We’ve been high up in the Rockies over the last few days, enjoying stunning scenery and abundant wildlife.The main park road, a scenic byway, gains almost 4,000 feet in elevation in just 20 miles and travels through three ecosystems, montane with thick forests and grassy meadows, subalpine featuring stunted and twisted trees, and finally alpine where all the plants are small and low to the ground. We didn’t have time to drive on Bear Lake Road but we did drive Old Fall River Road, the original road to the Alpine Visitor Center.
Most of the overlooks are accessible. The three visitor centers that we visited, Kawuneeche, Alpine, and Beaver Meadows, are accessible. The short trail at Coyote Valley Trailhead is accessible, hard packed, crushed stone. The trail that goes to the Holzwarth Historic Site is also hard packed, crushed stone. The trail is accessible but the historic site is not. Visitors with disabilities may opt to ride to the site in a park service vehicle rather than walking. Forest Canyon Trail is paved but steep so most wheelchair users will need to have some help. The short trail to the alluvial fan is paved but very steep. Lily Lake Trail is hard packed, crushed stone with some muddy spots, a few hills and large loose gravel in the parking lot so most wheelchair users will need to have some help. More accessibility information here.
The accessible campsites in Timber Creek have hard packed, crushed stone paths to the restrooms. The picnic tables have long overhangs on one end and the fire pits have high sides. We didn’t stay in any of the other campgrounds.
The park roads are narrow with sheer drops and tight curves at the switchbacks. Any RV can travel on them but most visitors with large RVs use their tow or towed vehicle to visit the park interior. Old Fall River Road is not opened to trailers and has a 25’ length limit . It’s a one way, maintained dirt road. The first section is the worst with rocks jutting out one one side and a drop on the other. Our motorhome is narrower than most so I would not recommend driving this road with a RV. Kawuneeche Visitor Center does not have long RV spaces so it may not be possible to park. Alpine and Beaver Meadows both have long RV spaces. Some of the overlooks have small parking areas. The campground where we stayed, Timber Creek, has a 30’ RV limit and it usually has empty sites. The other campgrounds, except for Longs Peak tent camping, take reservations and getting a site without a reservation is slim. Park
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Good looking campground, Great photo's of the moose.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better Bob.
ReplyDeleteThe forest service had to cut most of the trees in the campground because they had died from bark beetle infestation so now there isn't a lot of privacy but everyone has great views of the mountains! We had a herd of elk that visited everyday and the mama moose and her baby often hung right down the road.