If you're planning on visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, one thing to always keep in mind is the weather. The conditions along Trail Ridge Road can change quickly and dramatically. The road is the highest paved road in the country, and reaches an elevation of over 12,000 feet. Even in the summer, it can turn very cold and even start snowing. You should always bring warm clothes with you, like a jacket or hat.
Which is really good advice - I just wish I had taken it. It was a warm and pleasant 75 degrees in Estes Park that day, and I was wearing just a t-shirt and some shorts. But I was in a hurry to leave for the park, and forgot to change and to bring any warm clothes. I realized the error in my ways when I got out of the car at the Rainbow Curve Overlook and noticed a steep drop in temperature. Whoops!
So I headed further up Trail Ridge Road, stopping at a few of the overlooks. Some dark and dramatic clouds clung to the sky over the mountains:
The road climbs higher up, passing through forests of fir and spruce. But then you hit the tree line, the point at which the elevation and conditions make it too difficult for trees to grow. The road enters the alpine tundra. Which at first looks just like a barren, rocky landscape.
But if you look closely, you'll see that this isn't some desolate area devoid of life. The alpine tundra is home to over 200 species of tiny plants and flowers that manage to eke out an existence in the harsh conditions. It's amazing that these plants thrive here - the temperatures remain below freezing all winter, and wind speeds can exceed 150 miles an hour. The growing season in the summer is only between 6-12 weeks long. The tiny yellow flowers growing here are called alpine avens (I think?), which provided a nice foreground to some cool light developing in the sky.
I got in the car, cranked up the heat, and drove onto the next overlook called Rock Cut. The thermometer in the car showed the temperate outside was 41 degrees. It had started raining, the wind blowing and swirling the rain drops around. The overlook sits at an elevation of 12,100 feet and I was definitely feeling a little short of breath at the altitude. But the views were awesome from there.
And this was part of the view from the Lava Cliffs Overlook (elevation 12,080 feet).
Driving west from Lava Cliffs, you'll soon pass over the highest point of the drive where the elevation reaches 12,183 feet. Luckily it had stopped raining, and it warmed up a little (a balmy 48 degrees!). The next stop was the Gore Range Overlook, which sits at an elevation of 12,048. The views from here are spectacular, with the poetically-named Never Summer Mountains off in the distance. In the foreground you can see a little pond that is called an alpine tarn.
It wasn't very crowded here, just a few cars in the parking lot. Everyone else visiting had managed to think ahead and was wearing layers of warm clothing.
From here you also have great views of Long's Peak - the tallest mountain in the park with an elevation of 14,259 feet.
I got back in the car to warm up, and then turned around and made one last stop at the Forest Canyon Overlook. The overlook sits at an elevation of 11,716 feet and is reached by a short little walk up this path:
From here you have a vast view of Forest Canyon, Hayden Gorge and Gorge Lakes. The V-shaped valley below was carved out by a 1,500 foot-thick glacier.
And one last shot from the night from the Forest Canyon Overlook.
After that it was time to get back in the car, crank up the heat, and head back towards Estes Park. Just a fun little reminder to anyone reading this who is thinking about driving up Trail Ridge Road - don't be a fool and forget to bring some warm clothes...
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