Of course, I knew that Rocky Mountain National Park would be breath-taking. I've seen pictures; I've flown over the Rockies many times to visit family in California. But, that is nothing compared to the grandeur of seeing the mountains in person. There are tree-covered foothills and smaller mountains 
in the foreground, with dozens of peaks over 12,000 feet in the background. In the northern part of the mountain chain, the famous snow-covered Longs Peak rises to 14, 259, one of 53 "fourteeners" in the state of Colorado. When my friend and I drove into the park, my only thought was, "Why didn't someone urge me to get to RMNP sooner?"
Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 415 square miles in the northwestern part of Colorado. The mountain chain itself is 2700 miles long, from Alaska to Mexico. In RMNP, a visitor can travel along the top of the range along the Trail Ridge Road, the highest major highway in North America. However, as you would imagine, the road is not always fully accessible, as was the case for me during spring break. Despite the fact that this winter the mountains had little snowfall overall and guides were already worried about water restrictions this upcoming summer, the highest part of the Trail Ridge Road was closed. While there are limitations to the park in April, the huge plus is the small number of people. Throughout an entire day of driving and walking with a friend, the total number of people we saw did not exceed twenty. I'm sure people hiking into the woods encountered fewer than that.
in the foreground, with dozens of peaks over 12,000 feet in the background. In the northern part of the mountain chain, the famous snow-covered Longs Peak rises to 14, 259, one of 53 "fourteeners" in the state of Colorado. When my friend and I drove into the park, my only thought was, "Why didn't someone urge me to get to RMNP sooner?"Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 415 square miles in the northwestern part of Colorado. The mountain chain itself is 2700 miles long, from Alaska to Mexico. In RMNP, a visitor can travel along the top of the range along the Trail Ridge Road, the highest major highway in North America. However, as you would imagine, the road is not always fully accessible, as was the case for me during spring break. Despite the fact that this winter the mountains had little snowfall overall and guides were already worried about water restrictions this upcoming summer, the highest part of the Trail Ridge Road was closed. While there are limitations to the park in April, the huge plus is the small number of people. Throughout an entire day of driving and walking with a friend, the total number of people we saw did not exceed twenty. I'm sure people hiking into the woods encountered fewer than that.
