We decided to check out Trail Ridge Road today after an aborted attempt to hike in the Glacier Gorge area. Even though we thought we headed out early, we learned we needed to be at the parking area by 6:30 am to find a space at the trailhead. So we stayed in the car and headed up to Trail Ridge which we wanted to do sometime anyway.

We drove the whole thing from Estes Park to Grand Lake which is 37 miles. It’s the highest paved highway in the U.S., above tree line, and closed for snow most of the year. Our first stop was at Forest Range Overlook which provided a great view of the mountains most of which are over 12,000 feet. And we’re right there, at eye level.

It also provided marmot entertainment.

A veritable playground for the furry critters here. I think the grandkids counted 23 of them.

But in view here, and throughout our drive, was Long’s Peak, the tallest mountain in the park at 14,259 feet and one of 54 “fourteeners” in Colorado. It’s the tallest in the photo with the blunt face and a circle of snow.

On a previous trip, we hiked partway up the Long’s Peak Trail ending near the Peacock Pool. We didn’t have enough time, however, to get over there this weekend. Tom and Cindy, who met us today, have been up Long’s Peak twice and Tom has climbed all 54 fourteeners. Before leaving the overlook, we did a group photo. In long sleeves and jackets again.

Our next stop was at the Alpine Visitors’ Center. We climbed up the quarter-mile path there. Lots of steps. Very civilized path. Probably stopped five or six times to catch my breath. The kids hiked the Ute Trail near here the last day of our visit and ended up crossing through a lot of snow.

So here we are at just over 12,000 feet. There was a fairly strong, cold wind going on while we were there.

There was still snow along here too.

Back in the car, we saw elk along the road.

Then we saw the Never Summer Mountain Range, aptly named because the snow never fully melts.

We stopped at the Timber Lake Trailhead for a picnic lunch then continued along the west side of the park. This is where moose are most frequently seen and we did see a cow and her calf.

A close-up of Mom.  

At Grand Lake we turned around and headed back to the east side of the Park and then towards Bear Lake, the most popular hiking area in the park. It was now 4 pm but we didn’t get far because a ranger was sending cars out of the area due to congestion. So, fortuitously, we drove back to Sheep Lake to see if there was the possibility of a Big Horn sheep sighting. After no sheep for two days, there had been two groups down today, the most recent around 3:30. Disappointed, we drove down the road a ways before turning around and heading back and suddenly there was a group of 14 sheep running in front of us and along the road.

They were a shaggy lot – I assumed losing wool for the summer – and included three lambs and two young bucks.

They headed for the lake and did indeed eat the mud.

We watched for more than half an hour hoping to see them head back up the mountain but they started eating grass and we needed to get out of the park for dinner. Made our day even more special though.