TAKING THE HIGHEST ROAD
You’ve come to a place of exalted vision. To be surrounded by the titanic heights of the Rocky Mountains. Their purple mountain majesty in all its grandeur and magnitude is what makes America so astonishingly beautiful.
More than 100 peaks exceed 11,000 feet. On each side of the mighty Continental Divide, rivers flow forth and search out the shining seas of both the Atlantic and the Pacific. And as your RV winds its way from pass to pass—with all the earth below—you cannot escape the feeling that you’re on the very doorstep of the skies.
Scramble Up to a Beautiful Chasm
An unforgettable finish to an unforgettable hike that’s worth every ounce of sweat. It’s popular, so start early and follow the East Longs Peak Trail for 3.2 miles. Then veer left onto Chasm Lake Trail. Scrambling over rocks, follow the rock cairns to reach Chasm Lake—ironically above you.
Nearest Parking Lot Coordinate
40° 16’ 20” N,
105° 33’ 24” W
A Majestic Moment at Spraque Lake
Don’t be fooled: Not every view in the Rockies is earned with blood, sweat, and tears. Spraque Lake’s circular track is flat (wheelchair accessible), family-friendly (less than a mile long), and full of fantastic views (with benches to enjoy them)—all mirrored across the peaceful surface of this alpine lake.
Nearest Parking Lot Coordinate
40° 19’ 15” N
105° 36’ 28” W
Chasing Tyndall Creek’s Rocky Tail
The trail takes you on a tour of four lakes—Bear, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald—as you trace the westbound progress of Tyndall Creek. At two points, just before you reach Dream Lake, the creek crosses the trail itself. All along the way, the creek cascades over rock until it climactically tumbles into the waters of Emerald Lake.
Nearest Parking Lot Coordinate
40° 18’ 43” N
105° 38’ 43” W
FIND YOUR NEXT STOP
Stephanie and Jeremy Puglisi of The RV Atlas published Where Should We Camp Next?, which quickly hit #1 in the camping category on Amazon, remains in the top 10 Family Travel Guides, and also won USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice Award.
Ascend into the mountains and behold the blue, jeweled lakes that reflect their glory.
How to get there: Northwest out of Denver, U.S. 36 West leads to the mountains. An hour-and-a-half drive brings you through Estes Park to the national park’s eastern gate at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. Already, you’re on a 48-mile stretch of US-34 known as Trail Ridge Road—the highest highway in the U.S. of A. Just shy of 20 miles up the road, you’ll reach the paved 12,183-foot summit of America with views equal to your imagination. As you drive, you’ll see more than geology on a grand scale.
There’s an incredible diversity of ecology in the park—from forests of spruce and fir to tundra and wilderness where the majestic and muscular forms of bighorn sheep, moose, elk, and mule deer roam. True, you can see plenty from the cab, but you’ll also want to take in the mountain air on foot. Just be aware of the altitude. The air is thinner, and it can be more challenging to breathe.
Where Should We Camp Next? has over 300 campground reviews, both inside and outside of the parks!
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