Frommer's Review
An excellent way to see the tundra, this hike is fairly easy if you arrange a ride to the top (there are no shuttle buses or ride-arranging bulletin boards or services; make arrangements on your own with friends) and walk down to Upper Beaver Meadows.
As you leave Trail Ridge Road, the incline is gentle and marked by rock cairns. Forest Canyon lies below to your right, with the Big Thompson River flowing through it, and the Continental Divide marks the horizon beyond. As you round a bend, the road is blocked from sight, allowing you to imagine what the Utes and Arapaho faced when they followed this trail in years past. Longs Peak can be seen to the south; the clear air gives the illusion you can almost reach out and touch it, but it's actually 10 miles away! As you head for Tombstone Ridge, you may see yellow-bellied marmots relaxing on rocks in the sun, or pikas scurrying about gathering their winter fodder. In early morning you may catch a glimpse of deer or elk grazing on the tundra. From the top of Tombstone Ridge, the Mummy Range dominates the northern skyline, and Trail Ridge Road winds its way below.
You will next descend below the tree line among limber pines and into Windy Gulch. This hanging valley is midway between the top of Trail Ridge and the bottom of Forest Canyon; it was created by drainage from the ridge but left hanging above the canyon dug by a narrow glacier thousands of years ago. The Windy Gulch Cascades are where the drainage stream tumbles off the edge of the gulch, down the steep, almost clifflike, wall and into the Big Thompson River. When you reach this point, you'll have terrific views of Notchtop, Gabletop, and Knobtop mountains, with Mount Wuh (10,761 ft.) blocking farther views to the south. Longs Peak dominates the view to the southeast. The trail now bends around Beaver Mountain to the northeast, through forests of ponderosa pine, aspen, juniper, and Douglas fir, on its final descent to Upper Beaver Meadows. The trail's starting point is at 11,444 feet. The elevation gain to Tombstone Ridge is 160 feet; the drop to Upper Beaver Meadows is about 3,000 feet.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
