About

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the jewels of the US Park System. This national park wonderfully preserves a spectacular section of the southern Rocky Mountains while also making it accessible to the public. It is a perfect place to get away from the stresses of our hurried lives and to reconnect with nature, family, and the things in life that truly matter. With abundant wildlife, 100+ lakes, over 350 miles (560km) of hiking trails, roads that take you to the top of the mountains, and all the amenities you need just outside the park boundaries, Rocky has everything you need for an amazing vacation whether you are by yourself, with that special loved one, or with the extended family.

Brief History

With the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. government acquired the land now known as Rocky Mountain National Park. Spanish explorers and French fur trappers skirted the area during their wilderness forays. Even Major Stephen H. Long, the explorer for whom the peak is named, avoided these rugged barricades in his famous 1820 expedition. In 1843, Rufus Sage wrote the first account of Rocky's wonders, called Scenes in the Rocky Mountains. The Pikes Peak gold rush of 1859 drew hopeful miners and speculators. Their settlements at places like Lulu City, in what is now the northwest part of the park, were ephemeral. The rousing boom times yielded to an industrious homesteading period starting in the 1860s. Harsh winters proved inhospitable to grazing, but the abundant bears, deer, wolves, and elk howled through the trees and the mountains continued to draw Easterners impressed by the sublime landscape. Mountain water proved more precious than gold. The Grand Ditch in the Never Summer Range intercepted the stream source of the Colorado River and diverted it for cattle and crops in towns such as Greeley and Fort Collins. With the ranchers and hunters and miners and homesteaders came tourists.

By 1900, the growing national conservation and preservation movement, led by Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and John Muir, advocated an appreciation for nature. The Estes Park Protective and Improvement Association fostered local conservation efforts. "Those who pull flowers up by the roots will be condemned by all worthy people," they warned. In 1909, Enos Mills, a naturalist, nature guide, and lodge owner, championed the creation of the nation's tenth national park. He hoped that: "In years to come when I am asleep beneath the pines, thousands of families will find rest and hope in this park." Unleashing his diverse talents and inexhaustible energy, he spent several years lecturing across the nation, writing thousands of letters and articles, and lobbying Congress to create a new national park. Most civic leaders supported the idea, as did the Denver Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Mountain Club. In general, mining, logging, and agricultural interests opposed it. On January 26, 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Rocky Mountain National Park Act.

Geography

Rocky Mountain National Park is in north-central Colorado about 60 miles (97 km) north of Denver. The great range of the Rocky Mountains stretches 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from northern Canada to New Mexico. Rocky Mountain National Park protects a small sliver of this, covering an area of 415 sq. mile (1,075 sq. km). It is however a beautiful portion of these mountains that is well worth protecting.Rocky Mountain National Park’s gateway towns are Grand Lake in the west and Estes Park in the east. The Continental Divide runs through the park from north to south along the top of the mountains dividing the park into a western and eastern side of the park. There is only one road connecting the east and west sides of the park and this road is usually closed from mid-October until late May, as the snow and high winds make it impossible for snowplows to keep the road clear.

Wilderness Area

94% of Rocky Mountain National Park was designated a wilderness area by Congress, protecting the majority of the park from any construction of roads, buildings, or other infrastructure. This wilderness is left in its natural state and can only be accessed on foot or by horse. As a result, you’ll enjoy the sounds, smells, and sights of the natural world in a way that is hard to do outside a wilderness area. It also allows the park to be a safe haven for the many wild creatures and plants that live there. Read more about the creation of the park and the formation of this wilderness area.