Page Type Page Type: Trailhead
Location Lat/Lon: 40.30750°N / 105.8417°W
Additional Information County: Grand
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 8800 ft / 2682 m

Overview

The Green Mountain trailhead is located in the southwest corner of the park, close to the Grand Lake entrance. The trailhead provides access to the lush Green Mountain and Tonahutu Creek trails. This region seems to get the moist moisture of any area in the Park, with consequently more vegetation than the trails on the east side of the Continental Divide.

There numerous circular hikes that can be done here, from easy day hikes around Big Meadow to multi-day backpacks to the Continental Divide. Shortly after the snow melts the area near the trailhead is one of the best places to see the Calypso Fairy Slipper, an uncommon orchid that grows in the Park. This is also a good area to see moose, and there have been mountain lion incidents near here.

Driving Directions

From Estes Park drive to either the Fall River or Beaver Meadows entrance of the park, and continue on to Deer Ridge Junction, a "T" intersection where highways 34 and 36 join. It is about 4 miles from either entrance to the junction. Continue west on US 34 for another 35 miles to the trailhead, driving over Trail Ridge Road, one of the most spectacular drives in the country.

From Grand Lake, the town on the west side of the Park, drive north for about 4.5 miles to the trailhead.

Trail Ridge road is closed in winter, usually October - early June, and can occasionally close during bad weather in the summer. During these times you can only drive to this trailhead from Grand Lake.

External Links

Maps of Estes Park showing access roads to Rocky Mountain National Park.