This fifty-five-mile route crosses Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, linking Estes Park and Grand Lake by combining Trail Ridge Road and Beaver Meadow Road along U.S. Highways 34 and 36. Its defining characteristic is elevation: Trail Ridge Road rises to 12,183 feet above sea level, making it North America’s highest continuous paved road. Harsh alpine conditions usually close the upper section from October to May. The byway is recognized as both an All-American Road and a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway, underscoring its prominence as a mountain drive through a major national park. Along the route, the park’s Administration Building is also designated a National Historic Landmark.