drivin from estes park through rmnp, 34 or 36?
May 22nd, 2011, 06:10 AM
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I'm guessing you're leaving Estes Park going east back towards Denver, right? If so, then both routes will get you there with quite different scenery.
Hwy 36 takes you into the foothills for a pleasant ride through the pine forests with some high vistas. You'd arrive in Lyons in about 30 minutes, then would need to go through the heart of Boulder to continue onto Denver, which sometimes can be congested, but it's nice to have a look if you haven't been there before.
Hwy 34 has a much more dramatic portion through the Big Thompson Canyon, definitely worth seeing. The canyon is high and narrow in places and you can often spot big horn sheep closer to Estes. After about 30 minutes, you end up in Loveland, from which you take I-25 to get back to Denver. It's a little longer route and the highway isn't that scenic.
When we travel to Estes several times a year, we usually take 36 to get there, and 34 home. It's all good!
Hwy 36 takes you into the foothills for a pleasant ride through the pine forests with some high vistas. You'd arrive in Lyons in about 30 minutes, then would need to go through the heart of Boulder to continue onto Denver, which sometimes can be congested, but it's nice to have a look if you haven't been there before.
Hwy 34 has a much more dramatic portion through the Big Thompson Canyon, definitely worth seeing. The canyon is high and narrow in places and you can often spot big horn sheep closer to Estes. After about 30 minutes, you end up in Loveland, from which you take I-25 to get back to Denver. It's a little longer route and the highway isn't that scenic.
When we travel to Estes several times a year, we usually take 36 to get there, and 34 home. It's all good!
May 23rd, 2011, 12:22 PM
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Doesn't make much difference. Only separated for a short distance and then becomes 34 or Trail Ridge Road over the top. I assume your travel is sometime this summer. While the target to open Trail Ridge is always Memorial Day weekend, CDPT is struggling with record snow fall and continuing snowfall such that they might miss this year. And if it doesn't quite snowing soon, it could be a problem keeping it open.
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