The beauty of the landscape easily overshadows the level of difficulty on this North Central Colorado trip. This area is full of snow-capped mountains, National and State Forests, flowing water, and mountain lakes. The route of this trip covers what is called North Park.

Our five bicycling days will challenge you as you make your way over six passes and Trail Ridge Road. At 12, 182 feet, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is the highest continuous paved highway in the US. Over 11 miles of this road are above timberline. Timberline is the elevation above which no trees will grow due to the severity of the climate. The grades of the climbs on this trip are between 4% to 7 1/2%. At the end of one of our climbing days, we spend the evening at a hot mineral springs resort. This resort has several different, heated pools allowing you to pick the desired temperature in which to soak your tired muscles.

The most famous landmarks we will visit on this trip are Rocky Mountain National Park, the Colorado River, and the resort towns of Estes Park and Steamboat Springs. We will pass by numerous lakes and rivers. Some of these lakes are Iceberg, Horsetooth, Shadow Mountain, Granby, Grand Lake, Muddy, and Poudre Lake.

Some of the beautiful mountain streams that our routes parallel are the Yampa, Michigan, Big Thompson, Colorado, Fall River, and Cache La Poudre River. The Cache La Poudre River is one of the lesser known of these rivers among tourists; however, one of the best known among Colorado kayakers. It is one of the most pristine and challenging whitewater rivers in the Rocky Mountains. We follow the Cache la Poudre River for over 20 miles, passing by Poudre Falls along the roadside. Cache la Poudre means hide or secrete the powder.

Our off day is spent in Estes Park Village. One of the activities in you may elect to do is hiking or sight-seeing at Bear Lake in the Southeast section of Rocky Mountain National Park. There are over 20 different hikes originating from this lake. To get there just catch a free bus in the morning from downtown Estes Park and return via bus to Estes Park that evening.

We will also spend a night in the resort town of Steamboat Springs. Our lodging will be only two blocks away from the downtown area.

Some of the animal life which Noo Funteers’ participants usually see on this trip includes pica, chipmunks, ground squirrels, deer, elk, mountain sheep, and moose.