Trail Ridge Road - Alpine Visitor Center - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado - National Scenic Byways on Waymarking.com

Long Description:
From America's Byways:

Winding through the forests and mountains of the Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road encompasses over 50 miles of beautiful landscapes. Stop at the overlooks that line the byway for magnificent yet different vistas of the Rocky Mountains, which tower at more than 14,000 feet. Take a short five-minute stroll at the Forest Canyon Overlook and marvel at the view of Forest Canyon, Hayden Gorge, and Gorge Lakes. Stand on the roof of the Rockies at Rock Cut. Pull over at Rainbow Curve, elevated over two miles above sea level, and see trees transformed by long, repeated exposure to the harsh winds, ice, and grit of this severe environment.

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Rocky Mountain National Park's Alpine Visitor Center is located at 11,796 feet above sea level at Fall River Pass, about two miles north of the highest point on Trail Ridge Road in the U.S. state of Colorado.

The Alpine Visitor's Center includes restrooms, a restaurant and an information and gift shop. The visitor center opens around Memorial Day and closes around mid-October due to snow. In mid-summer, the visitor center is also accessible by Fall River Road, which is one-way going up.

The original visitor center building, constructed in 1936, was later remodeled in 1938 and added to in 1965. It was renovated recently in 2000 and 2001. Its rear decks face southeast and offer views of Fall River, and Estes Park and Longs Peak in the distance.

Right off of the Alpine Visitor's Center is a stairwell that climbs to "Huffer's Hill," so named for the tendency to be completely winded at the top. Huffer's Hill leads to a lookout point above 12,000 feet which provides some pretty spectacular views of the snow-capped Rockies. The air was significantly thinner and you will have a noticeably harder time breathing while hiking up the trail than walking back down.

Program: America's Byways Website: [Web Link] Official Name: Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Road

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