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Skyblue Overland on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

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After solo hiking up to Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park, I drove on Trail Ridge Road, over Iceberg Pass, to the Alpine Visitor Center, with my GoPro Hero 8 Black on the hood.  Notice the beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery on an amazing sunny day with loads of wildflowers on the side of the road.

Music by Ooyy including songs: Aoraki, Ariel, Barely Floating, Calling Me, Changli, Divergent, Gelatin Nature, Future Yellow, Leaving Serengeti, Siren Screen, Teenage Lullaby, Thunderbird and You x You.  Henrik Olsson, better known as Ooyy, is a Swedish composer and producer specialising in electronic, house music.

 

View looking across the Thompson River Valley to the southwest towards Terra Tomah Mountain (12,718 feet) from the Forest Canyon Overlook on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

View looking across the Thompson River Valley to the southwest towards Terra Tomah Mountain (12,718 feet) from the Forest Canyon Overlook on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

Reaching a maximum elevation of 12,183 feet, Trail Ridge Road (US 34) is the highest continuous paved road in the United States. This National Scenic Byway offers visitors amazing Colorado above the treeline views of the mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. Ranging in altitude between 7,800 to over 12,000 feet in elevation, travelers can see everything from aspen and ponderosa pine forests, subalpine forests, alpine tundra, wildflower meadows, and wildlife like marmots, ptarmigans, bighorn sheep and more. Open to vehicle traffic around Memorial Day weekend in May to Columbus Day in October (weather dependent).

The Alpine Tundra Ecosystem starts between elevations of 11,000 to 11,500 feet, depending on exposure. The strong frequent winds and cold temperatures define this extreme landscape. These conditions limits which plants can grow there. The result is that most of the alpine plants are dwarfed perennials, but their few blossoms may be full-sized.

 

View of Trail Ridge Road from the Ranger Toll Memorial Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

View of Trail Ridge Road from the Ranger Toll Memorial Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

According to Visit Estes Park, there are five must see locations on Trail Ridge Road including: Forest Canyon Overlook, Rainbow Curve, Lava Cliffs, Toll Memorial Trail, and Many Parks Curve.

If you are up for a more adventurous exploration of Colorado, keep driving on the 360 mile loop in Northern Colorado known as the North Colorado Loop Tour that connects the three central scenic byways in the area with the Cache la Poudre National Heritage Area.

Here’s the entire Trail Ridge Road photo gallery: