Temporary Night Closures of Trail Ridge Road Scheduled in Rocky Mountain National Park

Night-time closures of Trail Ridge Road are planned for next week to allow for culverts to be installed. Photo by Jess Stryker.

If you're visiting Rocky Mountain National Park next week, you might encounter some travel problems along Trail Ridge Road due to road work. The scenic drive that traverses the park will see temporary nighttime closures Monday through Thursday.

The closures, needed so crews can install culverts, will range along a 19-mile stretch of the road, from the Colorado River Trailhead to Rainbow Curve.

Closure points will be on the west side of the park at the Colorado River Trailhead and at the Alpine Visitor Center, according to park officials, who say the Fall River Road will remain open. Closure times will be from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.

Night work will also take place from August 9 through August 19 along the section of road from Lake Irene to the Alpine Visitor Center. That work could produce one-hour delays from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Park visitors can continue to expect 20- to 30-minute delays through the construction area during the day on Trail Ridge Road.

There might be multiple areas of construction occurring concurrently, and in that case the combined delay time will not exceed 60 minutes, the officials add. Work will not take place on weekends or holidays. Cyclists and motorcyclists should expect extremely rough road conditions throughout the summer.