Rocky Mountain High

Vanlog, Timber Creek Campground, Rocky Mountain NP

I left my friend Karla’s house at 6 AM with 18,448 mi on the odometer. I saw three hot air balloons with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop along the drive. I arrived in Estes Park around 8 AM and entered Rocky Mountain National Park by 8:30. The lines were long at the entrance station. The park is packed with people today. I parked at the Bear Lake Park & Ride and took the free shuttle bus to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Then I hiked to Alberta Falls and on to the Loch, an alpine lake. I had to cross over some snowpack to reach my final destination. Because of looming storm clouds, I then retraced my path back to Alberta Falls and on to the Bear Lake Parking Area, where I arrived just as it began to rain. I had hiked 5.2 mi in about 3 hrs.

I took the shuttle bus back to the van and drove in the rain over the windy, hilly Trail Ridge Road to the highest point in the park. It was tough driving and I was already tired from getting up so early, so I parked at a pullout and took a brief nap before continuing down Trail Ridge Road on the west side of the park to Timber Creek campground, where I set up, cooked dinner, and met some other new vanlife friends. The day ended with 18,599 miles, so I drove 111 miles today. The sun was back out in the campground in the early evening hours.