Fall River Pass
Encyclopedia
Fall River Pass
Fall River Pass (el. 11,796 ft./3595 m.) is a mountain passMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
of northern Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on the in the Front Range
Front Range
The Front Range is a mountain range of the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America located in the north-central portion of the U.S. State of Colorado and southeastern portion of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is the first mountain range encountered moving west along the 40th parallel north across...
, within Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park located in the north-central region of the U.S. state of Colorado.It features majestic mountain views, a variety of wildlife, varied climates and environments—from wooded forests to mountain tundra—and easy access to back-country trails...
. The pass is traversed by U.S. Highway 34 on Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road is the name for a stretch of U.S. Highway 34 and is the highest continuous highway in the United States. Also known as Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway, it traverses Rocky Mountain National Park from Estes Park, Colorado in the east to Grand Lake, Colorado in...
between Estes Park
Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park is a town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Estes Park had a population of 5,858 at the 2010 census...
and Granby
Granby, Colorado
The Town of Granby is a Statutory Town that is the most populous town in Grand County, Colorado, United States. Granby is situated along U.S. Highway 40 in Middle Park about west of Denver, Colorado, southwest of Rocky Mountain National Park...
. The pass is not, however, the high point on Trail Ridge Road, which crests at 12,183 ft east of the pass within Rocky Mountain National Park. The Alpine Visitor Center
Alpine Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain National Park's Alpine Visitor Center is located at 11,796 feet above sea level at Fall River Pass, about two miles north of the highest point on Trail Ridge Road in the U.S. state of Colorado. The Alpine Visitor's Center includes restrooms, a restaurant and an information and gift...
, one of five visitor centers for the National Park, is located at the pass. The pass has a moderately steep 6% grade on either side of the summit.