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Trail Ridge Road remains closed in Rocky Mountain National Park

A snowplow operator on Tuesday works his way along Trail Ridge Road west of the Rock Cut in Rocky Mountain National Park. The high alpine highway was almost ready to open for the season last week when a massive spring storm deposited multiple inches of snow and forced Park officials to reassess their plans for the highway.
Photo Courtesy RMNP |

After last week’s heavy spring snowstorms dumped over a foot of powder in several spots in the high Rockies, the start of summer fun at Rocky Mountain National Park appears to have been postponed as a 60-mile stretch of Trail Ridge Road remains closed.

The road, which is the park’s primary thoroughfare connecting Grand Lake and Estes Park, is closed from Rainbow Curve, roughly 12 miles from the east entrances, to Milner Pass, nearly 16 miles from the Grand Lake entrance.

Park officials are uncertain if it will be open for the Memorial Day weekend.



“We are unable at this time to ‘predict’ when Trail Ridge Road will open,” said Kyle Patterson, spokeswoman for Rocky Mountain National Park, who confirmed the road is still closed as of today.

The road was completely cleared from lingering winter snow and crews were hurriedly digging out the Alpine Visitors Center last week before the snowstorms threw a serious wrench in the park’s plans.



Plow operators are now dealing with wind gusts as high as 44 mph, causing significant snowdrifts as they attempt to clear the road.

More precipitation is forecast for later this week at higher elevations along with freezing nighttime temperatures.

Trail Ridge Road is typically closed from early November through May.


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