Rocky Mountain National Park

A view of snowcapped peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park.

A view from Trail Ridge Road, in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Rocky Mountain National Park covers 265,828 acres and offers some of the most spectacular landscapes in the nation.

Visitors can hike, mountaineer, camp, cross-country ski, snowshoe, or ride horseback through this vast wilderness.

The 50-mile Trail Ridge Road crosses the park from east to west, reaching 12,183 feet above sea level in near-arctic conditions. It is usually open Memorial Day to mid-October, depending on weather conditions. During the summer of 2007, however, the park will make critical repairs to the road. Please call ahead for information.

Brown, rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout are caught in the mountain streams and lakes. Some fish species and fishing areas require catch-and-release only.

Sixty-three miles of hard-surfaced roads, with a 5 to 7 percent grade, are open to bicycling, although the roads are narrow and must be shared with motor vehicle traffic. A few roads are closed to vehicles and bicycles in winter months. During the summer of 2007, cyclists should be prepared for rough road conditions on Trail Ridge Road.

There are more than 355 miles of hiking trails and many are open to horseback riding. Bicycles are not allowed on the trails.

The park offers challenging ascents for mountain climbers. Longs Peak, the highest of the park's 111 named mountains, can be climbed during the late summer without technical equipment.

Roads on the east and west sides of the park are kept open year-round to provide access to cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, winter mountaineering and mountain panoramas.

It is not possible to drive from one side of the park to the other during winter. U.S. Highway 34, also called Trail Ridge Road, is closed from mid-October to Memorial Day weekend.

There are five campgrounds and three are open year-round. Permits are required for backcountry camping, call 970-586-1242.