Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved highway in North America, travels through the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park from Estes Park to Grand Lake.

In 2009 the road is expected to open by Memorial Day. It will close again for the winter when heavy snowfalls make the route impractical to keep clear, usually sometime between late-September and late-October.

Traveling this route has always intrigued and thrilled National Park visitors. With 11 miles of pavement above treeline the road climbs from about 7,800 feet at the National Park headquarters on US Highway 36 to more than 12,000 feet at the summit. On this trip, travelers can view alpine tundra, which blankets a full third of the Park. At this altitude you’ll find a fragile environment of animals and aged, but dwarfed plants that have adapted to the arctic-like winter conditions.

There are multiple parking areas along this route, and taking the time to get out of the car to experience them is highly recommended. Among the stops: Hidden Valley, Many Parks Curve, Rainbow Curve, and the Forest Canyon Overlook. Here, a short walk takes you to a dizzying overlook onto Forest Canyon, where the massive forces of glaciers carved the valleys below.

Atop Trail Ridge Road is the Alpine Visitors Center, which includes a snack bar, gift shop and exhibits staffed with Park rangers. Beyond that is Milner Pass, where the road crosses the Continental Divide.

An alternate route to the Alpine Visitors Center atop Trail Ridge Road is Fall River Road , a one-way dirt road, hence any return trip will be via Trail Ridge Road. The road is a spectacular climb above Horseshoe Park, and is highly recommended. The road can be reached via a turnoff from Trail Ridge Road in Horseshoe Park.