Old Fall River Road
Tips, Trivia & Stories
Things I’ve learned, experienced and discovered about one of my favorite drives through Rocky Mountain National Park.
General Information
- Best time: Leave Estes Park around 7:00 PM and enjoy the sunset near the Alpine Visitor Center.
- Total time: Less than 2 hours.
- Speed limit: 15 MPH.
- Four-wheel drive: Not needed.
- Road: Narrow, one-way dirt road with switchbacks and some washboards.
- Wildlife: Elk and moose are often active in the evening.
- Waterfall: Chasm Falls is a worthwhile stop.
- Return: Drive back to Estes Park on the paved Trail Ridge Road route.
Tips From Ty
Go in the evening. This is when I like the drive best. You can see more wildlife, the road is often much quieter, and you can reach the top around sunset.
Stop at Chasm Falls
One of the easiest worthwhile stops on the drive.
There is a roadside pullout near Chasm Falls. The viewing area is reached by a short descent of roughly 40 dirt-and-rock steps.
Trivia
Prisoners Helped Build This Road — By Hand
Part of the route toward Chasm Falls was built by state convicts using hand tools.
State convicts lived in a labor camp and worked on roughly three miles of the road leading toward Chasm Falls. National Park Service history notes that they used hand tools.
It Took Seven Years to Build
Construction began in 1913 and the road was dedicated in 1920.
Work on Fall River Road began in July 1913. The road was dedicated on September 14, 1920.
Why Is It One-Way?
One-way travel began in 1932.
The road is narrow, steep and full of sharp switchbacks. National Park Service historical records show one-way travel beginning in 1932.
16% Grades — And No Guardrails
Some sections are much steeper than a typical paved mountain road.
Old Fall River Road reaches grades as steep as 16 percent and has no guardrails. That helps explain the 15 MPH speed limit.
Watch the Landscape Change
The drive passes through three different ecosystems.
As you climb, you move through montane, subalpine and alpine environments. Watch the vegetation change and the trees gradually disappear as you approach the tundra.
You’re Driving Two Generations of RMNP Roads
Drive up the historic road and return on the road that replaced it.
Fall River Road proved difficult for early automobiles and snow removal. Trail Ridge Road was later built to replace it. On this loop, you climb the historic route and return on its successor.