PARK SEASON
Although the park is officially open to travel all year, summer—June through September—is the “regular” season. From October until May, high-altitude roads are blocked by snow, as are most park trails in winter. All but one of the visitor centers are closed, and naturalist hikes and other activities are not scheduled after September 15. Camping is difficult from September to May because of adverse weather and limited facilities. However, the roads to both Estes Park and Grand Lake are usually open throughout winter, and accommodations are available in both gateway towns during the off-season.
WHAT TO DO
For most visitors, the park’s scenic splendors are the chief attraction. There is a choice of several auto drives; and miles of trails beckon those who prefer hiking or horseback riding. A few of the principal automobile and trail trips are described below.
The park ranger-naturalist activities are popular; so is fishing, a park sport for which a State license is required. All activities within the National Park are keyed to the natural scene.
The principal winter-use area in Rocky Mountain National Park is at Hidden Valley along Trail Ridge Road, 10 miles west of Estes Park. Skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, and platter sliding are popular here. The area is designed for family winter use, not as a typical ski resort. There are down-mountain ski runs and several practice areas so that either the expert or the novice skier will find slopes to his liking. Ski tows service popular slopes. A lodge and a warming shelter are provided at two popular locations within the area for the use of winter sports enthusiasts. Rental equipment, food service, lounge, and other facilities are available at the visitor center. Cross-country skiing may be enjoyed by the experienced skier at numerous locations on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park and on the western slope in the vicinity of Grand Lake.
Here are a few photo hints: the light is intense at high altitudes; many shots are made at half the exposure needed nearer sea level. Mornings are best for pictures; afternoons are often cloudy. Use side-light for depth, and break up the foreground on long shots. Color film will not register accurately the intense light of the sky and the dark green of the forest on the same exposure. Film, filters, and other supplies are available at the gateway towns. Color slides are sold at Moraine Park Visitor Center and nearby curio shops.
Automobile Trips
Mountain driving is different from ordinary automobile travel, and presents special problems. In most of the park a speed limit of 35 miles per hour is enforced (20 m.p.h. on curves). This permits leisurely sightseeing; but do not stop on the road. Stop in a parking area and walk back to a scenic spot, if necessary. Vapor lock, which often stalls cars, is caused, in part, by driving the car up steep grades in high gear; use lower gears and keep the motor cooler. Most cars stalled by vapor lock will start after cooling off for about 10 minutes. Keep your car in gear and use lower gears, if possible, on down grades, too; do not use overdrive. Drive carefully and courteously. Gateway towns have the usual auto services.
Trail Ridge Road. The 50-mile drive from Estes Park to Grand Lake across the Front Range in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of America’s most magnificent auto trips. Trail Ridge Road, a modern, hard-surfaced road, is usually open from late May to mid-October. For sheer scenic beauty, for easy access to the fantasies of treeline and tundra, and for a variety of natural landscapes within a few miles, Trail Ridge Road has few equals anywhere in the world.