John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" has a special place in my heart. I feel a certain kinship with the protagonist of its narrative and, by extension, Denver himself. Having grown up a "flatlander", my closest exposure to mountainous terrain was the Ozarks. While they have their own beauty that begs to be experienced, they're not as awe inspiring as the towering peaks out west. After a couple of these articles, maybe you'll pick up on why.
The difference is scale. It seems such a simple answer as to be inane, but it's the honest truth. When you see mountains in a picture or video, you understand that they're huge, but you're still viewing them through a lens. You're drawing conclusions based on context clues - comparing scale with a person or a tree or an animal. You get the vaguest of ideas, but you don't really understand.
That understanding came to me for the first time a couple of years ago when we travelled to Durango to do some wheeling in the San Juan mountains. The initial views when we dropped down into the city were one thing, but it wasn't until we were on the trails that I finally got it. We were traversing Engineer Pass, climbing up a cliffside as our local guide announced over our radios that we were almost at Odom Point. I'd been wavering back and forth between fear and exhilaration for hours but absolute awe was soon all I felt.
Odom Point remains one of the most unbelievable places I've ever been. I plan to write about it and the trails surrounding it at some point, but I'll give the short version here. Atop that peak, you have a full panoramic view of the San Juan Mountains. The horizon seems further than ever and an endless, frozen sea of cresting stone waves extends in every direction. You can watch a storm form miles away and actually see it moving across the range in a matter of minutes.
It makes you feel small, but not insignificant. There's this sensation you get when you're up there, one that's difficult to quantify. It's a feeling of having earned this glimpse at perfection. You become a part of that place and it becomes a part of you, never forgotten. I can never express it easily, but it's something I've recommended to everyone who's asked about it.
Sadly, the trip to Odom Point isn't for everyone - especially not those faint of heart. While the trail itself isn't particularly technical, it does require a somewhat capable 4x4 vehicle and it does not forgive mistakes. The San Juan Mountains are full of trails that can reward arrogance or stupidity with extreme consequences. The average person couldn't be condemned for avoiding the risk, but now I can proudly offer an alternative. Across the state is a safer road to travel with comparable views that evoke that same feeling.
A Key to Every Door
Rocky Mountain National Park is the fourth most popular park for a reason. It's proximity to Denver not-withstanding, it offers more to guests than would be presumed. This begins with the trip there, as most folks likely travel through the Theodore Roosevelt National Forest on their way. The winding canyon road is a feast for the eyes and offers more than a few turnouts with incredible views. The towering rock faces, rushing rapids, and coniferous forests sporadically populated by quaint cabins is the perfect drive to set the mood.
Estes Park awaits on the other side - a tourist town which has very few equals, in my eyes. Unlike Branson or Broken Bow which are filled with kitschy shops that detract from the aesthetic and the ambience. Estes Park clearly has a higher standard for their businesses with most conforming to that mountain rustic feeling that is so prominent in ski towns like Telluride. Amazingly, the dedication to appearance hasn't effected functionality either, as Estes Park is a fully operational city as well.
You may not understand unless you've travelled to one of these destinations, but it can be incredibly frustrating to do simple things like stock up on groceries or even just get gas. Estes Park is different, with plenty of gas stations and actual grocery stores on hand to serve your needs. There's also every sort of restaurant one could ask for, from a quick bite at McDonald's all the way up to wonderful, wild game centric dining (though I'd recommend against Claire's, as we did not have the greatest experience there). Shops are plentiful and offer everything from souvenirs to designer clothing to mountaineering equipment.
If you have a travelling companion who isn't so much into the outdoors, they'd have a great time in the city. We spent an entire evening just wandering the shops separate from our day trip through the park. We found that there was so much on offer that we needed much more time to be able to enjoy it. Even just walking through the downtown area and taking in the atmosphere was highly enjoyable besides the neat items we found in the stores. This is certainly elevated by the mountains rising up around the town, enticing people to visit the park.
Rocky Mountain National Park itself is just a short drive away, winding up and away from the city until you're driving through the forests at the base of the mountains. From the Estes Park entrance, you'll travel down Park Entrance Road which eventually branches into Bear Lake Road and Trail Ridge Road. These are the two major roads which lead to the most prominent attractions while the Entrance Road loops back around to the opposite end of Estes Park and takes you through the meadows surrounding Cascade Lake.
Just within the immediate stretch, there are numerous walking trails which will take you through the meadows and forests in the valley. You can even find the Old Fall River Road which winds through the canyons and along the river, allowing adventurous drivers an alternative route to the Alpine Visitor Center high up into the mountains. Here, visitors will see all manner of wildlife from Elk and Moose to Bobcats and, if you're lucky, Bears. It also serves as a popular area for fishermen to catch a diverse assortment of trout.
The Bear Lake Road is seasonally closed due to weather, so make sure to check that it's open when you go. The drive isn't to be missed and brings you to the Sprague, Bierstadt, and Bear lakes. Hikers will especially want to make the trip down this road as Bear Lake is the source of trailheads which lead to many of the other notable lakes in the park. This is also where one can find the Arch Rock formations and Fern Falls, as well as the highly photogenic Dream Lake.
The main attraction, however, is Trail Ridge Road and it's radical biome changes along its 48 mile length. This is, of course, the route I spoke about in my introduction. As it steadily rises into the mountains, you'll see some of the most incredible forests in the country leading up to some truly unique cliffside overlooks. As you near its 12,183 foot maximum elevation, you'll reach the alpine tundra where Bighorn Sheep and Elk range in massive herds. It's also home to remarkable views of glaciers, lava cliffs, and some of the highest peaks in the Rockies.
Silver Clouds Below
Just this year, my wife and I have seen some of the best Colorado has to offer. Back in June, before we set out on our Grand Nomad Adventure, we travelled to Silverton for the second time. We stood atop Odom Point once again and enjoyed the exhilarating sights from Black Bear Pass as well. Looking back, the San Juan Mountains were only a taste of what we'd see once our trip kicked off.
Our first stop after leaving Texas was Colorado Springs, only a few miles from the base of Pike's Peak. As an automotive enthusiast, that mountain has always been a place I wanted to make a pilgrimage to. By pure luck, we were able to drive to the top just eighteen hours after we left home. It was an amazing start to this trip, as our initial drive up the legendary road ended half way due to weather. Providence, it seemed, permitted the road to open and us to see the top of the mountain - even if it was shrouded in clouds.
The drive was worth it despite the thick fog, as Pike's Peak is mythical for it. The hill climb races that have happened there for over a century are the things of legend. The scenery is unbelievable, even half-hidden, but it's the driving that matters. Even in a lifted Jeep on 37" tires, the experience is second to none as a racing enthusiast. I wasn't disappointed to find that the summit was in complete whiteout conditions due to weather. I just wanted to get my picture with the sign with celebratory donuts in hand.
Trail Ridge Road, though? That's another phenomenal drive. The winding, cliffside roads are a joy to navigate, but also offer some of the greatest vistas we've seen on the trip so far. It may not have the motorsports history to make it as important as Pike's Peak, but there's no question of its majesty. The sheer scale of what you're witnessing is the metric that matters, as you find yourself cresting one mountain only to find the road winding off into the next.
That sense of scale is lost when you're doing the San Juan trails. The closest you get there is the switchbacks down into Telluride off of Black Bear. You'll see the airport and the town grow closer as you descend the mountain, but the focus is entirely upon not winding up the next statistic for the mountain. You can appreciate it momentarily, but it's not quite as striking as it is to crest over the hill just before Iceberg Lake. The expansive alpine tundra seems to go on forever before plunging over the edge and beyond that you see a mountain in the distance with more road yet to travel.
It's positively awe inspiring in a way that you can't get when you're not atop these mountains. Even when you're driving the Sun Road in Glacier, that same sensation isn't found. It's the same sort of feeling of staring into eternity that people get on those long, lonesome stretches of asphalt in the deserts out west. You keep driving for miles and miles and the scenery grows closer, but never lose its enormity. As you keep going, you find that there's no end to the sights either.
Herds of elk numbering in the hundreds graze around the Tundra Curves. The Lava Cliffs form a crescent along the road with radically different structures depending on what stretch you stop to observe them. Milner Pass contains La Poudre Lake which reflects the surrounding peaks in placid waters. Just past Farview Curve are some incredible rock formations and overlooks which grant some of the best views of mountains west of the Grand Ditch.
It's easy to lose track of time driving Trail Ridge Road and finding yourself at the end leads to a desire to turn around and do it once more. We knew we'd have to do so when we went, since we had to travel back through Estes Park and through Theodore Roosevelt National Forest to get back to our camper. Initially, this was a daunting proposition due to the mileage, but when we found ourselves at our turn around point, both my wife and I were excited to drive back through. We honestly didn't want to leave.
Tear the Mountains Down
I have to have some negatives to all of this. After all, I already said Grand Teton was the second best park we've seen during our Grand Nomad Adventure. I didn't say this was the best one, either. That means something brings it down.
Well, the biggest issue with Rocky Mountain National Park is the same thing that makes it so wonderful - it's enormous. That's great when you're ready and able to go hiking, driving, or whatever else to see what nature has to offer there. It's not so great whenever you want to do something other than sight seeing. This is especially true when you stop to take in the sights as much as we did.
You see, RMNP doesn't have much in the way of visitor comfort. This is likely because of the two large tourist towns on either side of Trail Ridge Road, but it can get frustrating when you're on your second leg of the down and back drive and the Alpine Visitor's Center is closed. You won't be stopping to get a snack, a drink, or a souvenir after 4:30 in the evening. That can be a problem when you've planned a day trip that puts you back home well after dark.
The Alpine Visitor Center is the midway point and also offers the biggest shop out of all of them. It even has a little restaurant if you make it there during their open hours, but I can't comment on its quality since it was shut down when we went by. The other visitor centers are smaller and less stocked with souvenirs which, again, goes to figure due to proximity to the towns. This seems a missed opportunity to me as profits go to the park and not the towns profiting off of park.
The scale also means that it's difficult to see all of what the park has to offer and that's even more true if you're not physically fit enough to do some serious hiking. With a bum knee, I wasn't going to be seeing some of the more enchanting elements out in the wilderness. That's somewhat disheartening, but there's enough to make it worth it just to drive most of it. That said, I did speak to some folks that said the Old Fall River Road wasn't kind to their two wheel drive vehicles, so you might even have that option limited.
You have to have the proper expectations going into the park, which we fortunately did. This isn't like Yellowstone or Grand Teton where you can stay in the park for days on end and live comfortably without the civilization outside. This is a place you visit during daytime hours and leave before the sun goes down. You won't be hanging out at a lodge or taking tours through specific sections with a knowledgeable Ranger. It's a place you have to make the most of on your own.
Bring in a Couple More
I hope that last section isn't too discouraging to people, but my biggest desire in writing these blogs was bringing in some much needed honesty. Rocky Mountain National Park won't be for everyone, but I think it would surprise more than a few. My wife isn't the most mountain-loving person in the world, but she's consistently spoken of her fondness for the park and reiterated a desire to return. That's a rarity, considering her future vacation plans almost always involve a beach.
RMNP is almost exactly what's advertised. It's a unique place that allows people to see what they usually couldn't without a serious off roader or mountaineering experience. If you've ever wanted to know what it's like atop a mountain range, but you're not willing to commit to alternative options, you can't beat it.
Rocky Mountain National Park is a strong 7/10, brought down only by its accessibility and amenities. Stay in Estes Park or Grand Lake and it'll easily bump that up a point or two depending on your need for civilized luxuries.
Oh, and make sure you have Rocky Mountain High on your playlist for the drive. John Denver should forever echo through those mountains, beckoning folks to try and understand.
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