Rocky Mountain National Park, waterlogged in spots from last week's storms, began to reopen to the public Wednesday, though all trails on the eastern side of the park remained closed.
Park entrance gates opened at 10 a.m. Wednesday, as did Colorado Highway 7. With the opening of that highway, Trail Ridge Road was closed to commercial traffic, which had been using it on an emergency basis to get essential goods and supplies to Estes Park on the eastern edge of the national park.
No entrance fees were being charged. The Kawuneeche, Alpine, and Beaver Meadows visitor centers all were open, though the Fall River Visitor Center is closed for the winter.
"On the west side of the park, the majority of trails are open for day use only. Please check trailhead signs for more information," a park release said. "Longer trails that cross the Continental Divide are open only to the Divide as trail travel to the east side is still closed.
"All trails on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park remain closed. As weather conditions improve, trails will be assessed for damage and slope stability. Of special note: Longs Peak, Wild Basin, Lily Lake, Lumpy Ridge, McGraw Ranch/Cow Creek, and their associated trails are CLOSED. Please help us focus on our recovery efforts by honoring these trail closures. And, remember – large landslides have occurred because of the rain saturated soils."
Other closures included the Bar Lake Road and the Upper Beaver Meadows Road. The Fall River Road was open, while Old Fall River Road was closed.
Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places
