Rock Cut in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rock Cut

It's a little bit amazing that anything grows on the harsh Arctic tundra you see here.

Plan Around Rock Cut

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Rock Cut Details

It's a little bit amazing that anything grows on the harsh Arctic tundra you see here. Yet somehow more than 100 species of flowering plants survive despite being subjected to 150-mile-per-hour winds, freezing temperatures most of the year, high levels of ultraviolet radiation, and an annual growing season that's no more than 12 weeks long. Stay on the trails here -- these hardy plants are also fragile, and scientists say the tundra takes centuries to recover from human damage.

Difficulty

Low

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

Region

Trail Ridge Road

Nearby Parks Around Rock Cut

Compare nearby parks around Rock Cut when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

9.5 mi away

Rocky Mountain

National Park · CO

165.3 mi away

Black Canyon

National Park · CO

185.4 mi away

Great Sand Dunes

National Park · CO

241.5 mi away

Arches

National Park · UT

256.5 mi away

Canyonlands

National Park · UT

256.6 mi away

Mesa Verde

National Park · CO

Nearby Points of Interest Around Rock Cut

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Rock Cut while the map context is still fresh.

0.2 mi away

Tundra Communities Trailhead

Offers an overview of the arctic tundra environment at the upper elevations of Rocky Mountain National Park.

0.2 mi away

Tundra Communities Trailhead

Offers an overview of the arctic tundra environment at the upper elevations of Rocky Mountain National Park.

0.2 mi away

Tundra Communities Trail

This short, pleasant hike follows a paved path through the delicate alpine tundra landscape.

0.9 mi away

Sundance Mountain

Rarely is getting to the top of a mountain this simple.

1.0 mi away

Iceberg Pass

A notch in the mountain range standing at 11,827 feet between Rock Cut and the Lava Cliffs.