Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 220 miles throughout the day; approximately 6 hours total. Walking about 2 miles total; gravel, paved paths, some steps and inclines.
At the hotel.
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll ride along the Yampa River Valley until it joins the Colorado River as we gain elevation on our way to Rocky Mountain National Park. Our Group Leader will provide commentary about the natural and human history of the rivers as well as giving us an introduction to Rocky Mountain National Park before we arrive at Rocky Mountain National Park Alpine Visitor Center.
On your own to have what you like at the Alpine Visitor Center.
To cap off our national parks experiences, we’ll ride along Rocky Mountain National Park’s magnificent Trail Ridge Road — constructed between 1926 and 1932 — with eight miles of the 48-mile-long highway above 11,000 feet in elevation. With its high point reaching 12,183 feet above sea level, it is the highest continuous highway in the United States. It passes through several different life zones including subalpine and alpine zones, as well as the largest continuous tundra in the continental United States. With the various different climate zones, the varieties of flora and fauna varieties are bountiful. As we ride, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for wildlife that may be present such as deer, bighorn sheep, elk, moose, bears, marmots, pica, ptarmigan, eagles, Stellar Jays, Clark’s nutcrackers, Rocky Mountain bluebirds, and more. The magnificent vistas display unique, wild beauty and rugged summits of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. We will stop at key overlooks along the way including some short walks to view the tundra and magnificent scenery. Our Group Leader will provide commentary during these stops. We’ll ride on from the park to our hotel in Denver and check in.
At the hotel. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departures in the morning. For participants flying, reserve airport shuttle at hotel front desk.