Crews close Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. – Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park has closed to through traffic for the winter.

Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson says the road, which connects Estes Park on the east and Grand Lake on the west, was closed on Friday. It will remain open to cyclists and leashed pets until Dec. 1 and is expected to reopen April 1. Hikers will be allowed on the road during the winter.

The scenic route is the highest continuous paved road in the United States and reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet (3,713 metres). It is not designed to be an all-season road, with 11 miles (17.7 kilometres) above 11,500 feet (3,505 metres) and few guard rails and no shoulder.