The best drives in Colorado, written down properly.

At 12,183 feet, the high point on Trail Ridge Road sits above most of the clouds you see from Denver. The road crosses Rocky Mountain National Park from Estes Park to Grand Lake — 48.7 miles, about two hours if you don't stop, closer to four or six if you do it right. Plan for the longer version.

The basics

• Distance: 48.7 miles
• Drive time: About 2 hours without stops (plan for 4-6 with stops)
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Best season: Summer, early fall
• Best time: Morning
• Start: Estes Park
• End: Grand Lake

The drive

Start at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center on the east edge of the park before you do anything else. Rangers post current road conditions and wildlife sightings, and you can check the timed entry status for the day. The building itself is Frank Lloyd Wright — unexpected for a national park entrance, but there it is.

From there the road climbs through pine forest. Within a few miles you're at Many Parks Curve, and the view hits you — several glacial valleys at once, Moraine Park and Horseshoe Park and Estes Park below, the scale of everything much larger than the drive up suggested. You're still only partway.

Rainbow Curve is treeline. The trees here are short and gnarled, bent sideways by decades of wind, and then they stop entirely. Above this point the road runs through open alpine tundra for miles. The interpretive signs at Rainbow Curve explain the krummholz zone — "crooked wood" in German — and you'll understand the word immediately when you're standing there looking at the trees.

From Rainbow Curve, pull over at Forest Canyon Overlook. It's a short walk from the parking area. Do it anyway. The view takes in Forest Canyon, Hayden Gorge, and Longs Peak to the southeast — the kind of view where you just stand there for a while. Most people stay in the car and miss it.

The Alpine Visitor Center sits at 11,796 feet, the highest visitor center in the National Park System. There's a snack bar, exhibits, and restrooms. The Alpine Ridge Trail climbs from the center for 360-degree views — even if you're not planning a hike, walk partway up. The altitude makes itself known here. Take it slow.

West of the Alpine Visitor Center, the road begins its descent toward Grand Lake. Stop at Gore Range Overlook for views of the Never Summer Mountains — these show up in a lot of Colorado photographs and now you'll know where they were taken. Farview Curve, a few miles further, looks down into the Kawuneeche Valley.

On the west side, if you have time, stop at Coyote Valley Trailhead. It's a flat easy walk through an open meadow — a good change of pace after hours of high-altitude overlooks. Elk and moose are spotted here regularly. It's worth 20 minutes.

Grand Lake, the endpoint, is a small mountain town on the western boundary of the park.

Key stops

Beaver Meadows Visitor Center

Type: Visitor center
Start here before entering the park. Rangers know what's happening on the road that day — wildlife, conditions, crowd levels. Five minutes here saves time later.

Many Parks Curve Overlook

Type: Overlook
The view takes in several glacial valleys at once. The parking lot fills fast after 9am. Shoot from the right side of the pullout for the clearest sight lines east.

Rainbow Curve Overlook

Type: Overlook
Treeline. The landscape changes completely here — you step out of the tree zone into open tundra and the wind is immediate. Interpretive signs explain what you're looking at.

Forest Canyon Overlook

Type: Overlook
Short walk from the lot. Don't skip this one. Views of Longs Peak and the canyon that most people miss by staying in the car.

Alpine Visitor Center

Type: Visitor center
11,796 feet. Snack bar, restrooms, and exhibits on the alpine ecosystem. The Alpine Ridge Trail from here gives you 360-degree views if you want them. Go slowly — the altitude is real.

Gore Range Overlook

Type: Overlook
Views of the Never Summer Mountains and Gore Range. Pull over even for a few minutes. The light on the western peaks is best in the morning.

Farview Curve Viewpoint

Type: Overlook
The Kawuneeche Valley opens up below. Good pullout for photography.

Coyote Valley Trailhead

Type: Trailhead
Easy flat walk through meadow on the west side of the park. Elk, moose, and other wildlife seen here regularly. Good for stretching after a lot of time in the car.

Before you go

No gas on the 48.7-mile route. Fill up in Estes Park or Grand Lake — there are no commercial services inside Rocky Mountain National Park.

Cell service is spotty to nonexistent above treeline and through most of the park. Download offline maps before you start.

The road runs above 12,000 feet for several miles. Altitude sickness — headaches, lightheadedness, nausea — is common at this elevation, especially for people who drove up from low elevations that same morning. Drink water, go slow at the overlooks, and don't push anyone to stay up high if they're feeling rough.

Pack a jacket no matter what time of year. Above treeline the wind is constant and cold, even in July. The parking areas at the high overlooks are exposed and feel 20 degrees colder than Estes Park.

Rocky Mountain National Park requires timed entry reservations during peak season. Check the NPS website before your visit — the specific requirements change year to year, and the reservations sell out.

The road has steep grades, some tight switchbacks, and no guardrails in certain sections. Speed limits are low for good reasons.

Seasonal notes

Open roughly late May through mid-October, depending on snowpack. Snow is possible above treeline any month the road is open. Peak crowds are July and August — go early morning to get the overlooks without fighting for parking. The park opens at dawn and the high section is quiet before 8am. Fall color on the lower slopes peaks in late September, and after Labor Day the crowds drop significantly.