The official twitter page of Rocky Mountain National Park. Updates and important information.
Estes Park, Colorado
Joined December 2009
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The leadership team at Rocky Mountain National Park and fire managers with the @USWFS would like to thank all of the cooperating agencies that have provided resources and invaluable support to help with the Headquarters Unit of the Front Country Prescribed Fire.
This successful operation would not have been possible without the support of our local, regional, and federal partners.
We would like to thank the @estesfire, Lefthand Fire Protection District, @BldrCOSheriff Shadow Canyon Crew, @MVFireRescue, U.S. Forest Service-Arapaho & Roosevelt Natl Forests Pawnee Natl Grassland. We would also like to thank the US National Weather Service Denver/Boulder Colorado and the @CDPHE.
Projects like this are only possible with the help and support of our partners!
ALT Fire crews, around 50 people, are gathered outside in a parking lot, around a large map.
This evening, fire personnel will continue to patrol the Headquarters Unit of the Front Country Prescribed Fire and will remain on site overnight.
Glowing areas will be visible near Beaver Meadows Entrance as larger fuels continue to be consumed. Smoke will continue to linger in the area of the burn. As temperatures cool overnight, smoke may settle in low-lying areas.
This week, fire personnel completed 57 acres. This operation concludes the 511-acre Headquarters Unit of the Front Country Prescribed Burn, that began in the fall of 2024.
Smoke may affect your health: For more information visit colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/w….
To monitor smoke concentrations and to learn more about ways to mitigate smoke exposure, visit AirNow.gov at fire.airnow.gov/#9.71/40.426…
Image Credit: NPS Photo
#RMNP #RMNPrxFire #FrontCountryRx #NPSfire
ALT Three areas are glowing orange with a dark silhouette of a mountain in the background. Stars are shining in the clear sky above.
2 pm update: Ignitions on today's operation on the Headquarters Unit of the Front Country Prescribed Fire have been completed with 37 acres treated. Both lanes of U.S. Highway 36 have reopened and traffic control has been lifted.
Operations were successful at introducing low-to-moderate intensity fire on the landscape, targeting grass and shrubs. This work will help serve as a fuel break against potential future wildfires.
Fire personnel will continue to patrol this afternoon and will remain on site overnight.
Smoke will continue to linger. As temperatures cool overnight, smoke may settle in low-lying areas in the immediate vicinity near Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.
Smoke may affect your health: For more information visit colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/w….
To monitor smoke concentrations and to learn more about ways to mitigate smoke exposure, visit AirNow.gov at fire.airnow.gov/#9.71/40.426…
Image Credit: NPS Photo
#RMNP #RMNPrxFire #FrontCountryRx #NPSfire
ALT Smoke is rising above blackened landscape among brown grasses. Fire personnel and vehicles are patrolling along the burn area. The sky overhead is blue and clear.
Update on Wednesday, November 4, at 10:30 am on today's operations on the Front Country Prescribed Fire:
The test fire was successful and ignition operations have begun west of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, along U.S. Highway 36.
U.S. Highway 36 in Rocky Mountain National Park is open. There could be smoke on the road from fire operations. Motorists traveling along U.S. Highway 36 should travel with caution. Be prepared for one-lane traffic led by a pilot vehicle between Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Beaver Meadows Entrance.
Before beginning full ignition on a prescribed fire, fire managers always start with a small test fire. This carefully placed ignition allows the team to observe how the fire behaves under the day’s exact conditions.
If the test fire behaves as planned, ignition moves forward. If not, operations pause or stop. This cautious, step-by-step approach helps ensure each prescribed fire is carried out safely and successfully.
Image Credits: NPS Photo - Taken on Nov 4, 2026 during the test fire operation
#RMNP #RMNPrxFire #FrontCountryRx #NPSfire
ALT Firefighters in protective gear are monitoring grasses that are burning along a dirt road. The sky overhead is clear and blue.
Morning operational update, sharing information on yesterday's burn and on today's planned operations in #RMNP .
NPS Video - Recorded on the morning of November 4, 2026
#RMNPrxFire #FrontCountryRx #NPSfire
2:45 pm update: Today's ignitions on the Headquarters Unit of the Front Country Prescribed Fire have been completed with 20 acres treated.
Operations were successful at introducing low-to-moderate intensity fire on the landscape, targeting grass and shrubs. This work will help serve as a fuel break against potential future wildfires.
Fire personnel will remain on site overnight. Smoke will continue to linger, largely localized in the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center. As temperatures cool overnight, smoke may settle in low-lying areas.
Smoke may affect your health: For more information visit colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/w….
To monitor smoke concentrations and to learn more about ways to mitigate smoke exposure, visit AirNow.gov at fire.airnow.gov/#9.71/40.426…
10:30 am update on today's prescribed fire operation:
Test fire was successful and ignition operations have begun west of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.
Before beginning full ignition on a prescribed fire, fire managers always start with a small test fire. This carefully placed ignition allows the team to observe how the fire behaves under the day’s exact conditions.
By watching flame height, rate of spread, smoke dispersion, and how fuels respond, crews can confirm that weather and on-site conditions match the prescription.
This step is essential for:
- Public safety – ensuring fire stays within planned boundaries
- Firefighter safety – verifying that behavior is predictable and manageable
- Meeting objectives – confirming the fire will effectively reduce fuels and improve forest health
If the test fire behaves as planned, ignition moves forward. If not, operations pause or stop. This cautious, step-by-step approach helps ensure each prescribed fire is carried out safely and successfully.
Image Credit: NPS Photo - Taken on the morning of 11/3/26 during the test fire operation.
Rocky Mountain National Park and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service continue to monitor fuel and weather conditions in advance of a potential prescribed burn tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The treatment area is located inside Rocky Mountain National Park, west of Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.
The primary goal of the project is to mitigate the threat of wildland fire to nearby communities and park infrastructure. The prescribed burn will reduce grasses, light fuels and understory to decrease future wildfire risk.
Prescribed fires are planned well in advance and have a specific prescription, or set of conditions, that are necessary to get the desired effects on the land and vegetation being treated without undue smoke impacts on nearby communities. If these conditions are not present, firefighters will delay the prescribed fire.
If prescribed fire operations proceed on Tuesday, traffic control will be in place on U.S. Highway 36 adjacent to the burn area. Visitors driving through areas with active operations may be escorted by fire personnel.
Park visitors will not be allowed to stop along roadways within the burn area. Temporary road closures may also be implemented.
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, the RMNP Wilderness Office and the Rocky Mountain Conservancy Nature Store, located inside the visitor center, will be open as regularly scheduled.
For additional details, visit nps.gov/romo/learn/news/rock…
Additional updates will be provided on Tuesday morning.
Image Credit: NPS Photo
ALT Two firefighters, wearing protective gear, are holding shovels and watching fire burning through grasses. The sky overhead is clear and blue.
Due to the forecast for snow, low visibility and freezing temperatures beginning tonight, Trail Ridge Road in #RMNP will be closing at 5 p.m. tonight, on Friday, October 23, 2026.
The closure points will be at Many Parks Curve on the east side of RMNP and at Colorado River Trailhead on the west side.
The recorded status line for Trail Ridge Road is available at 970-586-1222.
On Tuesday, October 27, we're celebrating the birthday of President Theodore Roosevelt!
In honor of this celebration, October 27 is also a fee free day. This means that all park entrance fees will be waived. Camping and other use fees still apply.
Interested in learning more about President Roosevelt's life and lasting impact? Visit nps.gov/people/life-of-theod…
Image Credit: NPS - Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt in 1918
ALT Sepia portrait of President Theodore Roosevelt, taken in 1918.
Be prepared for cool and rainy weather in Rocky Mountain National Park through tonight. For the latest weather forecast, visit weather.gov/bou/rmnp
It will warm and dry over the plains today. In the mountains there will be a good chance of showers and a few thunderstorms this afternoon. #cowx
ALT Graphic shows highs today with 70's over the plains with 50 to 65 over the higher terrain.
Rocky is hiring for several summer seasonal positions that will begin in spring and summer 2027.
Positions that are currently open include:
- Maintenance Worker
- Maintenance Mechanic
- Biological Science Technician (Plants)
- Ecologist
For more information on these jobs and to apply, visit usajobs.gov and search for jobs located in Estes Park, Colorado or Grand Lake, Colorado.
ALT Job announcement graphic. "Rocky is Hiring! Visit USA Jobs.gov and search for Estes Park or Grand Lake to see available positions and apply." Photo of a smiling park ranger in uniform standing at a window.
The summer and early fall seasons in Rocky have come to an end and timed entry reservations are no longer needed to enter the park. Thank you to our staff and volunteers for another wonderful season! We'll miss our seasonal staff!
As the park begins to transition from fall toward winter, regular shuttle service in the Bear Lake Road corridor has ended for the year. When planning your fall and winter trips to Bear Lake and Moraine Park, be prepared for parking areas to fill early in the day, especially on busy weekends.
💻 When planning for your next trip, the RMNP webpage (nps.gov/romo) and the RMNP page on the NPS App are great resources to help get you started.
🛣️ Planning to take a drive on Trail Ridge Road? For the most up to date information on the status of Trail Ridge Road, call 970-586-1222 for a recorded update.
🌡️ Take time to check the weather before heading out on your next outdoor adventure. Weather and conditions can change quickly in the mountains. For weather in Rocky, visit weather.gov/bou/rmnp
Image Credit: NPS
ALT The Loch in Rocky Mountain National Park surrounded by rocky peaks early in the morning with a thin layer of ice on the surface of the water.
Following recent winter storms, trail conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park are beginning to change as the season transitions from fall toward winter. Be prepared for some ice and snow on trails when hiking in areas above 9,000 feet in elevation.
🥾It's a great time to dig out your traction devices. Traction devices and hiking poles are recommended when traveling on high elevation trails.
When hiking in lower elevation areas of the park, trails may be dry, wet, or muddy.
For the latest weather forecast specific to Rocky Mountain National Park, visit weather.gov/bou/rmnp
See the latest trail conditions report at nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/t….
Image Credits: NPS
Due to ongoing winter storms in areas above 9,000 feet in elevation, icy conditions and snow, Trail Ridge Road is closed on the east side of #RMNP at Many Parks Curve and at Colorado River Trailhead on the west side of the park.
ALT Square graphic snowing the forecast snow totals in Rocky Mountain National Park. A winter storm is expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of snow to the high elevation areas of Trail Ridge Road. 2 to 3 inches of snow are possible at Bear Lake.
It is a cool, wet day in Rocky Mountain National Park. Be prepared for rain in lower elevation areas of the park. In areas above 9,000 feet in elevation, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect through the morning of Thursday, Oct 15.
Due to freezing temperatures, ice, and snow, Trail Ridge Road is temporarily closed on the east side of the park at Many Parks Curve and on the west side of the park at Milner Pass. Motorist are advised to use alternate routes to travel around the park.
For updates, call the Trail Ridge Road status line at 970-586-1222.
❄️The season's first Winter Weather Advisory is out for the northern mountains above 9,000 feet. 6-12" of snow expected, with the heaviest amounts above 9,500 feet. Slick, slow, and hazardous travel especially Wednesday afternoon thru early Thursday AM. #COwx
ALT Graphic on the right highlights the Winter Weather Advisory for the northern and central mountains above 9,000 feet in Colorado
Trail Ridge Road in #RMNP is temporarily closed at Rainbow Curve on the east side of the park and at Milner Pass on the west side of the park due to poor visibility and ice and snow on the road.
Image Credit: NPS - Photos of Trail Ridge Road taken on the morning of October 13, 2026
ALT A layer of snow and ice covers the road on Trail Ridge Road. The sky is grey and misty, with poor visibility on the road.
ALT Snow and ice covers Trail Ridge Road near Rock Cut parking. A foggy, mist hangs low over the road and the sky is dark grey above.
As part of Rocky's National Public Lands Day celebration, on Saturday, September 26, an incredible group of 14 volunteers came out and worked side by side with NPS trail crew members on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. They installed three new log foot bridges on a section of the Bowen Gulch Continental Divide Trail (CDT) Connector.
This was a project supported by the Headwaters Trails Alliance and the CDT Coalition. Thank you to everyone for sharing your time and helping to make a real difference out on the trail!
This important project will help future hikers experience an easier stream crossing during the high-water season in spring and early summer. Way to go!
Image Credits:
NPS
ALT A group of 8 NPS volunteers and park staff are using hand braces to carry a half-cut log through a forest path and across a stream.
ALT A group of volunteers and NPS staff are installing two narrow, wooden log bridges across a stream in a forest.
ALT A group of 16 volunteers and NPS staff are standing on a newly built log bridge that sits above a narrow stream, surrounded by pine and spruce trees in a forest.
Rocky Mountain National Park Trail Crew staff have completed a project at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. The Glacier Gorge parking area and trailhead have reopened and shuttle bus operations have resumed at this location.
Thank you to all crew members for their hard work this week and for accomplishing this project ahead of schedule!
Visitors interested in hiking to destinations like Alberta Falls, Mills Lake, and The Loch can start their hike from either Glacier Gorge or Bear Lake Trailheads.
Image Credits: NPS
ALT Beginning of the Glacier Gorge Trail, where the trail transitions from pavement to a dirt path. On the left side, there is a large trail sign set in a wooden frame. The trail ahead is lined with Aspen trees with leaves of gold.