do is hit a rock or something.

    No, we were not drinking - just stupid old guys.
  • Thom02099's avatar
    Thom02099
    Explorer II
    May 29, 2017
    Well, I just got back down from Rocky this afternoon (Memorial Day Monday). It was cold and rainy for part of the weekend at Glacier Basin, and was snowing quite a bit up at the higher elevations. Longs Peak and Mt Meeker got some fresh snow, and Trail Ridge is going to take that much longer to open. Still has some 14 foot drifts on it, on the east side it's open to Rainbow Curve, about 12 miles up. They say that beyond that, it's open to bikes and peds. Good luck with that! Open maybe until the first drift up by the Canyon Overlook!
  • Thom02099's avatar
    Thom02099
    Explorer II
    Jun 01, 2017
    Woohooo! Trail Ridge Road is now open, as of today/Wednesday 05/31/17! Plowed through and got it all done, weather has been cooperative the past few days. Subject to weather closures, but weather outlook is optimistic.
  • Busskipper's avatar
    Busskipper
    Explorer
    Jun 01, 2017
    Thom02099 wrote:
    Woohooo! Trail Ridge Road is now open, as of today/Wednesday 05/31/17! Plowed through and got it all done, weather has been cooperative the past few days. Subject to weather closures, but weather outlook is optimistic.


    Missed it this year - have flown back to Maryland - didn't get to do Trail Ridge - still want to see the walls of snow - try again next year.

    But we did have a short hike to Brainard Lake (Red Rock Lake)in the 60 degree Snow (slush) (In tennis shoes-wet)

    Thom - thanks so much for all the info - what a Great State to be in!! The East Coast Granddaughters LOVED IT!

    Love Visiting - Any time of the Year,

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