Exploring Rocky Mountain National Park’s landscape on two wheels is a great outdoor activity. Bicycle into the park and you won’t need a timed-entry reservation (but you will still need a park entrance pass).

Bicycling Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park / NPS-Ann Schonlau

While you cannot rent a bicycle within the park, itself, you can rent a bike at Grand Lake on the west side of the park, or Estes Park on the east side.

Rocky Mountain National Park requires cyclists to follow a few rules for safe riding:

• Bicycles are not allowed on any of the trails, but they are permitted on all roads open to vehicles – paved and dirt – unless otherwise posted. E-bikes are allowed under these same rules, too.
• There are bike racks at visitor centers but no bike racks on shuttle buses. At trailheads, if no bike rack is available, cyclists may carry their bike into the woods and lock it to something out of sight (like a tree) if no harm is done to that object. Cyclists may not lock bikes to signs or trailhead bulletin boards.
• In Rocky Mountain National Park, federal law requires that cyclists ride single file at all times. Riding abreast is prohibited.
• Cyclists should stay to the right side of the road.
• Cyclists must obey posted speed limits and all traffic laws and signs.
• On roads open to motor vehicles, bicycles must ride in the same direction of travel as other vehicles.
• During sunset, sunrise, and other periods of low visibility, cyclists must ride with a white light or reflector that is visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red light or reflector visible from at least 200 feet to the rear.

Probably the most popular bike route will be along the park’s main Trail Ridge Road. Ride up to the Alpine Ridge Visitor Center, sitting at a little under 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) and you will have reached quite a high-elevation feat! Fun Fact: Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States.

Trail Ridge Road profile, Rocky Mountain National Park / NPS graph

Another challenging route for bicycling is the dirt and gravel Old Fall River Road.

According to Park Staff:

Old Fall River Road is a one-way 9-mile scenic drive that begins at Endovalley Picnic Area and ends at the summit of Fall River Pass. Old Fall River Road merges with the parking area for Alpine Visitor Center and Trail Ridge Road at an elevation of 11,796 feet. This road is a narrow dirt road that is one-way uphill only with sharp switch backs.

• Bicycles are only permitted on the road, they may not travel on side trails.
• When Old Fall River Road is closed to vehicles, cyclists may travel uphill and turn back down the road. When Old Fall River Road is in winter trail status bicycles are not allowed on the road.
• Once Old Fall River Road is open to vehicles, cyclists must follow the flow of traffic one-way uphill to Alpine Visitor Center and return back down via Trail Ridge Road.

Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road are the two main roads popular for cycling. Bicycles are prohibited on the Grand Ditch Road and on all trails except for a two-mile segment of the East Shore Trail near Grand Lake. E-bikes are prohibited on the Grand Ditch Road and on all trails including the East Shore Trail.

For more details on park roads, including Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road, visit RMNP's Park Roads webpage. The opening of Old Fall River Road is weather dependent. Old Fall River Road typically opens to vehicles in early July.

Safety is your responsibility and ensures a fun day of bicycling. Below are a few tips for a safe cycle.

• Wear a bike helmet and the right clothing for the weather, and always carry food and water. That downhill breeze may feel fine on your face and you may not be sweating at all, but the thin atmosphere and pedaling exertion invite dehydration. While you may be wearing the right clothing at the time, mountain weather can change within minutes, so carry extra layers with you.
• Watch out for drivers (because they may not be watching out for you) and be mindful of the narrow road shoulders and steep drop-offs.
• Start your ride early – by 10 a.m. the roads become congested. After noon and especially during the summer, monsoons move in with rain, wind, and lightning.
• Acclimatize yourself to the higher elevation, where there is less oxygen. Consider planning a less ambitious ride than you would at home. If you begin to experience symptoms of acute mountain sickness like headaches, rapid pulse, nausea, loss of appetite, lack of energy, and general malaise, do not go any higher. Descend to ride another day.
• Always let someone know of your plans, and if you ride with a group, stay with the group. You may feel a certain sense of security carrying your cell phone along, but reception is slim-to-none in many locations within the park.

If you are planning an organized group ride within Rocky Mountain National Park, a Special Use Permit may be required. For more details and for information on applying for a Special Use Permit, visit the park’s Permits & Reservations webpage.