Rocky Mountain National Park

© 2004 by Andrew J. Morris

It is hard to imagine the foresight needed to establish the American National Park sytem. In the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century the United States was still largely wilderness west of the Mississippi. Who could imagine that there would come a time when we would need special wild places to put us back in touch with Nature?

F. O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steamer automobile, who built the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, was such an imaginative person. He helped form the Estes Park Protective and Improvement Association - foreshadowing the conservation ethic that gave rise to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Enos Mills was another such person, and an even stronger moving force behind establishment of the park. Mills came to Estes Park in 1884 when he was only 14 years old. A keen natural observer, he wrote books and articles in praise of the natural wonders of the area, and he purchased Longs Peak Inn, from which he lead tourists on nature trips into the mountains.

Enos began lobbying Congress for a National Park to embrace the Colorado Rocky Mountains from the Wyoming border down to Pike's Peak. He travelled the country, lecturing and writing on behalf of his proposed project. Of course the mining and logging interest in the region had a different agenda, and though they failed to squash Mill's endeavor, it was scaled back to a more modest - but still impressive - 358 square miles (gradullay expanded to its present 415 squre miles). President Woodrow Wilson signed the legislation establishing Rocky Mountain National Park on Janury 26th, 1915.

Today, the park is used by approximately three million visitors each year, for scenic driving tours, hiking and bicycling, camping, backcountry camping, skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling (limited), picnicking, ranger led activities, viewing and photographing wildlife and wildflowers and birdwatching.

More than half of Rocky Mountain National Park is within Larimer County, but the western side of the Continental Divide is in Grand County, and the area from Long's Peak southward is in Boulder County.

Weather:
As with any mountainous region, Rocky Mountain National Park's weather is characterized by extremes, and subject to rapid and unpredictable changes. Summers are warm at the lower elevations, but above 9,000 feet it may snow even in July. The daily range of temperatures is great, with highs in the 70s or 80s followed by nights in the 40s. Summer rains are more frequent on the west side of the Continental Divide, but thunderstorms may develop anywhere, anytime.

Winter weather is even more extreme. Above-freezing temperatures are common below 9,000 feet in the daytime, but may be followed by sub-zero night-time temperatures. Blizzards are common and can dump large loads of snow, especially at higher elevations. Strong winds can move tons of snow in minutes, and create wind-chill temperatures of 50 degrees below zero.

Land-Sat Image of Rocky Mountain National Park and surrounding area, Oct. 5th 1999.

Feedback, Comments, Corrections

Please post a comment only if you have something substantive to say; posts such as 'Right on! or 'Me too!' will not be posted. All comments require approval by site administator before they will appear.

Only signed-on members can add comments...
Join NOW for Free!