Just Driving Through: Rocky Mountain National Park

Guest Post by Michelle Aspelin

Our experience driving Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road through Rocky Mountain National Park

Hello…just driving through Rocky Mountain National Park to get from Point A to Point B, LOL.

That’s right, we took the extra scenic route from Grand Junction to Loveland, CO for the 2026 Overland Expo Mountain West, read that post.

When I started my research on how exactly to get to Loveland from Grand Junction, I wanted to take a route we had not been on before. When I realized Loveland is just east of Rocky Mountain National Park, I knew we would finally have a chance to drive Trail Ridge Road! I’ve had that on my list for a long time. It’s the longest, highest paved road in the United States. It’s closed in winter due to deep snowpack, so we have a limited window of opportunity to experience the alpine tundra above tree line.

Western Slope vs the Front Range

Paul has had people ask him if living on the Western Slope feels like we are missing out on what the Front Range has to offer. The answer is absolutely not.

If you are considering a move to Grand, do not worry. The Boulder, Denver, Colorado Springs side of Colorado is heavily populated with an incredible number of things to do and see, if you are ok with heavy traffic and long lines. I-70 gets very busy during peak times in the fall, in the winter, and summer, and well, spring too. We would much rather drive east into the city than have to drive around in the city on a regular basis and fight the unpredictable traffic to get west.

Living in Grand Junction, we are close to the many wonderful attractions and outdoor activities on the front range. We don’t feel like we are missing out on anything.

What I find amazing is that we can drive through a stunning National Park just going from A to B. Everywhere we go in Colorado has the most beautiful and diverse landscapes. It’s one of the best parts of the lifestyle we enjoy living in western Colorado. And the lack of “traffic”.

We didn’t hesitate to go to the Overland Expo in Loveland. If we drove straight there via I-70, it would have taken us about 4.5 hours, without stops. But we didn’t want to drive into Denver and then north to Loveland and deal with the 3 lanes of chaotic traffic. That’s why we chose this more scenic, slower-paced route. It was well worth the extra time! Speaking of time, let’s talk about timed-entry.

Timed-Entry Permit for Rocky Mountain National Park

If you want to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) during the hours of 9am to 2pm, you need to purchase a $2/vehicle timed-entry permit from Recreation.gov. They can be purchased well in advance, or at 7pm the night before, depending on availability. The times may vary with the seasons so always check Recreation.gov when planning a trip through a national park.

Paul in the new 4Runner at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park

Initially, we chose to enter the western side after 2pm, no permit required. As it got closer to our trip, we realized we would be driving at 12,000’ elevation during the middle of the afternoon when thunderstorms with lightning, and potentially hail, are common. Not a good idea. So, we decided to try for a noon-2pm permit so we could enter the park anytime noon or later. I hopped on the computer at exactly 7pm the night before and snagged one of the 142 tickets available for that time slot.

When we got to Grand Lake, just outside the western Kawuneeche Visitor Center entrance gate, it was 11am. We were early. No problem. We sat on the beach of Grand Lake and ate lunch from a food shack that was right across the street. After a walk on the dock, we left and entered the park. We were glad we had the permit.

On our way back, we decided to get into the park before the 9am cut-off. We got to the Fall River Entrance Station about 8am and only waited in line behind a handful of cars. If the line was long, which it can be, and we didn’t get in before 9am, we would have to drive another route around the park entirely. From Loveland through Estes Park to the entrance is an absolutely stunning drive through the Big Thompson canyon, following the river by the same name. We loved it!

Taking Trail Ridge Road from West to East

Driving Trail Ridge Road

Because you can only drive Old Fall River Road from east to west, we took Trail Ridge Road first. OMG! It was so cool to be up so high for so long. Driving through the alpine tundra above tree line, looking like we were level with the nearby mountain tops, was fantastic. We made sure to drink plenty of water and we took our electrolyte tablets. Read our post about How to Avoid Altitude Sickness.

The speed limit along the road is about 25mph and many curves you slow down to 15mph so this is by no means a fast route. We drove at a leisurely pace. The road meanders around some lakes and ponds through the Kawuneeche Valley then started the steep accent from about 8,000’ to 10,000’. We stopped at the pull-outs and took pictures.

We summitted Milner Pass, the Continental Divide, at 10,759’ and continued higher to the Alpine Visitor Center at 11,796’. It’s the highest Visitor Center in the national park system. We soaked in the view, purchased our souvenirs, and continued on.

Alpine Sunflower along the Tundra Communities Trail

The next stop was to get out at Rock Cut and hike the short 1 mile round trip Tundra Communities Trail at 12,110’. The trail was steep at the start and Paul was struggling with breathing and a bit of altitude sickness, so he turned back. I continued to the end of the trail and got some great photos and videos of the alpine tundra wildflowers, rock formations, and the mountaintop views. It was windy, but I’m guessing it’s always windy up there. I loved it.

We continued down on the windy road with lots of switchbacks, through some dense subalpine forest. We exited the park and had dinner at Poppy’s right next to the Big Thompson River and paved river walk in downtown Estes Park.

Driving Old Fall River Road East to West

Driving Old Fall River Road

We passed a herd of elk in downtown Estes Park on our way to the Fall River Entrance Station on the east side of the park. We drove through several valleys before getting to the entrance of the historic one-way, steep gravel road, Old Fall River Road. The road was built in 1920 as the first road for automobiles to cross the Continental Divide in the park. Yeah, it was steep. It was more like driving a motorized trail vs a road. A few cliffs and drop-offs with no guard rails. It reminded us of the Million Dollar Highway except it wasn’t paved.

The posted speed limit is 15mph so you need to be patient with this journey. The switchbacks were tight, some longer vehicles made three-point turns. We moseyed along. There were pullouts along the route so slow drivers could pull over and let others pass. If you notice more than 4 cars behind you on roads like this, be polite and pull over so they can pass you. You’ll enjoy the adventure much more if you don’t feel like you are being pushed. The other drivers will be thankful too.

Chasm Falls along Old Fall River Road

The highlight along this route was getting out to take the stairs down to Chasm Falls. A great way to get out and stretch and see some beautiful falls up close.

After that we stopped again at the Alpine Visitor Center then headed back through the Grand Lake and Granby, CO area.

One More Route Diversion

Instead of driving our exact same route from Kremmling, we headed south to Silverthorne and I-70. We stopped at an outlet store and ate lunch in town. On our way back we also had time to pick up a few things at Costco near Eagle/Gypsum. Always have to stop at Costco when we pass by. Filled up with gas too!

Overall, it was a wonderful trip to Loveland. We were only gone 2 nights, but it felt like a week. We felt like we really unplugged. Kind of had to since cell service was limited or not available at all while we were in the national park. The Expo on our day in-between kept us entertained and we loved the business speakers we attended. We love weekend trips like this to get away and immerse ourselves in nature and take in the glorious views of this great state. We are so thankful to call Grand Junction home. It makes doing adventures like this so easy!

Check out the social media platforms below. There are some videos posted about this trip.

Michelle and Paul Aspelin near Milner Pass (Continental Divide) on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park

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