Winter Comes to the Rockies: Trail Ridge Road Shuts Down
A fresh coat of snow has blanketed the highest continuous paved road in North America, forcing a temporary closure of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. As fall takes hold in the high country, this is one of your last chanses where the scenic drive is accessible before its annual winter shutdown. The road, which connects Estes Park and Grand Lake, was closed at 7 p.m. last night due to forecasted snow and freezing temperatures, with the closure points at Rainbow Curve on the east side and Milner Pass on the west.
The road briefly reopened after a different closure on Sunday, this new shutdown just goes to shwo how unpredictable the weather is at high elevations.Trail Ridge Road, which reaches 12,183 feet, is not maintained during the winter, and temporary closure during the fall are pretty common as the park services works diligently to maintain the road before the final season closure. The official winter closure date has not yet been set but Park Service, but it usually occurs in mid-to-late October.
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Park officials will reassess the road's conditions this morning. For those planning a trip. the park's road status line is 970-586-1222 which provides the most up-to-date information. This closure is a strong reminder that winter is on its way, and while this road may be temporarily closed, the first powder days of the season aren't to far off.
