Sep 01 - ​Rocky Mountain National Park,

               Estes Park, CO

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Last night we decided to do a tour of Rocky 

Mountain National Park, just west of where we 

are camped. We both felt it would be more fun 

to be chauffeured, rather than me do the driving. So we headed off early this morning in the hopes there would be space for us last-minute would-be participants.

​     

The drive from the campground to Estes Park took about 35 minutes. Shortly after 8 a.m. we were signed up for the 9:30 tour. We thought the tour started at 8:30 but as it is now Sep 1, the schedule changed to 1 hour later. So we walked on the River Walk to Starbucks for a coffee then visited the local farmer's market across the street.

Our tour today takes us up a 9 mile, one-way gravel road to the Visitor's Center then back to Estes Park via the paved road.

As it turned out there were only 6 of us on the tour. Here's the "bus".

Can you see the white pickup on the road below us?

We continued climbing towards the summit on the Old Fall Road.

Here's how much material was displaced in the flood. The Parks Service left the sign in place.

Our first stop was at Aluvial Fan falls. Jen stayed in the bus as the asphalt path was basically destroyed during a flood in 2013.

At the entrance to the park, we were at 8,242'. The scenery was pretty dramatic. 

Tomorrow we head for Rock Springs, WY. See you then.

Our four hour trip ended back in Estes Park. We thanked our guide and said goodbye to our tour mates. We had a thoroughly delightful visit to RMNP. It was very special. Something we won't soon forget.

On our way back, we saw these on the side of the road.

On the way down, there was a traffic jam.

Then Lisa, one of our tour members, offered to take a picture of Jen and I.

Here is our destination.

Some more scenery, some with 4 legs.

The view from the top. Notice the elevation.

Our next stop was another waterfall. I don't remember its name. As we continued our climb, here's where we came from.

At the first lookout on the way down we stopped for a photo op. Jeremy, our guide, asked if our camera could take panoramic photos. Here is the result.