Old Fall River Road

The Old Fall River Road, sometimes referred to as "The Old Road" by park staff in Rocky Mountain National Park was the first automobile road to penetrate the interior of the park. The road linked the east side of the park near Estes Park with Grand Lake on the west side. Work began in 1913 but was interrupted in 1914 by World War I with final work being completed between 1918 and 1920. The narrow road was partly replaced by Trail Ridge Road in 1932, which incorporated sections of the Fall River Road. A rockslide closed the road in 1953 and it was not re-opened until 1968 when the National Park Service cleared the rocks and paved the lower third of the route. The one-way road is open only in the summer, weather permitting, and runs westward from Sheep Lakes to the Alpine Visitor Center.