The Trail Ridge Road began as a path used by native Americans to cross between their home lands in the west, and the hunting region to the east. The road was began in the late 1920’s despite much opposition. The director of the National Park Service decided that it would encourage visitors, and steps were taken to minimize the intrusion on the landscape. We began our journey on the western end. At the entrance we purchased a 7 day pass for the park for $30.00. If you are just passing through you can get a single day permit for $20.00 per car. We found ourselves quickly ascending about 4000 feet through aspen forests, and meadows filled with native wildlife.

Soon you pass through these and into the fir and spruce filled subalpine forests. As you continue your ascent, you finally pass beyond the tree line and enter the alpine tundra. In this windswept area few animals reside. Those that do are especially equipped to handle the harsh conditions. A keen eye will uncover the marmots, Pikas or bighorn sheep that graze cautiously in the open areas.

Travelers along the Trail Ridge Road are in for some wonderful views, at this high altitude. There are plenty of pullovers along the way for safe viewing. It is easy to let the time slide away, as every turn offers a new view.

Due to the high altitudes, a large portion of the road closes between mid-October until Memorial Day. If you have plans near either of those dates it would be wise to keep a close eye on the weather conditions. After crossing the Continental Divide at Milner Pass, we were ready to stretch our legs. A little farther up the road we came to the Alpine Visitor Center. Here guests may grab a bite to eat, do some souvenir shopping and use the restroom facilities. Those looking to add a little more altitude can make the climb to the top of the paved trail behind the building. This gives you the chance to feel like you are on top of the world, and possibly a little light headed.

Back on the road, we came upon the highest altitude that the road reaches. It would all be downhill from here, albeit a rather slow descent. All along the way we would encounter snow drifts. In some places they were still a few feet deep, but amazingly just a few feet away we would find alpine flowers blooming. No matter how often this scene repeated itself, we were still amazed at the wonders of nature.

As we approached the eastern side of the park, we dropped back below the top of the tree line. Here we began encountering larger animals again. In an area appropriately named Sheep Lakes, we spotted a small group of bighorn sheep grazing in a small meadow.

We were approaching the eastern entrance to the park, but had one more detour to take. The road to Moraine Park offers visitors an assortment of scenic trailheads with varying length hikes. We were limited on time, so we chose two hikes that were each 1/2 mile long. The first took us on a circuit around Bear Lake. At just under 10,000 feet altitude it was more of a chore than we expected, but we both completed it without any breaks.

Our second hike was at Sprague Lake, which was popular with a local fisherman. As we marched around the lake, we watched him cast repeatedly, but never saw him catch anything.

Soon we were back in the car and heading toward Estes Park. After checking into our hotel, and having a hearty dinner, we slipped back into the park for a sunset drive along Trail Ridge Road.

We drove back above the tree line, and found a place to park. We watched the sun pass behind the mountains, and the light slip from the sky. As twilight faded the stars came out, and we sat in awe of the depth and beauty of a clear night sky, beyond the city lights. For those moments we felt like we were the only people on the planet, and that we were on top of the world.

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Ahead we could see our next stop, Jenny Lake.  Here we stretched our legs on one of the mountain trails. Soon we were making our way to our evening’s stop at Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The Peaceful Valley

The late afternoon was wearing on by the time we arrived, but there was still time for a little shopping. We found our way to our lodging at the Inn on the Creek. It is appropriately named, as it sits right beside Flat Creek. We strolled along the creek a little bit, and watched a few ducks play in the water. Dinner was at a nearby restaurant, which was within walking distance. The days activities had wore on us, so we had no issue falling asleep that night.

The next morning we joined our fellow guests at the inn for a wonderful breakfast. A little more time downtown, before heading off toward our next location. Our itinerary was jammed packed, so we would only spend two nights at the same place once on this journey. The road south followed along the Snake River, which afforded us some nice views during the day. After a bit, the river dumped into a reservoir, and we continued on without it. As we drove through a selection of small towns in southwestern Wyoming, we noticed a pattern of displaying antlers in various ways. It was an odd, yet entertaining sight.

As lunchtime approached, we turned west toward Idaho. Less than 20 miles across the state line we pulled into Montpelier, Idaho. This town of less than 3,000 happens to be home to The National Oregon/California Trail Center. My research had uncovered this little gem, and we were quite excited to check it out. Of course, it would have to wait until after we had lunch.

Unusual Lodging

After a delightful visit, we headed south toward Bear Lake, and the Idaho/Utah border. A short stop to gaze at the amazing blue waters of the lake, and we were back on track. The highway meandered through the Wasatch Mountain Range, which is quite small compared to the Rocky Mountain Range. Our route had us passing through the canyon walls. By early evening we pulled in to Logan, Utah, where we would spend the night at Anniversary Inn. This unique bed & breakfast had the makings to be one of most memorable lodging choices along the trip. We were both eager to see it.

A Capitol Day

The following morning we lingered around the inn, as we hated to leave. Our itinerary only had us traveling about 100 miles that day. We would be visiting the Hogle Zoo and seeing the Great Salt Lake. The Salt Lake ended up being none too exciting. It did afford an excellent view of the city with the mountains in the background. Our stay was short, and we made off toward the zoo. Here we spent the afternoon in a state of zoological bliss. The zoo had some interesting displays, although it was only about 2/3 the size of the Kansas City Zoo.

A 30 minute drive from the zoo landed us in Park City, Utah. Here I had scored what I felt was the best deal of the whole trip. An evening at the Waldorf Astoria in Park City usually comes with a hefty price tag. With some handy work on Price-line, I was able to get a room for around $100. I’m sure that the fact that it was not ski season played in to the ability to get such a deal. Of course, I still considered it a success. While the lodging the night before had been the most unique so far, this was by far the most luxurious. They pull out all of the stops to make sure their guests are treated to the highest level of service. We certainly felt like royalty. We would like to make a return visit to this hotel during a snowier period.

Heading Toward The Rocky Mountain Range

The next morning we woke refreshed, and ready for a new day. The next 400 mile leg that would take us back to the Rocky Mountains. Just under halfway into the drive we crossed into Colorado. The first town we came to was named Dinosaur. It appears that the residents and business owners wanted the town to clearly represent its given name.

Off and on throughout the day we would see the mountain range growing in the distance. By early evening, we would arrive in our destination of Grand Lake, Colorado. For now we were enjoying the wonders of nature that surrounded us on our Rocky Mountain Road Trip.

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