All photos by Tyler Stender
On our way out of Fort Collins en route to Rocky Mountain National Park, Tyler and I stopped at Lima Coffee Roasters. Young Tyler has a knack for sniffing out the most excellent sources of caffeine, and this spot did not disappoint. Nice folks, tasty coffee drinks, and - as odd as it may sound - a berry and cream cheese scone that was incredible. With barista tips on the national park visit in hand, we hit the road…and nearly missed the untimed entry cutoff.
Sneaking in with minutes to spare, we pointed the Hyundai toward Trail Ridge Road. Up to this point, our method of seeking a path based on how squiggly the line looks on the atlas had worked a treat, and until we landed in the Rockies, there was no need to take contour lines into account. As you can see on the map below, Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park is quite squiggly. Less evident are the tremendous grades, sheer drop-offs, and generally breathtaking vistas included on this sidewinder.
Behind the wheel on the way up, I could actually feel Tyler’s anxiety begin to elevate. Less talking, heavier breathing, a touch of white-knuckling. It was reminiscent of that time on an airplane when I excitedly pointed out a lightning storm in the distance, only to receive a firm request to shut the window. Pulling over at the “2 Miles Above Sea Level” sign, I asked Tyler if we should turn back. He gamely decided against it, and we pressed on.
Eventually, we came to a construction zone near a parking area stuffed with tourists looking out over the abyss. Beyond this stopping point was a single-lane bridge-like section of the road that seemed to be hanging over said abyss. On the other side was the kind of narrow two-lane roadway that leaves little room for error should you sneeze and jerk the wheel. To be clear, I don’t exactly love tracing the passenger-side wheels of a car along the precipitous edge of certain death. So, between the two of us, it was a flop sweat-soaked affair. Bottom line? Think carefully before traversing Trail Ridge Road. It’s not for everyone.
That said, should you survive and make it to the highest point, the views are awesome. Add in a Mighty Mouse of a car like, say, the Toyota GR Corolla, light traffic, and steel nerves, and this road would provide an epic day of driving. But even at legal speeds with a golden retriever hanging her head out the window, it’s darn nice. From here, it was on to Frisco, Colorado, and a stop at Outer Range Brewing. Yet another establishment with tremendous beer found along the way, Outer Range goes a step further with its knockout on-premise food window from Bird Craft Thai-ish Fried Chicken. Recommended.
Before landing in Grand Junction for the night, we pulled over at the White River National Forest to stretch human and dog legs, and take the e-bikes for a spin. It was hotter than Hades, but appeared to be an excellent camping stopover. By the time we arrived in Grand Junction, it had been a full day, and the local brewery was jammed. So we found some local pizza, ogled a Ram 2500 AEV Prospector in the parking lot, and called it a night.
About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. See more of his work on MuckRack.