Intro
When Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park are closed to motor vehicles but are not in winter trail status, cyclists are permitted to ride the roads. This period offers a unique opportunity for cyclists to enjoy the road without vehicular traffic. Trail Ridge Road typically opens to vehicle traffic in late May, around Memorial Day weekend. Old Fall River Road typically opens to vehicles in early July, though the exact date varies each year depending on snowpack and spring maintenance conditions.
Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, cresting at an elevation of 12,183 feet above sea level, about 4700 feet above Estes Park. The road begins in montane forests of aspen and ponderosa pine, enters thick subalpine forests of fir and spruce, and eventually yields to alpine tundra. Up on that windswept alpine world, conditions resemble those found in the Canadian or Alaskan Arctic. It's normally windy and 20 to 30 degrees colder than Estes Park or Grand Lake. The sun beats down with high-ultraviolet intensity. The vistas, best enjoyed from one of several marked road pullovers, are extravagant, sweeping north to Wyoming, east across the Front Range cities and Great Plains, south and west into the heart of the Rockies. But for all its harshness, the Trail Ridge tundra is a place of vibrant life and vivid colors. Pikas, marmots, ptarmigans and bighorn sheep are commonly seen. About 200 species of tiny alpine plants hug the ground. Trail Ridge road passes by the Alpine Visitor Center at Fall River Pass before it starts to head downhill to the west towards Grand Lake.
While Trail Ridge Road is a paved two-way road running east-west through the entire park, Old Fall River Road is a narrow, and unpaved one-way dirt road on the west side of RMNP that climbs 11 miles uphill from Endovalley to the Alpine Visitor Center at Fall River Pass, which is at an elevation of 11,796 feet. Old Fall River Road is known for its steep grades, sharp switchbacks, and stunning views, offering a unique experience compared to the newer and more continuous Trail Ridge Road. The road was constructed between 1913 and 1920, making it the first auto route in the park. It's also a route that was previously used by Native American hunters.
I have biked these roads only a few times but plan to bike them more in the future, as it provides a fun and unique way to exercise. Hopefully sometime I can time my bike ride so that the road is completely snow free yet, not closed to bikes, and devoid of cars. The following page gives photos from these solo biking adventures. And yes mom and dad, I wore a helmet. At least on one occasion.
