7/25 Drive to Granby via Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park

 Today, I headed back through Rocky Mountain National Park to head west to my next campground in Granby, Colorado, which is on the opposite side of the park.  The road is called Trail  Ridge Road, and it goes through the northern parts of the park and then circles back south on the opposite side of the biggest mountains.  

The first trick, however, is to get back into the park.  You have to have a day-permit reservation, which is checked at the entrance booth.   This is the line ahead of me.  The line behind was even longer. 

 

This road is not as popular as the southern and eastern parts of the national park because it is a long and very steep two-lane road.  It is well worth the trip, however, in spite of the drop-offs and lack of guard rails.  Gorgeous scenery, and this is just the start.

 

 

It was hard to find a pullover with enough space for my rig because of the crowds.  In addition, I really like a flat place to park.  In this case, it was fairly flat, but I put my super-chocks behind my rear wheels, just in case.   

For many of the following photos, there were parking areas available, but most of them were on a slope and I did not trust to park and leave my vehicle in them because I envisioned it rolling down a mountain or two.  So, I took photos from my windshield or from a side window without actually parking. 

This is the view near the pullover above.  It is looking backward towards the entrance, Moraine Campground, and the town of Estes Park. 

I used my telephone lens for this photo.  It shows the YMCA campus near Estes Park.  Apparently, this is huge facility owned and heavily used by the worldwide YMCA organization. There are hotels, conference centers, and large cabins that can house more than a thousand people at one time. 

Heading toward the tree line.

And above the tree line. 

This pullover area at least had a stone wall, but I took the photo from my side window with my foot on the brake!!

A distance view of the the Alpine Visitor Center at the top of the pass. 

I don't know where they would add extra parking here, but at least there were a few spaces on the far left for big vehicles.  After a bit of wait, I was able to pull into one of these and could then walk around.  The parking lot was nice and level, as well.

Any one in my immediate family recognize this stairway to the top?  I was here with kids and grandkids a few years ago, but I and youngest grandchild waited at the bottom. 

This is one of the views from the top.

I would have missed these elk had someone not pointed them out.  Without a telephoto lens, they looks like small brown spots in the grass. 

Some wildflowers.  It is amazing how many there are up here.

After a few photos and walking around for about an hour, I continued on Trail Ridge Road to the west and south.  The first 3-4 miles were very steep, but afterwards, it was an easier drive than coming up from the east.  Also, flatter pullover spots.

A moose in the distance.

As I got closer to the town of Granby, I noticed a lot of area that had been burned in the past.  I found out later that this was the location of the East Troublesome fire in October 2020. 

More photos in a couple of days of the campground I am staying at on Lake Granby and this area.