How to Drive Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Are you up for an adventurous, scenic drive involving hairpin turns on a dirt / gravel road, with steep drops on one side and no guardrails? If your answer is yes, then you need to add Old Fall River Road to your Rocky Mountain National Park itinerary in Colorado. For three months a year, this 11-mile (17.7 km) long stretch of road opens to drivers seeking to experience a thrilling drive through a much quieter part of RMNP.

In this guide, we’ve summarised our experience driving up Old Fall River Road, including practical information and useful tips. We’ll share details on national park entry fees and passes, when the best time to drive the road is, notable things to see and how to combine it with driving Trail Ridge Road.

What is Old Fall River Road and Why Should You Drive It?

Old Fall River Road opened in 1920 and was the first auto route offering access to RMNP’s high country. The 11-mile-long road starts from Horseshoe Park, just west of the Fall River Entrance, and ends at Fall River Pass at the Alpine Visitor Center. The scenic road takes you through some of the lesser seen wildernesses of RMNP and climbs up to 11,796 ft (3,595 m) above sea level.

Whilst there aren’t numerous things to do along Old Fall River Road, it’s still 100% worth driving along. Compared to Trail Ridge Road, and the whole national park itself, it’s a much quieter area. Here you can really get away from the crowds you’ll encounter along the popular hiking routes and at the best viewpoints. The scenery is fantastic and the dirt/ gravel road will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. It’s also a slightly more challenging drive due to its narrow width and endless switchbacks, so you’ll feel a pretty strong sense of accomplishment once you’ve made it to the end.

Practical Information Before Driving Old Fall River Road in RMNP

When Can You Drive Old Fall River Road

Even though RMNP is open every day of the year, Old Fall River Road is a seasonal road and vehicles can only access it from early July until the start of October. It actually has a much shorter opening period than Trail Ridge Road, which can be driven on from the end of May.

The reason for the short timeframe is that in winter Old Fall River Road becomes inaccessible to vehicles due to snow. However, when the road isn’t open to cars, you can still hike, bike or snowshoe along it.

It’s worth highlighting that the road can be shut on any given day due to extreme weather conditions. We drove it in mid-September and the week after we were there it was shut because of a snowstorm.

Rocky Mountain National Park Entry Pass

Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry Permit

Between May and October you’ll also need a timed entry permit between 9 AM and 2PM in addition to the RMNP day/annual pass. However, you can actually drive into the park before 9 AM or after 2 PM without a timed entry reservation.

On the website there will be a “timed entry option” and a “timed entry + Bear Lake Road Access” option. You’ll need the “timed entry option” if you’re only planning on driving along Old Fall River Road and/ or Trail Ridge Road.

The permit is only an extra $2 on top of your RMNP entry pass. Permits are released on the 1st of the month at 8AM MST, one month prior to the dates of entry. They usually add additional permits each night at 7PM MST for the following day though. The early entries get booked up pretty fast, so keep that in mind when planning your road trip. It’s also important that you enter RMNP within the 2-hour window of your chosen time slot.

You can book tickets and find more up-to-date information on the RMNP Timed Entry Permit page.

Is the Old Fall River Road Safe to Drive

Old Fall River Road is generally safe to drive, but there are a few things you should be aware of.

Vehicle requirements

Make sure that your car is up for the drive before you set off. Do all the necessary safety checks to limit your chances of breaking down. Vehicles over 25 ft, vehicles pulling trailers or tow vehicles are NOT allowed to drive on this road.

There are NO gas stations inside RMNP, so enter the park with a full tank. You can fill up either in Estes Park or Grand Lake.

Road Conditions

Unlike Trail Ridge Road, Old Fall River Road becomes a gravel / dirt track after the junction with Endovalley Road. There are also steep drop-offs and hairpin switchbacks with no guardrails. Wildlife can be present on the road, so always drive carefully. The speed limit is 15 miles per hour, which you should obey!

Altitude

Let’s not forget about the high altitude. The road climbs up to 11,796 ft (3,595 m) above sea level, so you can get altitude sick if you haven’t acclimatised properly. Spending a day in Estes Park and going on some easier hikes in RMNP can help you to get used to the higher elevations.

Mountain Weather

Another thing you have to factor in is the unpredictable mountain weather. You can literally experience four seasons during your drive, even in the middle of summer. Wind, cold temperatures, rain, snow, sunshine and thunderstorms can all happen in the space of a day.

It’s a one-way road, so once you’re on it, there’s no turning back! If you’re hesitant, for reasons such as fear of heights or potential altitude sickness, we recommend driving up Trail Ridge Road first. If you manage Trail Ridge Road okay, then you can probably consider driving Old Fall River Road.

Which Direction Can You Drive Old Fall River Road in

Unlike Trail Ridge Road, Old Fall River Road is a ONE-WAY road after the junction with Endovalley Road.

Arriving from Estes Park, we suggest entering via the Fall River Entrance Station, then following the road until you can turn right towards Old Fall River Road. From there, just drive all the way up to the Alpine Visitor Center. You can also enter RMNP via Beaver Meadows. In this case, follow the road and turn right at the first major junction, before turning left towards Old Fall River Road just after Horseshoe Park.

If you’re after a full day of scenic driving, then after arriving at the Alpine Visitor Center you can continue driving along Trail Ridge Road. Depending on how much time you have, you can drive either towards Grand Lake, back to Estes Park, or both. There are plenty of scenic viewpoints and short hiking trails along Trail Ridge Road, so you can easily fill your day.

Facilities Along Old Fall River Road

There are toilets at Fall River Visitor Center, at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, at the West Alluvial Fan Trailhead and at the Alpine Visitor Center at the end of the road. In addition, there are more toilets along Trail Ridge Road.

The Alpine Visitor Center is probably one of the most popular stops, as it has a large parking area, a café offering a selection of food and drinks, as well as a gift shop and a small exhibit. Right next to it is the Trail Ridge Store, which is a larger gift shop and dining area.

We still highly recommend packing enough food and drinks with you for the day. Whatever you bring with you, make sure you either take it home with you or dispose of it responsibly. Enjoy your time in nature but Leave No Trace!

Things to See along the Old Fall River Road

Compared to Trail Ridge Road, there aren’t many dedicated points of interest along Old Fall River Road. The drive itself is the main attraction. However, combining Old Fall River Road with Trail Ridge Road will set you up for a perfect day in Rocky Mountain National Park.

1. Alluvial Fan Trail. This is one of the first hiking trails on the route. Along this short trail, you can see the effects of the Lawn Lake flood, which created the alluvial fan in 1982.
2. Chasm Falls. The main natural feature along the road is Chasm Falls. There’s a short but steep trail leading to a nice viewpoint of the waterfall.
3. Pull-Outs. Old Fall River Road is generally quite narrow, however there are plenty of pull-outs along it where you can stop safely. Just avoid stopping in places where another vehicle wouldn’t be able to safely pass you.
4. Willow Park Patrol Cabin. We completely missed this picturesque old ranger cabin because it wasn’t really signposted. Keep an eye out for the pull-out at the first switchback and a metal bar at the entrance.
5. Chapin Pass Trailhead. If you’re after a challenging summit hike, then from this trailhead you can access Mount Chapin, Mount Chiquita and Mount Ypsilon. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do a long day hike.
6. Fall River Pass / Alpine Visitor Center / Alpine Ridge Trail. Old Fall River Road ends at Fall River Pass at the Alpine Visitor Centre. Here you can get a hot drink and enjoy the views looking back down at Fall River Pass. Plus, you can also hike the short Alpine Ridge Trail through the tundra.
7. Trail Ridge Road. From the Visitor Center, you can carry on driving along Trail Ridge Road and stopping at the many scenic lookouts.

Best Places to Stay in Estes Park

If you want to get to RMNP early, we highly recommend staying in Estes Park. The town itself is beautiful and has its very own resident elk, who roam the streets freely. There are also plenty of food and shopping options in Estes Park, so it’s a fantastic place to base yourself if you want to do multiple hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Hotels in Estes Park

• Expedition Lodge Estes Park
• Alpine Trail Ridge Inn
• Murphy’s River Lodge
• Hotel Estes
• The Estes Park Resort
• YMCA of The Rockies Estes Park

Additional Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park

There’s definitely no shortage of things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s a hiker’s paradise. We could have easily spent a few months there and still found new hiking trails to complete. However, if you only have a few days, then below are a few things you could consider adding to your itinerary.

Hiking trails in RMNP

• Bear Lake Loop Trail (easy hike)
• Sprague Lake Loop Trail (easy hike)
• Emerald Lake Trail (moderate hike)
• Sky Pond Trail (moderate to hard hike)
• Short and Easy Hikes in RMNP

Other scenic roads in RMNP

• Trail Ridge Road

Final Thoughts on Driving the Old Fall River Road in RMNP

Driving Old Fall River Road was so much fun. The hairpin turns and steep drops made the drive slightly more challenging, but very rewarding at the same time. We entered the national park at dawn and managed to witness a magical sunrise. There were hardly any other drivers on the road, which made the whole experience even more memorable.

Whilst we also enjoyed driving along Trail Ridge Road, Old Fall River Road will always remain a special road trip in our memories. Let us know if you’ve ever driven Old Fall River Road before and if you’d be up for the challenge if you haven’t.