Alt Text Map of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The park comprises a large area, arced at the top and mostly squared across the bottom, highlighted in light green and dominated by a north-south mountainscape depicted with shaded relief, with the highest peaks in white and gray mountainsides beneath them. Surrounding lands are pale green or yellow, and roads are shown in red. Extended Description The park is surrounded on all sides by noted wilderness areas within three national forests, as well as the city of Estes Park to the east. East of Rocky Mountain National Park – Estes Park Area US Highway 34, US Highway 36, and State Route 7 intersect in the heart of Estes Park, just west of Lake Estes, forming a multiprong star. US Highway 34 originates off the right edge of the map with a note: “To Loveland.” It winds west, following the Big Thompson River, and intersects with US Highway 36 and State Route 7 west of Lake Estes. From here it continues west-northwest, crossing Devils Gulch Road, and leads to a black square and green callout box that reads “Fall River Visitor Center” just outside the park boundary. US Highway 36 also originates from the right edge of the map, with a note reading, “To Lyons and Boulder.” It runs northwest past Fish Creek Road and Lake Estes, then intersects with US Highway 34 and State Route 7 in Estes Park. The road continues southwest past Prospect Mountain (8,900 feet, 2,713 meters), Marys Lake Road, and State Route 66 before reaching the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center just inside the park boundary. This is also the site of Park Headquarters, which is open all year and is at an elevation of 7,840 feet (2,390 meters). Marys Lake Road leads southeast to State Route 7, and State Route 66 runs southwest past Gianttrack Mountain (9,091 feet, 2,771 meters) to a YMCA Conference Center. State Route 7 originates at the intersection of US Routes 34 and 36 in Estes Park and travels south around the eastern side of Prospect Mountain (8,900 feet, 2,771 meters), connecting with Marys Lake Road and another road that runs parallel to Fish Creek in the east. From here it continues past Rams Horn Mountain (9,553 feet, 2,912 meters) and Lily Mountain (9,786 feet, 2,983 meters), then briefly enters the park to pass Lily Mountain Trailhead; Lily Lake Trailhead, with wheelchair access, a picnic area, and restrooms; and Twin Sisters Trailhead. From here it continues south back out of the park, heading towards Longs Peak. Southeast of the Park – Longs Peak and State Route 7 A short, unnamed road runs west to Longs Peak, which has a tents-only campground with restrooms; and Longs Peak Trailhead, with restrooms, a ranger station, and telephone. The summit of Longs Peak lies further to the west, with an elevation of 14,259 feet (4,346 meters). Continuing south, State Route 7 runs past a site with a picnic area and another with a campground, then through the community of Meeker Park to a loop road that runs west toward a small gap in the park boundary, passing Sandbeach Lake Trailhead, where there are restrooms, and Wild Basin Entrance Station, where water is available seasonally. From the Wild Basin Entrance Station, an unpaved road runs further west into the park past Copeland Lake, with winter recreation parking, and Finch Lake Trailhead before reaching Wild Basin, which has a trailhead (no water), picnic area, restrooms, ranger station, and emergency telephone. Continuing south of Wild Basin, State Route 7 snakes down past the Olive Ridge Campground and through the town of Allenspark before reaching its junction with State Route 72. State Route 72 snakes south through Roosevelt National Forest to Peaceful Valley and an unpaved road that runs west to the Peaceful Valley and Camp Dick campgrounds. From here, State Route 72 continues south off the map with a note, “To State Route 119 and Nederland.” Back at the junction, State Route 7 continues east off the bottom right corner of the map to continue “To Lyons and Boulder.” From Fall River and Aspenglen Back at the eastern side of the park, US Highway 34 continues west from the Fall River Visitor Center on to park grounds, past the Fall River Entrance Station (8,240 feet, 2,511 meters), then intersects with a small road that runs south to Aspenglen, which has an emergency telephone and campground. US Highway 34 continues west to Sheep Lakes and the overlook there, then forks northwest and southeast. The northwest fork leads past Lawn Lake Trailhead, with restrooms; an overlook; and Alluvial Fan, with an overlook and restrooms, to Endovalley, with a picnic area and restrooms. From here, the road continues unpaved as Old Fall River Road with the note: “One-way up only; road open early July-September.” Old Fall River Road leads west past Chasm Falls and the southern end of the Mummy Range, just below Mount Chapin (12,454 feet, 3,796 meters), and weaves up to Chapin Creek Trailhead. The road continues, heading northwest to the Alpine Visitor Center, which has a seasonal snack bar and is at an elevation of 11,796 feet (3,595 meters), then reunites with US Route 34 at Fall River Pass. The southeast fork of US Route 34 runs past West Horseshoe Park overlook and an unnamed overlook before reaching another intersection with US Highway 36 at Deer Ridge Junction. It then continues northwest to the Beaver Ponds overlook; Hidden Valley, with a picnic area and restrooms; and Many Parks Curve. A note at this point of the highway reads, “Road closed from here west to Colorado River Trailhead mid-October to Memorial Day.” From the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Back at the eastern park boundary, US Highway 36 heads west from Beaver Meadows Entrance Station to reach Bear Lake Road. This road winds south to Moraine Park Discovery Center, which is open seasonally and has a self-guiding nature trail. An unnamed road runs west from here and forks into two branches. The north branch runs west to form a small loop at Moraine Park, which has a telephone and campground. The south branch runs west to Cub Lake Trailhead, where the road becomes unpaved, and continues to a picnic area with restrooms and then Fern Lake Trailhead. Continuing south on Bear Lake Road there is a picnic area and Hollowell Park Trailhead, which has a picnic area and restrooms. The road then reaches a Park & Ride with an emergency telephone and restrooms; this Park & Ride is directly across from Glacier Basin, which has an emergency telephone and campground. The road continues southwest to a short side road that leads to a stable and Sprague Lake, which has a trailhead, wheelchair access, self-guiding nature trail, picnic area, and restrooms; Storm Pass Trailhead; Bierstadt Lake Trailhead; Glacier Gorge Trailhead; and Bear Lake, which has a trailhead, self-guiding nature trail, restrooms, and telephone. Back on US Route 36, the highway next intersects an unpaved road that runs west to a picnic area and Upper Beaver Meadows Trailhead, which has a restroom. US Highway 36 continues northwest, snaking past Deer Mountain (10,013 feet, 3,052 meters), passes the Deer Mountain Trailhead, and terminates where it meets US Highway 34 at Deer Ridge Junction. South of the Park – Lake Granby On the south side of the map, the park is bordered by Indian Peaks Wilderness, which runs from State Routes 7 and 72 in the east across to the elongated, roughly triangular Lake Granby in the west. Several mountains line the border of the park. From east to west, these are Meadow Mountain (11,632 feet, 3,545 meters), St Vrain Mountain (12,162 feet, 3,707 meters), Ogalalla Peak (13,138 feet, 4,004 meters) along the Continental Divide, Watanga Mountain (12,375 feet, 3,772 meters), Twin Peaks (11,957 feet, 3,644 meters), and Mount Acoma (10,508 feet, 3,203 meters). The southwest corner of the park is bound by Arapaho National Forest and Arapaho National Recreation Area. Within Arapaho National Forest, an unpaved road runs west from Monarch Lake along the south side of Lake Granby, leading to Granby Dam and then passing Sunset Point, with a boat launch and picnic area; Quinette Point, with a picnic area; and Rainbow Bay, also with a picnic area, before reaching US Highway 34. Just south of this junction, another unpaved road runs west from US Highway 34, leading to Willow Creek Reservoir, a boat launch, a picnic area, and Willow Creek campground. US Highway 34 continues south off the map with a note: “To Granby and US Highway 40.” Following US Highway 34 north through Arapaho National Recreation Area and the west side of Lake Granby leads to an unnamed loop that runs east toward Lake Granby at Stillwater, which has a campground, boat launch, and picnic area. Continuing northeast past Lake Granby leads to an unnamed loop road that runs south to Cutthroat Bay, which has a group campground. Continuing north beyond this loop is an unnamed road that leads east to the points of interest around the south end of Shadow Mountain Lake: Shadow Mountain, with a picnic area; a boat launch; Green Ridge campground; and Shadow Mountain Dam. Another short road loops northeast off the highway to Pine Beach, which has a picnic area. A gray dashed line highlighted yellow, which indicates the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, runs north and south along the western border of the park. Following the trail north along Shadow Mountain Lake, it runs to the East Shore Trailhead, which is situated between Shadow Mountain Lake and Grand Lake (8,376 feet, 2,550 meters). Beyond this trailhead, two roads form a loose arc and connect to US Route 34 and reaches around Grand Lake’s northern short, leading to points of interest sitting on the east side of the lake: West Portal, which has a boat launch, and East Inlet Trailhead, which has restrooms. Halfway along this arc, a short unpaved road heads to Tonahutu/North Inlet Trailheads, which has restrooms. At this point, the Continental Divie National Scenic Trail continues eastward into the park along the co-designated Noth Inlet Trail. Meanwhile, in the southeast direction from Shadow Mountain Lake, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is co-designated as the Knight Ridge Trail as it travels along the Colorado River and above Lake Granby. It leads to Arapahoe Bay-Roaring Fork Loop Knight Ridge Trailhead, which has a campground and boat launch; Arapahoe Bay-Moraine Loop, with a campground; and Arapaho Bay-Big Rock Loop, with a campground, at the tail end of Lake Granby. The trail continues southeast past Monarch Lake and off the bottom edge of the map. US Highway 34 continues north into the park, to Kawuneeche Visitor Center and Grand Lake Entrance Station. From the Kawuneeche Visitor Center Continuing north from Kawuneeche Visitor Center (which is open all year and sits at an elevation of 8,720 feet or 2,658 meters), US Highway 34 leads past Grand Lake Entrance Station; Harbison Meadows, with a picnic area; and Green Mountain (10,313 feet, 3,143 meters). It then reaches Green Mountain Trailhead, which has restrooms and serves as the opposite end the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail’s loose, narrow arc through the lower-middle section of the park. From here the highway continues north along the Kawuneeche Valley and the Colorado River, passing the Onahu Trailhead, which is also situated along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail; and then crossing over the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail itself, which heads west to the edge of the map. US Route 34 then passes Coyote Valley Trailhead, which has wheelchair access, a self-guiding nature trail, picnic area, and restrooms; and Bowen Baker Trailhead, with a picnic area and restrooms. The road continues north first to point with a self-guiding natural trail, picnic area, and restrooms and which connects to Holzwarth Historic Site to the west via a short trail; and then to Timber Creek, which has an emergency telephone and campground. Next are Beaver Ponds picnic area; another picnic area; Timber Lake Trailhead, with a picnic area and restrooms; and Colorado River Trailhead, which has a picnic area, restrooms, and a self-guiding nature trail. A note in bold, red text reads, “Road closed from here east to Many Parks Curve mid-October to Memorial Day.” Continuing north of Colorado River Trailhead, the road weaves east around many tight curves and switchbacks, then heads south to Farview Curve, which has an overlook, before turning northeast to Lake Irene, which has a picnic area and restrooms, and Milner Pass, which has restrooms and sits on the Continental Divide. The road continues northeast past Poudre Lake, where it is now labeled as Trail Ridge Road, and leads to Medicine Bow Curve overlook. Then it curves south through a tundra closure area to Fall River Pass and the Alpine Visitor Center. Alpine Visitor Center and Trail Ridge Road The road continues southwest from the Alpine Visitor Center, which is open seasonally and has a snack bar, to a tundra closure area around Gore Range overlook, then southeast to the highest point on road (12,183 feet, 3,713 meters), and into a tundra closure area around Lava Cliffs overlook. The road snakes southeast through Iceberg Pass to the self-guiding Tundra Communities Trailhead and the adjacent Rock Cut overlook, with a restroom, both of which are within a tundra closure area. The road continues past Sundance Mountain (12,466 feet, 3,800 meters), bending south to a tundra area around Forest Canyon, which has an overlook and self-guiding nature trail, then east across Trail Ridge to Rainbow Curve overlook, which has restrooms. The road snakes southwest, east, and then south to Many Parks Curve overlook, the point where seasonal road closures along US Route 34/Trail Ridge Road begin in the westward direction. West of the Park To the west of the park beyond the Never Summer Mountains and Kawuneeche Valley is Arapaho National Forest, Never Summer Wilderness, and Routt National Forest.=. Many trails run through this area, including the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which leads to and around the following: Bowen Gulch, Bowen Mountain (12,542 feet, 3,817 meters), Baker Gulch, and Mineral Point (11,488 feet, 3,502 meters). The Continental Divide heads northeast from the edge of the map across western border of the park to just north of Mount Nimbus (12,706 ft, 3873 meters). From here, the Continental Divide heads north along Mount Cumulus (12,725 feet, 3,879 meters), Howard Mountain (12,810 feet, 3,904 meters), Mount Cirrus (12,797 feet, 3,901 meters), Lead Mountain (12,537 feet, 3,821 meters), Tepee Mountain (12,568 feet, 3,831 meters), and Mount Richthofen (12,940 feet, 3,944 meters), before it runs across Thunder Pass and over Thunder Mountain (12,070 feet, 3,679 meters). North of the Park Colorado State Forest, Rawah and Neota Wildernesses, and Roosevelt National Forest lie to the northwest of the park and north of the Never Summer Mountains. State Route 14 runs through Rawah and Neota Wildernesses at a right angle, continuing west of the map with the note: “To Walden,” and continuing north of the map with the note “To Fort Collins.” Long Draw Road runs northeast along Long Draw Reservoir, then northwest through Neota Wilderness past Long Draw campground, Corral Creek Trailhead, and an NPS/USFS Ranger Station, then snakes northwest off the top edge of the map with the note “To State Route 14.” Comanche Peak Wilderness stretches across the north edge of the park, roughly from Long Draw Road to Signal Mountain (11,262 feet, 3,433 meters) at the park’s northeast corner. Comanche Peak (12,702 feet, 3,872 meters) sits at the middle of the park’s northern border. Finally the Stormy Peaks (12,235 feet, 3,699 meters) sit along the northeast border roughly halfway between Comanche Peak and Signal Mountain. Legend A scale in the bottom left corner of the map measures distances of 1, 2 and 3 kilometers, and 1, 2 and 3 miles. In the bottom center of the map, a note in red text reads, “Do not use this map for backcountry hiking; Buy topographic maps at visitor centers.” Below this, the legend continues: Orange outline and shading with thin diagonal lines for Tundra closure area, Black semicircle over a red line for Overlook, White line encased in black for Unpaved road, Dashed brown line for Hiking trail, Dashed gray line with yellow highlight for Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Dotted gray line for Continental Divide, and Thin red triangle arrows for Distance indicators. Two columns of symbols that follow represent Ranger station, Campground, Picnic area, Boat launch, Stable, Wheelchair-accessible, Self-guiding nature trail, Restrooms, Telephone, and Emergency telephone. A note in an orange box with black top bar in the northwest area of the park near the Alpine Visitor Center reads, “Tundra Closures: Tundra closure areas along Trail Ridge Road are designated to restrict use and protect the fragile alpine ecosystem. Off-trail hiking is prohibited within 100 yards of the trails and parking lots.”