ESTES PARK, Colo. — It could be a while before visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park can make the trek up to the Alpine Visitor Center.
Park staff shared photos on Friday that showed the visitor center and Trail Ridge Store, located at an elevation of 11,796 feet, almost completely buried in snow.
It’s not unusual for the buildings to be covered in snow, but the snowfall has been especially heavy this year, officials said.
Crews have been working since mid-April to clear Trail Ridge Road and plows were able to reach the buildings late Wednesday.
More snow is in the forecast and park officials said it’s too early to say whether Trail Ridge Road will open to vehicle traffic by Memorial Day. The road is open to cyclists and pedestrians.
The latest that Trail Ridge Road has opened to vehicle traffic was June 26, 1943, officials said. The earliest was May 7, 2002.