Trail Guides

Rocky Mountain National Park Service U.S. Department of Interior Rocky Mountain National Park Trail Ridge Road Alternate Routes Trail Ridge Road (U. S. Highway 34) is the high road through Rocky Mountain National Park. Weather permitting, it is open from the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend until wintry weather and heavy snows close it, usually in midOctober to early-November. However, storms and unsafe road conditions can close Trail Ridge Road at any time. Some alternate routes are listed below. All of these routes involve driving on winding mountain roads. Allow approximately 3.5 – 4.5 hours (or more) for alternate routes between Estes Park and Grand Lake, Colorado. For the most up-to-date status of Trail Ridge Road, 24 hours a day, please call (970)586-1222. This line is updated any time the road’s status changes. South Route via the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway About 141 miles total West to East, Grand Lake to Estes Park East to West, Estes Park to Grand Lake Drive south on US 34 for 15 miles to Granby Drive south on CO 7 for about 22 miles to CO 72 Turn left (east) onto US 40 and drive 48 miles to I-70. You will pass through Winter Park Turn right (south) on CO 72 for about 23 miles to Nederland Take I-70 east to exit 243, the Central City Parkway In Nederland, take the first right in the traffic circle, which is CO 119 Take the Central City Parkway 8 miles to Central City; follow the signs to Black Hawk/CO 119 Turn left onto CO 119 and drive about 16 miles north to Nederland In Nederland, follow the traffic circle signs and take CO 72 toward Estes Park Drive north on CO 72 for about 23 miles to a Tintersection with CO 7 Turn left (west) onto CO 7 and drive about 22 miles to Estes Park South Route via Boulder If winter driving conditions exist, this route can be safer About 150 miles total Take the Central City Parkway 8 miles to I-70 Alternate Route: Drive south from Nederland on CO 119 for about 24 miles to US 6. Turn right and take US 6 to I-70 Take I-70 west to US 40 at exit 232 Drive north on US 40 through Winter Park to Granby, 48 miles West to East, Grand Lake to Estes Park East to West, Estes Park to Grand Lake Drive south on US 34 for 15 miles to Granby From Estes Park, take US 36 east 21 miles to Lyons Turn left (east) onto US 40 and drive 48 miles to I- 70. You will pass through Winter Park Turn left at the stoplight and drive east through Lyons. Turn right at the stoplight onto US 36 to Boulder Drive east on I-70 to exit 244, which is US 6 Take US 6 east to Golden, about 13 miles Stay on this road, which becomes Broadway in Boulder; drive through town and out the north end Turn right on US 34; drive 15 miles to Grand Lake On the north side of Boulder, turn right onto Broadway Drive all the way through Boulder on Broadway, which turns into CO 93 on the south side of Boulder; continue south to Golden Turn at the stoplight for US 6 and turn right (west) Turn left onto US 36 and take this to Lyons, 17 mi. Take US 6 to I-70 Turn left at the stoplight and drive all the way through Lyons Take I-70 west to US 40 at exit 232 At the west side of Lyons, turn right and take US 36 to Estes Park, about 22 miles About 169 miles total Turn right and follow the signs through Central City to the Central City Parkway Alternate Route: Drive east on I-70 to exit 244, US 6. Take US 6 for 2 miles to the intersection with CO 119. Turn left onto CO 119 toward Black Hawk Turn left (north) at the stoplight on the west side of Golden onto CO 93; drive 20 miles to Boulder North Route via Cameron Pass Note: the Stove Prairie Road between CO 14 and Masonville is very narrow and winding. Alternate route: drive east on CO 14 to US 287; turn right (south) and drive through Fort Collins and Loveland to US 34 (reverse the route if heading west) Drive south on CO 119 for about 16 miles to the first stoplight at Black Hawk Drive north on US 40 through Winter Park to Granby, 48 miles Turn right on US 34; drive 15 miles to Grand Lake West to East, Grand Lake to Estes Park East to West, Estes Park to Grand Lake Drive south on US 34 for 15 miles to US 40 Take US 34 east about 23 miles Turn right (west) and drive for 2 miles to the intersection with CO 125 Turn left (north) toward Masonville Turn right (north) and drive 31 miles to Rand and CR 27 Drive 17 miles east on CR 27 to Gould (this is a good dirt road, maintained by the county) Alternate Route: Continue on CO 125 to Walden; turn right (east) onto CO 14 and take this to the turnoff to Stove Prairie and Masonville Turn right on CO 14 and drive 51 miles to CR 27 Turn right and drive to Masonville, and then continue on CR 27 to US 34, about 30 miles Turn right (west) onto US 34 and drive up the Big Thompson Canyon about 23 miles to Estes Park Turn left in Masonville on County Road 27 (Stove Prairie Road) and go about 13 miles to CO 14 Turn left onto CO 14 and take this over Cameron Pass to the town of Gould, 51 miles Turn onto CR 27 and drive 17 miles west to Rand (this is a good dirt road, and county-maintained) Alternate Route: Continue on CO 14 to Walden, turn south onto CO 125 and drive 55 miles to US 40 Turn left onto CO 125 and drive 31 miles south to the intersection with US 40 Drive 2 miles east to US 34 near Granby Take US 34 north for 15 miles to Grand Lake L-TRR Alt Rt-9 EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™ To Utah 40 40 Steamboat Springs 40 Kremmling Rabbit Ears Pass 14 9,425’ 14 9 40 125 Gould 40 125 CR 27 125 14 Cameron Pass 10,276’ To Vail Silverthorn 9 Hot Sulphur Springs Rand Walden Grand Lake 7 Central City Empire 7 36 6 70 Golden 93 119 66 Denver 25 25 70 E-470 To Colorado Springs 36 287 Longmont Lyons Loveland 287 Fort Collins Boulder 119 36 Masonville CR 27 14 Blackhawk 119 72 Nederland Allenspark Eisenhower & Johnson Tunnels 11,158’ 70 Berthoud Pass 11,315’ 40 Winter Park Fraser Granby 40 Park Rocky Mountain National Park Estes 14 N To Wyoming DIA To Kansas