Spring in Estes Park, Colorado can be different from what you might expect! While a warm, sunny day can create the illusion that summer has arrived, the next day can turn cold and bring a heavy snowfall, as we found out today!

We set out to pay our first visit to the Rocky Mountain National Park three miles from where we are staying. The park covers some 415 square miles of U.S. government-owned land with an additional 400 square miles of U.S. Forest Service wilderness adjoining the park boundaries.

We ascend the park’s Trail Ridge Road in search of the Alpine Visitor Centre sitting at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet. As we climb the mountain, the clouds descend and blur our view (and photo opportunities), and the landscape changes dramatically. As we continue upwards, the tree-line ends and the extremely thin soil, strong ultraviolet light, drying winds and bitter cold define life on the tundra.

Our day was turned upside down as a snow storm suddenly arrives and the Park Rangers have us stay in the car park of the Alpine Visitor Centre as they call-in the snow ploughs to open the road and enable us to descend down the mountain!

Me and Poppy in front of a wall of snow at over 11,400 feet elevation!

A view from the Alpine Visitor Centre – you can see where the tree-line ends due to the harsh winters and the altitude.

Waiting on the snow ploughs!

Pretty as a Christmas Card – I took this photo out of the car window on the way down the mountain!