Colorado Scenic Drive: Trail Ridge Road

This 1.5 to 2-hour scenic drive from Winter Park to Estes Park features the magnificent scenery of Rocky Mountain National Park and great viewing areas for elk and other wildlife.

The Trail Ridge Road Scenic Byway (US Highway 34) runs through Rocky Mountain National Park, world-famous for the sweeping vistas of the crags and valleys that characterize this part of the Rockies. Trail Ridge is the highest road in the US that is paved for its entire length; much of the drive is above the tree line, and sightings of marmots, bighorn sheep, and moose are common.  (Drivers should note that Trail Ridge Road is closed during the winter.)

Day-long auto trips take you through Rocky Mountain National Park over the Continental Divide into Estes Park or Grand Lake. Maps and Descriptive tapes are available at the The Kawuneeche Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park on Highway 34 just north of Grand Lake. Stop at the Visitor Center for maps, books, and camping and hiking information. Contact the Kawuneeche Visitors Center at 970-627-3471. Open daily 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

For more scenic drives and scenic byways in Colorado, check out Ute Pass, Trough Road, Corona / Rollins Pass, Stillwater Pass and Colorado River Headwater's Scenic and Historic Byway.