The Sky-High Colorado Road That Forces Vehicles & Human Lungs to Work Overtime

The Trail Ridge Road, Colorado

They called it the ‘Highway to the Sky’ when it opened in 1932. Trail Ridge Road still lives up to the name, crossing the Rockies at a height where trees can’t grow and snow sticks around most of the year. It’s the highest continuous paved road in North America, and for good reason – any higher and you’d need oxygen tanks.

Altitude Sickness is Basically Guaranteed

Trail Ridge Road runs 48 miles in total, and 11 miles of those takes you above treeline. That’s roughly equivalent to 11,500 feet elevation. At the highest point, Trail Ridge Road tops 12,183 feet.

Driving at those heights can force cars to lose around 30% of its power, and can even kill the engine. Many drivers experience altitude sickness at this point, too.

Ancient Indigenous Highway

Way back, Ute tribes walked this path for food and trade.

The Arapaho called it “taienbaa,” which meant “Where the Children Walked” as it was so steep kids had to walk and not be held.

Look for stone piles they set up to trap game for hunts. You can see spots where they slept in small huts called wickiups.

These tribes took trips on the path to reach elk herds on the west side, while the east side had good spots to camp through cold months.

Highest National Park Visitor Center

The Alpine Visitor Center sits way up at 11,796 feet, the highest in any U.S. park. You can grab a hot drink there on a cold day.

Glass walls face the view of Fall River Pass and high peaks so you can see for miles. The roof has a wooden crisscross frame meant to hold down high winds that roar past.

Rangers lead short walks here in summer, though the best time to visit is spring when tiny bright blooms occur in mid-July.

Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy

Six camps of CCC men worked on this project, hiking up and down each day. Most of the rock work and stone walls that edge the road came from their hand labor.

The CCC men lived in tents at first, then small wood huts with just bare needs met. They got one day off each week, and were paid just $30 a month.

The CCC boys (17 to 20 years) built footpaths and camp spots all through the park, gaining skills that would help them find jobs for years to come.

Extreme Snow Removal Challenges

Crews fight up to 25 feet of snow each spring to clear the road. They work for six weeks cut off from the world, facing wild winds and white-outs.

Big snow plows push through drifts that can be three times taller than a man. The west side gets more snow than the east, which adds to the task.

Road crews must also fix rock slides and wash-outs during the spring runoff.

National Historic Recognition

In 1996, the U.S. said Trail Ridge Road was so good it earned the name “All-American Road”, one of just 11 such roads in the state.

You drive where once dirt paths wound, now paved to keep the land safe for 48 miles, but with the link to Beaver Meadow Road, the full route spans 55 miles.

The National Scenic Byways Program rank puts it in the top tier of roads.

Disputed Eastern Terminus

The name “Trail Ridge” comes from a high flat ridge the road runs on for miles. But no one quite agrees where the East End starts.

Some say at Fall River entrance gate, while maps show Deer Ridge Junction. Park files list Fall River as the true start. The west end links to Grand Lake town.

The signs don’t help, as some point to one spot and some to the next.

Where the Continental Divide Crosses

At Milner Pass (10,758 feet up), you cross the split that sends rain two ways. A sign marks the spot where you can stand with one foot in each great basin.

At the pass, you can see peaks that top 13,000 feet all around. Snow stays on this pass well into late June most years, with some drifts that last all year.

Just ahead is a small lake called Poudre Lake, sitting right on the split. The west side gets more rain and snow due to how the storms move.

Rocky Mountain Marmot Ambassadors

Fat, furry marmots pop up at pull-outs to greet you at high spots. They spend all summer to store food for their eight-month nap.

Most of them sleep till May, so June and July are the best times to see them. You might hear their sharp whistles as you hike the short trails.

Besides rocky mountain marmots, pikas, small mouse-like kin to rabbits, dart among the rocks with hay in their mouths.

Mushroom Rocks and Alpine Mysteries

Weird rocks shaped like mushrooms dot the path near Rock Cut. Wind and ice carved these strange forms, which make great photo spots.

Marked rocks near Gore Range show old game drives. A trail leads you to a plaque on Roger Toll (who first dreamed up this road in the 1920s).

Planning Your Trail Ridge Road Adventure

Address: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado (spans 48 miles from Estes Park to Grand Lake)

Entrance Points:

• East Side: Beaver Meadows or Fall River entrances near Estes Park
• West Side: Grand Lake Entrance

Admission:

• 1-Day Vehicle Pass: $30
• Rocky Mountain Annual Pass: $70
• America the Beautiful Pass (all national parks): $80

Timed Entry Pass (2025): Required from May 23 to October 13

• Timed Entry+ (5 am–6 pm): Includes Bear Lake Road access
• Timed Entry (9 am–2 pm): Needed for most areas, including Trail Ridge Road

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