Fall River Road
Monica was touring Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Colorado in the daily driver, and running up Fall River Road (also known as "Old" Fall River Road) was a spur-of-the-moment decision. She strapped the GoPro on the roof and headed up. It's a long, 360-degree video of the entire trip from the bottom of the road to the top.
The first part of the road is actually paved and allows two-way traffic, and it goes all the way to the Endovalley Picnic Area. We had lunch there with the mosquitoes before leaving and starting the dirt road all the way to the top. From that point on, it was a one-way road. It was nice to not have to watch for oncoming traffic.
It was gorgeous the entire way up. It starts in the trees, and the views of mountains are awe-inspiring. You climb steadily the entire time, and the valley below gets farther and farther away. At one point, you can see three levels of trail as you do switchbacks.
The trees got shorter with more space between them as we climbed. Then they disappeared completely as we climbed above timberline. That was probably the best part, with big views of the valley below and the road ahead.
It's an easy road of hard-packed dirt the entire way. A passenger car would be fine, though something with four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive might be best in case you get near the loose edge of the trail. It wouldn't be a safe trail for someone who is afraid of heights, but everyone else can enjoy it.
When she got to the top, she parked and started walking to the gift shop (there is a lot at the top). Then, it started raining. And then hailing. Then the message came to stay in the buildings or in your car because the weather was turning. She really timed it right, because the dirt road could definitely get slippery if it was muddy.
The trip back down the mountain was on pavement on Trail Ridge Road. It was a great way to see the park.
Report from a Different Day
