Trail Ridge Road
US 34 across Rocky Mountain National Park: 48 miles from Estes Park to Grand Lake, with 11 miles above treeline and a high point of 12,183 feet.
Also known as Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road; US 34 through Rocky Mountain National Park
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length48 miles[1]Estes Park to Grand Lake, per the National Park Service.
- Drive timeAbout two hours of driving, or a full day with stops[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsUS 34 (Trail Ridge Road)[2]
- Start and endEstes Park (east side of the park) to Grand Lake (west side)[2]
- Fees and passesNational park entrance fee required; a timed entry reservation is also needed at certain times of day from late May to mid-October.[4]
- Best seasonLate May to mid-October, when the road is normally open to through travel[3]
- SurfacePaved[1]FHWA calls it America's highest continuously paved road.
- Vehicle notesHigh-altitude road: the top is 12,183 feet, 11 miles run above treeline, and it is often 20 to 30 degrees colder than in Estes Park.[2]
- Seasonal closuresClosed to through travel in winter. It normally closes in mid-October and reopens in the last week of May, weather permitting.[3]
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
Trail Ridge Road crosses Rocky Mountain National Park between Estes Park and Grand Lake. In a few minutes of driving it climbs about 4,000 feet, from ponderosa pine and aspen through fir and spruce forest to open alpine tundra.
Eleven miles of the road run above treeline, and the high point is 12,183 feet. Up top it is usually windy and much colder than in town, so bring layers even in July. The marked pull-outs are the safe places to stop for views.
The road closes to through travel for winter and normally reopens in late May. In summer, the park uses timed entry reservations at certain times of day, so check before you go.
Stops along the way
-
Farview Curve Overlook
Looks over the Kawuneeche Valley and the Never Summer Mountains.
Official information · 40.39932, -105.83511 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Milner Pass
Continental Divide crossing at 10,759 feet, beside Poudre Lake.
Official information · 40.42015, -105.81169 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Medicine Bow Curve
View north toward the far reaches of the park.
Official information · 40.44722, -105.7542 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Gore Range Overlook
Overlook at 12,048 feet.
Official information · 40.43266, -105.76836 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Lava Cliffs
A rare band of volcanic rock above treeline.
Official information · 40.42471, -105.75344 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
-
Forest Canyon Overlook
Short paved walk at 11,716 feet.
Official information · 40.39577, -105.71388 · about 0.2 mi from the route line
-
Many Parks Curve
Pull-out with a wide view over the east-side meadows.
Official information · 40.3878, -105.6328 · about 0.0 mi from the route line
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
Farmers markets within about 25 miles
- Estes Valley Farmers MarketEstes Park, CO · about 1.1 mi from the route
- Estes Park Farmers MarketEstes Park, CO · about 2.1 mi from the route
- Granby Farmers MarketGranby, CO · about 13.3 mi from the route
- Lyons Outdoor MarketLyons, CO · about 16.8 mi from the route
- Loveland Green MarketLoveland, CO · about 20.4 mi from the route
Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.
In season during the best months to drive
The drive's best months are Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Typical U.S. seasons from our Fresh Market Guide; local harvests vary.
- BasilJun, Jul, Aug, Sep
- BlackberriesJun, Jul, Aug
- CantaloupeJun, Jul, Aug, Sep
- CornJun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Sources
- America's Byways: Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Trail Ridge Road (Rocky Mountain National Park, NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Trail Ridge Road is Closed to Through Travel for the Winter 2025/2026 Season (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- RMNP Timed Entry (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).