Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved highway in the United States, rising to 3,713 metres in Rocky Mountain National Park, and for a few kilometres it runs above the treeline across open alpine tundra. The road was completed in the early 1930s, and it was designed to give visitors the experience of walking in the high country without the walking. Today it carries traffic from Estes Park on the east side to Grand Lake on the west, and it is open only for part of the year. Snow closes it from mid-October, usually until late May, and early or late storms can shut it for days.
The scenery changes as you rise. Below, you ride through lodgepole pine and subalpine fir, then spruce thinning into twisted trees, and finally the tundra itself, a world of low plants, lichen-covered rocks and wide sky. The tundra is fragile, and tiny flowers bloom in the short summer. Elk graze in the meadows at lower levels, and marmots and pikas whistle among the rocks. At the Alpine Visitor Center, you can stand beside snowfields in July and look across mountain ranges that fade into blue.
Riding here needs respect for altitude and weather. The air is thin enough that engines lose power and riders may feel light-headed, so go slowly and drink water. Temperatures at the top can be near freezing even in summer, and wind is fierce, so a warm jacket, gloves and a windproof layer are essential. Thunderstorms build over the high peaks by early afternoon, and lightning is a real hazard on the open ridge, so plan to cross early in the day. The road has steep drops on one side and tight hairpins, but the surface is excellent and the speed limit is modest. Entry to the national park requires a fee or a pass.
Estes Park, about nineteen kilometres from the entrance, is the nearest town with fuel, food and lodging, and Granby on the western side is another. The visitor centre has a café and shop, but hours are limited.
An older gravel road, Fall River Road, climbs the mountain on a one-way route, and it is a worthwhile adventure for those with the right bike and a spare afternoon. Trail Ridge, though, is the grand tour, and on a clear morning there is hardly a better road in North America.