Winter Adventure is Here: The Highest Continual Highway Shuts Down for the Season
Rocky Mountain National Park has officially closed Trail Ridge Road for the season. The road shuts down every year around this time, depending on snowfall.
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Trail Ridge Road is the highest continual highway in the nation, with 11 miles rising above 11,500 feet. In short, winter starts here. The road closes in the winter due to its lack of shoulder and few guardrails. It usually reopens around Memorial Day.
The highway is a popular drive for visitors to enjoy the high elevation and connects the more popular east side of Rocky Mountain in Estes Park to Grand Lake in the west.
Real adventurers can still use bicycles on the road, but a new extreme begins on December 1, when the road changes to “winter trail status.” Only pedestrians at RMNP are allowed to make the trek, but Park Rangers recommend wearing snowshoes or skis. Just know you’ll be dealing with high winds, freezing temperatures and drifting snow.
