Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain NP

   First let me say that my computer died while on our trip so my blog is delayed.  we had a wonderful time and after a visit to the computer Dr. I may be back in business.
    Rocky Mountain is not a very large park compared to many of the western parks.  It is about 415 square miles.  A Ranger giving a talk to some Jr. Rangers commented that some animals like wolves can’t be introduced into the park because there is so much commercial and residential land development close to the park.  All of this development creates heavy use of the park’s trails, roads, and campgrounds.  The campgrounds have been completely full every night. 

    Today we drove the main road through the park.  Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States.  It is 12,183 in elevation at its highest point.  We were gasping for air as we walked around the visitor center at the top of the road.  This amazing road followed the path created by Enos Mills who came to the area in 1884.  He led nature trips into the mountains.  The original road was completed in 1922 for the early visitors to the new park.  I can’t imagine driving the long up and down hills with a car built in 1922.

One of our first stops of the day was at Hidden Valley which was a ski resort until 1992.  Now the Park Service has reforested many of the runs and planted wildflowers in the lower meadows.  A stream which had been routed underground has also been directed back to its original course through the valley.  Other areas of the park still have underground canals.  In the early 1900’s “The Grand Ditch” was built to transfer water from the western slopes to the eastern plains.  There are still extensive underground pipes which supply water to Park buildings and Estes Park.

    Although the upper elevations were pretty cool, it was much warmer today.  Our late afternoon relaxing under the awning was hot until the evening breeze began.  If the temperature trend continues, it will be good to get to the commercial campground in Estes Park where we can run our air conditioner.

We saw elk today – 4 huge males resting in a snow field and then just around the bend was a group of females and young browsing on the slopes.  There are so many elk in the park that some areas had to be fenced off so that the new trees could grow instead of being chomped on by elk.  We also saw a few deer right up by the road and a fat marmot begging for food at one of the turnouts.  Then, as we drove into Estes Park – almost in town – we saw a coyote crossing the very busy street.  I wouldn’t leave my little dogs out in the back yard in Estes Park!

    The wildflowers were blooming beautifully at the high elevations.  We took a walk out into the glacial tundra and saw so many varieties of tundra flowers.  I wanted to get a picture of the gorgeous Indian Paintbrush along the road, but they seem to grow only where there is no safe place to stop.  I love the huge variety of birds we are seeing as well, including an amazing blue something that sat right next to me in the campground.

     I have loved the views, the quiet, and huge spaces in the national park campground, but I will be happy to have my phone and internet back tomorrow.  Yeah!