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Leading south out of the Estes Park valley, a portion of the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway (aka Colorado Highway 7) crests at charming Lily Lake and offers tremendous views of Mount Meeker, Longs Peak and Twin Sisters. You'll pass the stone building of Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel, circa 1935. Locals also refer to it as St. Malo Church or Chapel on the Rock. The road borders Rocky Mountain National Park, past its Wild Basin Entrance and through Allenspark, where Highway 7 cuts east. Although the route veers off the Peak to Peak, eventually connecting with Highway 36 in Lyons, it shows the diverse scenery of the area-from massive rock walls and delicate sandstone spires to bubbling rivers and mountain meadows dotted with elk or deer-before dropping into mountain-fringed Estes Park.

TRAIL RIDGE ROAD - ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
The bulk of Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the United States, lies within the bounds of Rocky Mountain National Park, but it begins in Estes Park. Pick up Hwy. 36 (aka Moraine Avenue) and follow it west into the national park past Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. You'll pass Deer Mountain and the intersection with Bear Lake Road. At Deer Ridge Junction, pick up Hwy. 34. The route climbs from 7,800 feet to more than 12,000 feet at its highest point. It passes through a variety of habitat, from mountain meadows and woodlands to well above treeline into the alpine tundra. You can turn around at the Alpine Visitor Center or transform the scenic drive into a day-long road trip to Grand Lake, and back. Because of the elevation gain, Trail Ridge Road is open from Memorial Day until late-September to mid-November, depending on snowfall.Trail Ridge Road officially opened for the season on Friday, May 22, 2014, however periodic closures are possible due to changing weather and snow conditions. Please check the Trail Ridge hotline at 970-586-1222970-586-1222 for current updates.