Kooky JwcMMttain NATIONAL PARK . GcUcvuida UNITED STATES Historic Events DEPARTMENT OF THE 1820 Maj. Stephen H. Long, commanding ROCKY an exploring party sent out by Presi­ INTERIOR dent Madison in 181°, first sighted- Harold L. Ickes, Secretary Longs Peak. MOUNTAIN 1843 Rufus B. Sage, another explorer, visited the area. NATIONAL PARK 1859 Joel Estes, the first white settler, en­ COLORADO 19 41 tered park, building first cabin a year later. OPEN ALL YEAR 1868 First ascent of Longs Peak by NATIONAL PARK SERVICE William N. Byers, Maj. J. W. Powell, and five other men. Rocky Mountain Newton B. Drury, Director NOTCHTOP MOUNTAIN Jim, adventurer and frontiersman, FROM OUTLET OF ODESSA LAKE. C Oj\TEiV\rS settled in area. 1869 Earl of Dunravcn, famous English OCKY MOUNTAIN National stalwart beauty, there is no mountain Fern Lake with Flattop and sportsman, first visited this area. Park includes within its boun­ group to excel the company of snow­ Little Matterhorn in the 1871-73 The Hayden Geographical Survey, R daries 405 square miles, or capped veterans of all the ages which distance Cover under Dr. E. V. Hayden, worked 259,416 acres, of the Front Range of the stands at everlasting parade behind its Land of Lofty Mountains . 3 here. First pictures this section of Rockies in north-central Colorado, grim, helmeted captain, Longs Peak. Rockies taken by pioneer photogra­ about 68 miles northwest of Denver. It Romantic Lakes 5 pher, W. H. Jackson. There is probably no other scenic was established by act of Congress on neighborhood of the first order which Fauna and Flora 5 1874 First stage between Longmont and January 26, 1915, and its boundaries combines mountain outline so bold with Estes Park established. Albert Bier- were adjusted by acts approved Febru­ Evidence of Glacial Action . 7 stadt, famous artist, first visited a quality of beauty so intimate and re­ ary 14, 1917; June 9, 1926; and June Automobile Trips .... 7 region. fined. To live in the valley in the ever- 21, 1930. The eastern gateway is the changing presence of these carved and 1875 Abner Sprague, northern Colorado village of Estes Park, from which easy Trail Trips 10 pioneer, settled in Moraine Park. tinted peaks is in itself satisfaction. and comfortable access is had to the This national park reaches lofty Fishing 12 1878 First hotel built by Earl of Dunravcn. noblest heights and the most picturesque heights. The summer visitors who live recesses of the mountains. Winter Sports 12 1888 Enos A. Mills, pioneer of nature- at the base of the great mountains guiding idea, settled at cast base of Rocky Mountain National Park is are 8,000 feet above sea level, while the Administration and Longs Peak. one of the most accessible of our west­ mountains themselves tower precipitous­ Park Season 12 1907-09 Automobile stage lines established ern national parks, being comparatively ly a mile or more above the base level. Estes Park to Loveland and Lyons. close to large centers of population in Naturalist Service .... 12 Longs Peak, the highest of them all, 1915 Rocky Mountain National Park estab­ the East and Middle West. rises 14,255 feet above sea level, and Free Public Campgrounds . 13 lished. LAND OF LOFTY MOUNTAINS most of the other mountains in the park are more than 12,000 feet high. Accommodations and 1920 Fall River Road over Continental For many years the Front Range Divide completed. of the Rockies has been the mecca of Sixty-five named mountains within the Expenses 14 the mountain lovers of this country. park reach altitudes of over 10,000 feet. 1927 Bear Lake Road completed. How to Reach the Park . 14 The name conjures up ideas of Amer­ Over 14,000 feet 1 1932 Trail Ridge Road opened. ican mountain grandeur. In nobility, Between 13,000 and 14,000 feet... 14 Trail Trips 15 in calm dignity, in the sheer glory of Between 12,000 and 13,000 feet 27 2 Rocky Mountain National Par/{ * Colorado Rocky Mountain National Par\ * Colorado 3 peaks, magnificent canyons penetrate plunging downward again until solid the precipices of the Divide, and beauti­ footing is reached. Bands are frequent­ ful streams rush down the mountain ly seen at Sheep Lake, especially late in slopes to the river. the season. Throughout the summer ROMANTIC LAKES they may be glimpsed working about Grand Lake, at the southwestern en­ among the volcanic rocks of Specimen trance to the park, is the deepest lake Mountain. After several years of de­ in this region and one of the largest cline these magnificent animals now in Colorado. The North and East In­ appear to be holding their own. lets are the two principal rivers en­ The beaver, whose dams and other tering Grand Lake. Each flows from works are found along almost every cirques under the Continental Divide. drainage in the park, are easily seen Lakes Nokoni and Nanita, among the in the early evening hours by the pa­ most romantic of the park, are reach­ tient observer. Elk and deer, which ed from a trail connecting with both are rather numerous, are often observ­ sides of the park by the Flattop Trail. ed. Coyotes and black bears are pres­ Lake Verna and her unnamed sisters ent in limited numbers, while moun­ are the sources of the East Inlet and tain lions and bobcats are rare and are reached by trail. infrequently seen because of their wary Gregg Photo. nature. LOOKING TOWARD BLACK CANYON FROM ESTES PARK. FAUNA AND FLORA The national park is a sanctuary for The more common small mammals wildlife. Animals and birds are pro­ are chipmunks and Say's ground squir­ Between 11,000 and 12,000 feet ....13 In the northeast corner lies a spur tected from hunting. Living trees may rels which abound at every parking Between 10,000 and 11,000 feet.... 10 from the Continental Divide, the Mum­ not be cut or injured. Flowers may area; Wyoming ground squirrels, or The valleys on both sides of the my Range, a tumbled majestic moun­ not be picked. The cooperation of visi­ picket pins; marmots, or woodchucks; Front Range and those which pene­ tain mass which includes some of the tors is requested, in order that the wild­ the Fremont squirrel, or chickaree; and trate into its recesses are dotted with loftiest peaks and one of the finest life of the park may be protected, that the cony, a noisy, busy rodent of the parklike glades clothed in a profusion glaciers. the flowers may continue in their pres­ rocky high slopes. of colorful wild flowers and watered In Wild Basin, to the south of Longs ent abundance, and that the forests of BIRDS.—The most common species in with streams from the mountain snows Peak, the country grows even wilder. the park may not suffer injury from fire the lower altitudes of the park are the and glaciers. Forests of evergreens and The range is a succession of noble snow- or other cause. western robin and the beautiful moun­ silver-stemmed aspen separate them. covered peaks. MAMMALS.—The park is the natural tain bluebird. The mountain chickadee The range lies, roughly speaking, The west side, gentler in its slopes home of the famous Rocky Mountain and the grayheaded junco are abundant north and south. On the east side the and less majestic in its mountain mass- bighorn or mountain sheep. This at middle elevations. Above timber line descent from the Continental Divide ings, is a region of loveliness and wild- animal is much larger than the domes­ the pipit and the brown-capped leu- is precipitous in the extreme. Sheer ness diversified by splendid mountains, tic sheep, and is remarkably powerful costicte, or rosy finch, are plentiful. The drops of two or three thousand feet into innumerable streams, and lakes of great and agile, surpassing the celebrated hermit thrush and the Townsend soli­ rock-bound gorges carpeted with snow charm. The Continental Divide, bent Swiss chamois in size, grace, and hand­ taire, among the finest songbirds in the patches and wild flowers are common. from the north and called the "Never someness. The bighorn is capable of world, are both fairly common in suit­ Seen from the east-side valleys this Summer Mountains," rises from the descending seemingly impassable slopes, able localities. Other songsters include range rises in daring relief, craggy in western side of the Colorado River. On breaking the fall from ledge to ledge the purple finch, ruby-crowned kinglet, outline, snow spattered, awe inspiring. every side the mountains lift bald by landing lightly on all fours, and western meadowlark, and the rock and 4 Rocky Mountain National Park * Colorado Rocky Mountain National Park * Colorado 5 prevailing tree of middle elevations; grand circuit of Colorado's beauties that and the ponderosa pine, a large, spread­ offers one of the most attractive and ing tree with reddish-brown trunk, impressive of the scenic automobile occurring in open stands in the lower trips of our continent. elevations. Limber pine is frequent in The trip starts from Denver, crosses high rocky places, assuming picturesque the Continental Divide at Milner Pass forms at timber line, and Douglas fir, in Rocky Mountain National Park, or false hemlock, is widely distributed reaches Grand Lake, crosses the Con­ at lower elevations. Colorado blue tinental Divide again at Berthoud Pass, spruce shows conspicuously along moist traverses the Denver Mountain Parks, stream banks at the eastern edge of and returns to Denver, having com­ the park. Rocky Mountain red cedar pleted without any duplication 240 is present along the eastern slopes. In miles of comfortable travel through addition to the coniferous trees, there magnificent country.