Great Drives - Colorado

In Montana, mountain valleys are called "holes". Here in Colorado, they're called "parks". Estes Park is one of these mountain-enclosed meadows, named for Joel Estes who "discovered" the area, long after the Ute and Arapaho Indians used the area as a hunting route. Because it is so accessible from the east, with no high passes to cross, the valley and the town have been a favorite resort area for many years.

The main attraction here is Rocky Mountain National Park. The park attracts more than three million visitors each year and they come to see the incredible array of craggy peaks, the highest of which is Long's Peak, at 14,255 feet.

Along the Drive

The route leads first through the park, quickly ascending the mountains past the treeline to mountain tundra. The alpine valleys were glaciated and there are several of these "parks" along the route of Trail Ridge Road.

Hidden Valley

A downhill skiing area at the 9,200 foot level.

Many Parks Curve

At 9,600 feet, panoramic views of several alpine valleys with glacial moraines standing out as ridges. This is a favorite area for bird watching and the species include ravens, jays (including Steller's and gray), and Clark's nutcracker, with the distinctive white and black coloring.

Cont>>