Is it legal to pull a travel trailer or 5th wheel on Trail Ridge Road in Rock Mountain NP?

[Wayne]

I've driven Trail Ridge Road in our Chevy truck with nothing in tow. If you were coming from the east and going to Granby and didn't want to go through Denver, could you tow your RV on Trail Ridge Road?

It's a US Highway in very good shape, but there are some serious grades and switchbacks. I wonder if there are embargos against large vehicles?

 

[gobi]

Wayne,
Some of them have length and width limits, never saw a tow restriction.

 

[Wayne]

I answered my own question by calling the RMNP office and asking a ranger the question, "Are there RV length or RV vehicle type restrictions on Trail Ridge Road?" He unequivocally said, "No there are no restrictions to recreational vehicles, regardless of length or type."

 

[gobi]

I answered my own question by calling the RMNP office and asking a ranger the question, "Are there RV length or RV vehicle type restrictions on Trail Ridge Road?" He unequivocally said, "No there are no restrictions to recreational vehicles, regardless of length or type."

Nice,
some of the scenic drives with open drops on one side have width and length restrictions, I have been such in:
1. Yellowstone Bear tooth pass
2. Glacier - sun road

 

[Wayne]

2. Glacier - sun road

We were on Going to the Sun Road last August and the limits are:

"Any vehicle over 21 feet long, 10 feet high and 8 feet wide (including mirrors) is restricted from the Going-to-the-Sun-Road."

You can find the restrictions here on the NPS website:

Going-to-the-Sun Road General Info - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

After driving the entire length of the road last summer, I can concur that you shouldn't exceed the vehicle size restrictions of the road. There are many places where a vehicle any wider or longer would have serious trouble getting through. Backing several miles on the road would be a nightmare.

 

[gobi]

We were on Going to the Sun Road last August and the limits are:

"Any vehicle over 21 feet long, 10 feet high and 8 feet wide (including mirrors) is restricted from the Going-to-the-Sun-Road."

You can find the restrictions here on the NPS website:

Going-to-the-Sun Road General Info - Glacier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

After driving the entire length of the road last summer, I can concur that you shouldn't exceed the vehicle size restrictions of the road. There are many places where a vehicle any wider or longer would have serious trouble getting through. Backing several miles on the road would be a nightmare.

lol, I made the 'mistake" of driving it south to north, so I was on the outside
and the and the same "mistake" in yellowstone, driving that road east to west.

I had to buy a couple of new cargo pants after driving those routes and having WIDE vehicles on the inside lane!

I think NPS should warn us and tell us to drive it one way ;-)

 

[Wayne]

Since the Glacier NP east entrance was closed last summer, we had no choice but to drive the road in both directions. Driving west-to-east means you are in the outside lane and the passenger side is the closest to the edge. My wife was the passenger and was not too happy about the view!

 

[gobi]

yeah the 2 bricks stacked on top of each other is the guard rail on some areas, might have to carry a bottle of beta-blocker to slow the heart down a bit next time

 

[Wayne]

yeah the 2 bricks stacked on top of each other is the guard rain on some areas, might have to carry a bottle of beta-blocker to slow the heart down a bit next time

It's pretty thrilling isn't it!!

 

[gobi]

It's pretty thrilling isn't it!!

As long as I can see the right edge, I am good and really don't sweat a lot.
But going up the last few switch backs on Mt Evans or Pikes Peak, yeah, the incline is too high and Keeping an eye on the right edge is near impossible.
And on top of that the occupant on the passenger seat is having a breakdown and refuses to look out the window to tell you the clearance, if I recall, I had to get a new front driver seat after that.

 

[Wayne]

We have never driven up to the Mt Evans observatory, we intended to, but the weather wasn't good. The switchbacks looks pretty wild and the road looks pretty narrow. Maybe we'll get up there in August.

 

[gobi]

We have never driven up to the Mt Evans observatory, we intended to, but the weather wasn't good. The switchbacks looks pretty wild and the road looks pretty narrow. Maybe we'll get up there in August.

Wild? I was driving a 4 door rental from avis, if I ever go back with my duramax, I will probably have someone sticking their head out of the window ;-),

driving the same on BLM land with large boulders, hmm, that makes things a bit more interesting

 

[Wayne]

That certainly is close to the edge!!! My passenger most likely would have be protesting vigorously.

 

[MSCH]

I've driven Trail Ridge Road in our Chevy truck with nothing in tow. If you were coming from the east and going to Granby and didn't want to go through Denver, could you tow your RV on Trail Ridge Road?

It's a US Highway in very good shape, but there are some serious grades and switchbacks. I wonder if there are embargos against large vehicles?

I just saw this old post.. I've pulled my fifth wheel right up and over the Top of Rocky Mountain National Park... not sure if it is Trail Ridge Road as a name but it is US 34... we came all the way across Colorado from the west on Us 40, and then cut up thru the park and down to Estes Park.. it isn't bad, because it is slow...

 

[Wayne]

not sure if it is Trail Ridge Road as a name but it is US 34

Yep, that's the same road. I have talked to a couple more people that have pulled their RVs on that road. It's a US Highway, so it must meet lane widths and grades. I'd do it, but I'm not sure the better half would ride along.

 

[MSCH]

Yep, that's the same road. I have talked to a couple more people that have pulled their RVs on that road. It's a US Highway, so it must meet lane widths and grades. I'd do it, but I'm not sure the better half would ride along.

yeah.. in my case it is the spounse who is riding along saying " Hey, can you see how far it is to the bottom"

and I really dont want to look..