Driving Through Rocky Mountain National Park

 
Rocky Mountain National Park is virtually synonymous with anything Colorado.  In fact, a road trip to Colorado wouldn’t be complete without a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park.  But you might want to take a few things into consideration before you launch your next road trip to one of the country’s most popular national parks.

If you’ve never driven in a mountainous region, you’re likely to experience a few new driving sensations.  The rhythmic up and down grades of the mountain highways sometimes feel backwards to the driver and passengers.  You might think you’re going uphill when you’re actually going down, and vice versa.  Additionally, you will occasionally encounter guard rails signaling a steep drop-off down the mountainside, but this is by no means a guarantee.  So take extra precaution when driving next to semis or other large vehicles. 

If you hear your engine struggling while ascending a mountain road, it’s likely due to overheating.  This is common when driving through mountains, but can be very problematic when the engine is overheated too much.  The best remedy (or prevention) for engine overheating is to roll down the windows of the vehicle and turn up the heater at full blast.

Upon entering Rocky Mountain National Park, you’ll pass through a little kiosk where a park guard will take your entrance fee.  And a hefty fee it is - $20.00 per vehicle.  The $20.00 pass lasts you seven days, but if you’re only driving through for the day, it’s a rip-off.  However, you’ll probably find it worth it to experience the park. 

The roads through Rocky Mountain National Park aren’t exactly tourist-friendly.  Aside from few guard rails, the roads are only two-lane, so when a large vehicle approaches from the opposite direction and you’re driving on the outside edge of the mountain, things get a little sticky.  When we drove through the park, there was construction going on near the top of one mountain, so we got to share the road with even more vehicles.  Couple this with the fact that not all portions of the roads are well-paved (or paved at all), and you’ve got it made for one interesting trip.

It’s best to keep passengers sitting still in the vehicle so as not to sway it any more than necessary.  Don’t lean out windows with a camera to take video or pictures; as tempting as it is, it will compromise your safety.  We got some nice shots through the closed windows of our vehicle without endangering ourselves doing so. 

As you near the top of the mountain, you’ll start to see signs for sight-seeing locations.  At this point, you’ll probably need to stretch your legs and pry your hands off the steering wheel anyway, so the stops come at a good time.  One of these hotspots is the Forest Canyon Overlook, which looks out over the Tundra Protection Zone.  Here you’ll see snow-capped mountains virtually all year long, even if you’re visiting during the summer months. 

If it’s a nice day, you might find yourself mesmerized by another mountain treat – prairie dogs.  These little varmints blend into the mountain landscapes quite convincingly, but as they start scurrying about their holes, they’re not too hard to spot.  They usually come in groups, and a few of them are quite photogenic, giving you plenty of sweet photo opportunities.

Here and there you might also find some elk.  The elk usually populate the middle parts of the mountain, and can be found in the grassy mountainside opposite the Tundra Protection Zone.  They’re typically not as friendly as the prairie dogs, so keep your distance if you see a herd of them.  And take caution to never feed one of the wild animals you see in the park.  Bears are a big issue in many parts of Colorado, and Rocky Mountain National Park is no exception. 

You’re sure to enjoy your drive through Rocky Mountain National Park.  Taking these precautions will make your trip even safer.