UPDATE If you have a trip planned to Estes Park - DON'T GO

[Thunder_Mountai]

We were 31 year residents of Estes Park. We are in contact with many people there via Facebook. Telephone and Internet service are down, but some people are somehow getting video and pictures out.

Big Thompson Canyon is going to be a long time reopening. Road from Lyons is gone just outside Lyons. Hwy 7 from Lyons to Allenspark has a huge washout just outside Lyons. Lyons has been evacuated by the National Guard.

Significant infrastructure damage in Estes Park. Most businesses downtown had nothing like the flooding from the 1982 flood.

Only emergency and official traffic allowed into Estes Park via Trail Ridge Road. People can leave EP westbound on TRR.

My sources are saying it may be at least a couple of weeks before another route into Estes Park is open.

The National Park is closed. Can't imagine the damage to trails and roads. Just say a prayer for EP. It will be a long while before things are back to normal. We are feeling so sad for our friends who depend on tourism to feed their families.

UPDATE: The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will reopen a route for some motorists to and from Estes Park later tonight (Sept. 13) around 10 p.m. Emergency personnel, residents of Estes Park, delivery vehicles and other essential visitors will be able to access Estes Park by taking State Highway (SH) 119 north from the Blackhawk/Central City area to Nederland to SH 72 north through Ward to SH 7 and then north to Estes park through Allenspark. CDOT will establish and enforce checkpoints at varying locations along the highway to ensure that only those with critical missions can enter and exit the town until more permanent repairs can be made.