Area Closures
View an Interactive Map of Area Closures
Approximately 30,000 acres or 10 percent of Rocky Mountain National Park were impacted by the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires of 2020.
West Side of Rocky Mountain National Park
Park visitors should not stop or park along the roadside from the Grand Lake Entrance to the Onahu Trail, due to hazard trees along the road from the East Troublesome Fire. There is no access to trails, picnic areas or parking areas along this section of the road including the Harbison Picnic Area and the Green Mountain Trail.
The North Inlet Trail has reopened.
The Onahu Trail and the Continental Divide Connector Trail to the inholder road has reopened.
The Green Mountain Trail remains closed.
A small out and back section of the Sun Valley Trail from County 491 along Trail Ridge Road has reopened. Most of the Sun Valley Trail remains closed.
East Side of Rocky Mountain National Park
In the Bear Lake Corridor area:
The Fern Lake Trail has reopened, however the Spruce Lake Trail remains closed.
The Mill Creek Basin area has reopened including the Hollowell Park Trail to Bierstadt Lake, as well as the Mount Wuh/Steep Mountain junction from the Cub Lake Trail.
The Flattop Trail is open to the summit of Flattop Mountain but is closed past this point to the west of the Continental Divide.
Beaver Mountain area and trails remains closed.
Northwest Area of Rocky Mountain National Park
The Chapin Pass Trailhead is open to access Mount Chapin, Mount Chiquita and Ypsilon Mountain. The Chapin Pass Trail is closed as it descends to Chapin Creek.
The northwest section of the park including the Poudre River Trail, Mirror Lake Trail, and Commanche Peak Trail remain closed.
Park visitors should be aware of additional hazards when recreating in burn areas including:
Burned-out stump holes where the ground may be weak and unstable
Unstable dead trees, especially in windy conditions
Loose rocks, logs and rolling debris
Flash flooding and significant debris flow possible in burn areas
Dry, hot conditions with little forest canopy to provide shade
Park staff will continue to assess closed areas on both sides of the park for fire impacts, safety and downed trees, erosion and rock fall.
It is unknown when all park trails impacted by the fires of 2020 will reopen.
Ninety-four people are working in the park on repairing burn area trails this summer. Fifty are Rocky Mountain National Park trail crew members, and four are from the National Park Service Southeast Utah Group. Assisting the National Park Service include forty additional crew members; one crew is from the Rocky Mountain Conservancy Corp, one crew from the Larimer County Conservation Corp and one crew from the Rocky Mountain Youth Corp based in Steamboat Springs.
On October 21, 2020, the East Troublesome Fire ran approximately 18 miles before it moved into the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, and then spotted approximately 1.5 miles from the head of Tonahutu Creek on the west side of the Continental Divide to the head of Spruce Creek on the east side of the Continental Divide. Rapid evacuations took place in Grand Lake on October 21. Evacuations for the majority of the Estes Valley were implemented on October 22, as weather predictions forecast major winds on the night of October 23 through October 24 pushing the fire further to the east.
Firefighting actions and favorable weather on October 24 and 25, helped halt the major movement of the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires.
For information on the East Troublesome Fire visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7242/
For information on the Cameron Peak Fire visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6964/
Rocky Mountain Conservancy's Efforts
Rocky Mountain National Park’s non-profit partner, The Rocky Mountain Conservancy, is accepting donations to support the park’s future restoration efforts from last season’s fires https://rmconservancy.org/join-or-give/donate/
Fire Restrictions
Rocky Mountain National Park always has Stage 1 fire restrictions in place, where campfires are prohibited in the park, except within designated campfire rings in picnic areas and front-country campgrounds. Fireworks are always prohibited within the park. Park visitors are urged to use caution and vigilance regarding the use of fire in authorized locations.
Current Trail Conditions
Many park trails are icy and snowpacked. Traction devices and poles may be important. In general, snowshoes are not needed until you are in more remote areas, maybe 3 miles from trailheads. Conditions have not changed in the last few weeks, and likely won’t change significantly for a while unless we get some much colder weather and a lot more snow. Be prepared for windy weather with blowing and drifting snow. Route-finding is important.
Many lakes (for example, Bear Lake and Sprague Lake) may appear frozen but there could be open water at inlets, outlets, and along edges. Ice there may not be firm enough to walk on.
Any Time of Year: Choose Your Destination Wisely. Always tell someone where you’re going, where you will be parked, what your intended route is, when you plan to be back home; and then let them know when you return.
Approximately 30,000 acres or 9 percent of RMNP has been impacted by the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires. Some park trails remain temporarily closed due to the level of fire impacts and ongoing safety assessments. This website is updated as trails reopen. Please see the link above
A link to the Longs Peak Conditions Report is above, including information on the Keyhole Route Conditions, plus conditions to hike to Chasm Lake.
REMEMBER, PETS ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL RMNP TRAILS, TUNDRA AND MEADOW AREAS
For Your Safety
These Trail Conditions reports are the viewpoints of the submitters, whether park staff, volunteers, or visitors. Conditions can change rapidly in the mountains. Use these reports only as guidelines. Be prepared for varying weather and trail conditions.
Falling trees are ever-present hazards when traveling in the forest. Be aware of your surroundings. Dead trees can fall without warning!
