The Tundra Communities Trail to Mushroom Rocks is a good opportunity to stretch your legs and experience dramatic panoramic views of the Rockies. Best of all get a sense of how harsh an environment these mountain peaks are with a biting cold wind in the dead of summer. Take your parka along!

At over 12,000 feet above seal level feel like you're on top of the world! Hike Tundra Communities Trail off Trail Ridge Road - the highest road in any national park. Only accessible for a few months out of the year, you will be able to experience a special part of the expansive tundra environment. You'll notice the grand scenery, but don't forget to look down! This is truly a land of extremes. Strong, frequent winds and cold temperatures help limit what plants can grow there. Most alpine plants are perennials. Many plants are dwarfed, but their few blossoms may be full-sized. The flowers you see blooming can take literal decades to build the energy to do so. Be sure to also check out the Mushroom Rocks – unique rock formations composed of gneiss and Silver Plume granite jutting out from the ground right off the trail.

Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado spans the Continental Divide and encompasses protected mountains, forests and alpine tundra. It's known for the Trail Ridge Road and the Old Fall River Road, drives that pass aspen trees and rivers. The Keyhole Route, a climb crossing vertical rock faces, leads up Longs Peak, the park’s tallest mountain. A trail surrounding Bear Lake offers views of the peaks.