Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park opened Friday after a delay caused by this month’s wet weather patterns, which hampered crews’ ability to clear the high-altitude roadway of snow.
The road will close nightly at 8 p.m. because of the snowmelt covering the road’s surface will refreeze.
“Road crews and rangers will reassess conditions each morning and reopen the road when and if conditions allow,” the park said in a news release. “Alpine Visitor Center and Trail Ridge Store are expected to open soon.”
The road typically opens on Memorial Day weekend.
“This year, plow operators encountered average snow drifts from 18 to 22 feet,” the release said. “Significant storms on the east side of the divide in May provided additional challenges for park snowplow operators.”
The National Park Service says the visitor center along the road, at 11,796 feet, is the highest of all the country’s national parks.
Visitors are encouraged to call the Trail Ridge Road recorded phone line at (970) 586-1222 for the most up-to-date information on the road’s conditions.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or
