A historic one-way road known for taking travelers through stunning alpine tundra has officially opened for the season in Rocky Mountain National Park. That’s right – vehicles can now drive Old Fall River Road as of July 4, with the route offering a scenic and relaxed alternative to the more crowded Trail Ridge Road.

Built between 1913 and 1920, this was the park’s first road that provided access to the alpine terrain. At 9.4 miles long and unpaved, the route is sometimes described as a drivable nature trail. It starts next to the Endovalley Picnic Area and eventually merges with Trail Ridge Road at the top of Fall River Pass at 11,796 feet above sea level. This is where the parking area of the Alpine Visitor Center is located.

While a July opening might seem late, that’s pretty normal for this narrow and more rugged route. Old Fall River Road is typically open from early July into October.

Part of what makes Old Fall River Road particularly exciting is the winding and narrow route it takes up the steep slope of Mount Chapin’s south face. Because of this, however, vehicles over 25 feet long and those pulling trailers or towing vehicles are prohibited from driving it.

According to OnX, Old Fall River Road has a two of 10 score in terms of difficulty as an unpaved route, which classifies it as ‘easy’ on the OnX website. This rating indicates that it is suitable for standard passenger vehicles – just pay attention while driving it and follow speed limits as drop-offs are present.

While a timed entry reservation is needed to enter Rocky Mountain National Park during certain times of the day throughout the period that Old Fall River Road is open, this route is accessible with both basic ‘Timed Entry’ and ‘Timed Entry plus Bear Lake Road’ options.

Plan a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park here.

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